Results / Gul Grand Prix Arun YC - 14/07/2012

Day one, Littlehampton, South Coast, Gul Grand Prix. The Arun Yacht Club Race committee managed to get one race away on Saturday. In a fickle and failing wind the home combination of Jack Holden and Ollie Miller (1221) managed to decode the conditions best and nailed the race, with the Norfolk-based combination of Jasper Barnham and Graham Sexton (1275) second, and Paul & Mark Oakey (1384) from Portchester third. Sunday morning dawned with a decent westerly breeze. Four races to be had. Race one of the day and 1275 wriggled clear, with the legendry Mark Reddington and Colin Staite (Bartley, 1339) chasing hard, the almost legendary Paul Bowen / Shaun Kellett of Gurnard (1326) close behind and the not-at-all legendary Howard Farbrother and Dan Martin (Queen Mary, 1251) attempting to catch up. A wind shift made the race track a very one way affair, and Barnham/Sexton took the gun, with Farbrother / Martin sneaking through Redders to take 2nd at the line. A dodgy slot gasket unfortunately put paid to the rest of the Bartley boat’s weekend, and they reluctantly headed home.

Race two and again the Barnham & Sexton duo were first to the mark, followed by Bowen & Kellett, and Farbrother/Martin. The race track opened up and 1275 were gradually hunted down, first by Bowen/Kellett, and then by Farbrother/Martin, to give Gurnard 1st, Queen Mary 2nd and Thorpe Bay 3rd. Race 3, and the wind had built to a solid 15-18kts, with a strong tide running down the race course – Arun was delivering the great sea conditions it’s well known - some might say even legendary – for. The building tide evened up the course bias, and Bowen & Kellett took line honours for the second time, followed by Paul & Mark Oakey and the consistent Barnham & Sexton in the newly consistent 1275.

Last race of the day, and with one discard kicking in, 1275 and 1326 were tied on 6 points, with 1251 on 8, overall victory was dependent on the last race. Farbrother/Martin led the way, right up until they tried a novel gybing technique involving a couple of large waves, some choice words, and far too much blue water. Bowen/Kellett (and everyone else) shot past and seized their opportunity, covering Barnham/Sexton for the reminder of the race. Holden/Miller made their second appearance in the top three, to secure a creditable fourth place overall. A slightly soggy Farbrother/Martin took third, Jasper Barnham & Graham Sexton second, and overall victory going to the Islanders Paul Bowen and Shaun Kellett.