Platinum Fleet announced for 2018 Gul GP14 World Championship

by Michelle Evans 19 Mar 2018 15:14 GMT 29 July - 3 August 2018

The GP14 is often maligned as a boat for the person of a more mature disposition who likes a relatively sedate sail. It lacks the glamour of the asymmetrics and would take a hurricane to get it foiling. However, the Class continues to thrive where some of it's 'sexier' counterparts are struggling and the GP14s have gone from strength to strength in recent years. The best attended away worlds in 2016 in Barbados was followed up by the best attended Nationals for a decade in 2017.

The 2018 Gul GP14 World Championship is still riding the crest of the Bajan waves with the event set to sell out well before the cut off date with 114 entries taken out of the 130 allocation and some very strong competition. It is the strength of the competition that has lead the Class to introduce a 'Platinum' Fleet as a one off for the event as Worlds Chair Gill Beddow explains:

"We are very fortunate to already have some big names from outside the Class signed up such as Nick Craig, Toby Lewis, Matt Burge and Tom Gillard. Those names added to the GP14 stalwart Championship winners such as Ian Dobson, Neil Marsden, Shane MacCarthy, Andy Davis, Mike Senior we felt we had at least 15 boats that were capable of winning the event. With an anticipated Gold Fleet entry of 40 boats out of the 130 we wanted to give everyone something to aim for and introducing the Platinum Fleet makes it a little bit more competitive for the Gold Fleet sailors who realistically won't be challenging for the win.

"How it will work is competitors will still enter under the usual Gold, Silver and Bronze fleet allocations and then during the event a Platinum fleet will be established by taking the overall leading fifteen boats in the Championship after 5 races have been completed. This means that for the final overall prizes there will be prizes for the top six boats (who we would anticipate would be from the Platinum Fleet but don't have to be) and then the top three from each of the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets. Everyday there will be daily prizes across the fleets as well as spot prizes and buddy group prizes and the event already has 31 sponsors signed up with more to come."

There will also be more coverage than ever of the event with live boat tracking available to watch online thanks to a partnership with Sailing Southwest who will supply a GPS tracker for every boat that wants to use one. This coupled with excellent race management, daily masterclasses by a Gold/Platinum Fleet sailor, daily weather and conditions briefings, event dinghy park, after racing free drink and a 'sailors zone' in the social space will make this a fantastic event for the competitors.

Not just an event for racing though, the socials will be as much a part of this event with daily evening entertainment including two live bands, games night, a quiz and treasure hunt and day time family activities including a sand castle building competition. Socials will be split across three zones to ensure there is something for everyone. Food is going to be available on site every racing day and there will be some food and drink included in the entry fee, there is also basic event camping available for those on a budget.

Full sponsor list:

• Gul (Title Sponsor of the Event)
• Craftinsure (Goody Bag and Event Prize Sponsor)
• Harken (Event Prize and Drone Sponsor)
• Amco Drilling (Social Sponsor)
• Primal Supplements (Social and Goody Bag Sponsor)
• Gurasu (Trophy and Closing Ceremony Sponsor)
• Skerries Sailing Club (Irish Night)

• Exe Sails (Race Day and Spot Prize Sponsor)
• Impact Marine (Race Day Sponsor)
• North Sails (Race Day and Spot Prize Sponsor)
• Optimum Watches (Spot Prize Sponsor)
• Selden (Spot Prize Sponsor)
• Typhoon Covers (Spot Prize Sponsor)

• Creation Covers (Champagne Race Sponsor)Duffin (Event Prize Sponsor)
• Gibson Sails (Daily Prize Sponsor)
• Paintcraft (Event Prize Sponsor)
• Yachting Sunnies (Daily Prize Sponsor)
• Yachts and Yachting Magazine (Goody Bag and Daily Prize Sponsor)

• Ann Penny (Trophy Sponsor)
• Elite Sails (Goody Bag Sponsor)
• English Braid (Goody Bag Sponsor)
• Gingerboats (Goody Bag Sponsor)
• Goachers (Goody Bag Sponsor)
• P&B (Goody Bag Sponsor & Official Chandlers)
• SP Boats (Goody Bag Sponsor)
• HD Sails (Post-Race Drinks Sponsor)
• Winder (Post-Race Drinks Sponsor)
• West System Resin (Buddy Group Sponsor)
• Dinghy Tec (Buddy Group Sponsor)
• Tracace/Sailing South West (Buddy Group Sponsor)

Visit the event website for more information about the event or to secure your place today with a £30 deposit (only available until 31 March and then it is full entry price to secure your place) www.gp14.org/events/2018-gp14-world-championship