The Gill Flying Fifteen Open Meeting at Grafham Water SC was won by Richard Bundock and Ben Cooper of the host club.
Planned as a two-day event, in the end the weather gods gave us a great day’s racing on the Saturday, 13 May with four races, and a flat calm on the Sunday.
Race 1 was taken in fine style by the team from Aldeburgh, Duncan Matthew and John Walker with John Hanson and Alistair Stevenson in second, and local boys Simon Kneller and Ashley Painter slotting into third spot.
However, results-wise things were about to rapidly change as Flying 15 Johnny-come-lately new boys Ben Cooper and Richard Bundock suddenly got the hang of sailing a Flying 15 and posted three wins in a row.
A really impressive performance from sailors unfamiliar with a Flying 15, securing them the win overall.
Matthew and Walker picked up two 2nd places after their win, to secure 2nd overall.
That left the rest of the fleet squabbling for 3rd, 4th and 5th, which finished with three teams tied on 10 pts.
Resulting in the third podium place going to John Hanson/Alistair Stevenson, then fourth Ian Cadwallader and Simon Forbes, and fifth Simon Kneller and Ashley Painter
This event also served as event two of the 2023 Southern Travellers Series. And after Round 2 Jeremy Valentine and Andrew Telford from Datchet Water SC are leading the series overall.
Simon Kneller
Gill Flying 15 OM – Final after 4 races (15 entries)
1st 3904 Richard Bundock and Ben Cooper – – -6 1 1 1 – – 3 pts
2nd 3844 Duncan Matthew and John Chalker – – 1 2 2 -5 – – 5 pts
3rd 4094 John Hanson and Alistair Stevenson – – 2 4 4 -7 – – 10 pts
4th 4055 Ian Cadwallader and Simon Forbes – – 4 3 -7 3 – – 10 pts
5th 4084 Simon Kneller and Ashley Painter – – 3 -7 3 4 – – 10 pts
6th 4042 Geoff Floyd and Colin Gilbert – – -9 6 6 2 – – 14 pts
7th 3794 David Philpott and Pippa Chapman – – 5 -9 5 9 – – 19 pts
8th 4069 Bill Chard and Josh Preater – – 7 5 -8 8 – – 20 pts
9th 3726 Duncan Grindley and Jon Mortimer – – 8 8 -11 6 – – 22 pts
10th 3969 Peter Card and Stephen Card – – -12 10 9 10 – – 29 pts
11th 4011 Jeremy Valentine and Andrew Telford – – 10 11 13 (16.0 DNF) – – 34 pts
12th 3873 Neil Bartholomey and John Montemayor – – 11 -12 12 11 – – 34 pts
13th 3536 Angus Scott and Philip Snowdon – – -13 13 10 12 – – 35 pts
14th 4039 Sue Rhodes and Andy Rhodes – – -14 14 14 13 – – 41 pts
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