GP14 Nationals and New Year Regatta

GEORGE NUUS - George Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) hosted its annual New Year Regatta over the new year weekend. In conjunction with this, the GP14 class also had its national championships.

GLYC acknowledges with thanks the contribution made by its sponsors, Lew Geffen Sothebys International (George) and Raubenheimers Attorneys.

Proceedings for the GP14s started on the Thursday, allowing for a four day event. The GP14 class had twelve boats competing, GLYC had six boats, Knysna Yacht Club three, two entrants were from Gauteng and one from Gqeberha.

The New Year Regatta had good support from the members of Redhouse Yacht Club in Gqeberha. With 18 boats in the senior fleet, nearly half were these visitors.

A light South Westerly wind provided the motive power on the first day of the GP14 Nationals. Two races were sailed. The first race was won by Pat Mitchell and Andrew Marsh, sailing for Pretoria S.C. with Anthony Parker and Callum Price (KYC) in second place.

Both of these skippers are previous National Championships. However, in the second race, it was the new youthful team of Matthew de Villiers and Chris du Toit taking line honours.

The second day had a strong southeaster blowing, gusting to over 20 knots in the afternoon. Four races were sailed in these conditions. Another previous National Champion, the KYC team of David Shilton and Luca Lutolf, won two of these, with the other two going to Mitchell and de Villiers.

On New Years Day, the GP14s had one race in the morning, won by Mitchell, before being joined by the New Year Regatta fleet for the afternoon's three races. With the overall title looking to be claimed by one of the top four, Shilton gained two more wins, with Parker winning race 8.

Meanwhile, de Villiers / du Toit were consistently in second place. In the New Year fleet, Georgou Divaris was the winner of two races on his Finn, with Ronald Paxton (Laser) the winner of the second race.

GP14s at speed. Matthew de Villiers (left) and Chris du Toit under spinnaker, ahead of Anthony Parker and Callum Price.

Veteran Laser sailor Charlie Hills was consistent in third place. On the last day, the wind was a patchy, light southerly. The GP14 sailed two races, while the New Year fleet had three. Malcolm Osborne and Daniel Kruger scored a maiden race win in the first of these races, while Shilton and Lutolf were the winners of the last race.

In the other fleet, Divaris won two races, Paxton one, while the Sonnet team of Tim and Bridget Jones started coming into the picture for the minor placings.

At the prize giving, the GP14 Rose Bowl trophy was awarded to Matthew de Villiers and Christopher du Toit and being crowned National Champions for 2021 / 2022. Pat Mitchell and Andrew Marsh received the GP14 Bell trophy for second place, with Anthony Parker and Callum Price receiving the ERYC trophy for third place.

The sailors of the GLYC New Year Regatta, with Georgou Divaris (back centre) the winner.

Georgou Divaris was the winner of the GLYC New Year Regatta, ahead of Ronald Paxton. There was a tie on points for third place between Charlie Hills and Tim and Bridget Jones. Sailing's tie break system gave this place to the Jones team, putting Hills down to fourth place.

For more information about George Lakes Yacht Club, go to www.glyc.org.za or like its Facebook page.

The fleet of GP14s on the run under spinnaker in the calmer conditions of the first day.