Gul National 12 Series Inland Championship at Northampton Sailing Club

National 12 Inlands at Northampton © Anthony York / www.chunkypics.co.uk

National 12 Inlands at Northampton © Anthony York / www.chunkypics.co.uk

Northampton Sailing Club has a reputation for a can do attitude, so despite a forecast of 40 mile an hour winds that a healthy fleet turned up for the conclusion of this year's Gul series and inland Championship.

Steve and Joanne Sallis started race one as if they had been sailing together for years which of course they have. They were pursued by a host of Dead Cat Bounce designs but in the gusty conditions it was survival as much as speed that counts. Jeremy and Luke Hartley were the first to go in at the gybe mark followed by Nick Copsey and new crew Rosie White. Steve and Joanne held their lead for two laps before succumbing to an almighty puff just by the leeward mark. The rock steady sibling pair of Jon Ibbotson and Charlotte Stewart took on the running and led to the finish followed home by Tom and Isobel Stewart who cruised around keeping the mast in the sky.

National 12 Inlands at Northampton - photo © Anthony York / www.chunkypics.co.uk

The wind dropped to a mere 15 knots for the start of race two. This time the Sallis' made no mistakes and looked imperious until right at the end when the fast downwind Hartleys almost caught them at the leeward mark. Steve and Joanne hung on but the first three finished overlapped with Jon and Char scoring a third.

The Sun came out for the start of race three which fooled a few of the more timid sailors to join in however the breeze was back up to it's most ferocious. Steve and Joanne fell in before the start and went in to prepare for the drinking and fireworks. They were then joined by the majority of the fleet. Jon and Char recorded their second win with Jeremy and Luke beginning to find their form scoring another second. Patrick Hamilton and local Isaac Marsh sailing a non-foiling boat finished in an impressive third with Tom White and Simon Clarke in fourth.

National 12 Inlands at Northampton - photo © Anthony York / www.chunkypics.co.uk

Races four and five were held in much more benign conditions on the Sunday morning and the whole fleet were able to play. Steve and Joanne were back into winning ways keeping the dream alive but Jon and Char pulled their way back to second place putting them in first going into the last race. Nigel and Chris White sailing a Final Chapter finished fourth breaking the Dead Cat Bounce dominance.

The Sallis' needed to win the last race to win the Inland championships which Steve first won at the same venue in 1988. Jon and Char aware of Steve's pace decided to match race him. After much circling Steve escaped but was then sailed out to the right hand side of the course and out of contention. Tom Stewart crewed son Robert nailed a pin end start and despite the Hartleys pushing hard scored a win.

Our Thanks to Northampton SC for an excellent weekend and Gul for the amazingly generous sponsorship.

More excellent ChunkyPics photos from the event can be found here.

Overall Results: