In glorious sunshine and with 12 knots of breeze blowing straight
down the lake, 35 National Twelves gathered at Northampton SC on 7
November for the finale of the 2009 GILL Series. With Steve & Jo
Sallis tied on points with Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne at the head of
the leader board and Tom Stewart & Liz Ross also able to win if other
results went their way there was all to play for. With Zoe
gracefully retired for the season on the grounds of pregnancy, Graham
had Pip Jefferies up front pulling the strings for him.
In the first race Stewart & Ross put a marker down leading around the
first mark, but they were overhauled by Jon Ibbotson & Charlotte Stewart
who went on to win from Stewart & Ross with Steve Norbury & Andy Hill
chasing, despite the odd customary wobble, in third and the Sallises
fourth.
Race 2 looked like business as usual for Stewart & Ross who led around
the windward mark as the Sallis family headed for the wrong mark.
Stewart & Ross then extended to a comfortable victory ahead of Chris
Mayhew and Mandy Thornton. Camm & Jefferies picked up a third
place with Ibbotson & Stewart fourth.
With all to be won and lost in the final race is was no surprise that an
eager fleet caused a general recall. Starting again, this time
under black flag, Stewart & Ross again mastered the first beat to lead
around the first mark, but this time with the Sallis family in close
attendance. National Champions Jo Richards and Sophie Mackley had
spent most of the day visiting various parts of the fleet, but they were
much better placed this time and showed great pace on the tight reach.
On the final lap they finally got into the lead and won from the Sallis
family who were closely covering Stewart and Ross with John & Katy
Meadowcroft in fourth.
Stewart & Ross had done enough to win the meeting, but the second place
in the final race was enough for Steve and Jo Sallis to take third
overall in the final event. This third place was sufficient to win
the 2009 GILL Series by one point from Stewart & Ross, with Camm and his
various crews across the season taking third place.
One of the specific objectives of the GILL Series has been to encourage
more family sailing in the Class and it is particular pleasing for the
father / daughter team of Steve and Jo to win the overall competition.
They are highly popular winners in their 11 seasons old Feeling Foolish.
In the Admirals Cup competition, event winners were Phil David and
Anthony Copsey, whilst Chris Troth and Rebecca Butler picked up the U21
prize, and, the Sallises won the Family Prize.
Results
1 N3513, Tom
Stewart & Liz Ross, Feeling Foolish, 3pts
2 N3494, Jon
Ibbotson & Charlotte Stewart, Feeling Foolish, 5pts
3 N3436, Steve &
Jo Sallis, Feeling Foolish, 6pts
4 N3519, Jo
Richards & Sophie Mackley, Dead Cat Bounce, 7pts
5 N3516, Steve
Norbury & Andy Hill, Feeling Foolish, 9pts
6 N3523, John &
Katy Meadowcroft, Paradigm 2, 9pts
