Two months to go and over 100 entered for the Progressive Credit Union GP14 World Championship
by Colman Grimes 15 Jun 2022 21:11 NZST
14-19 August 2022
The 2022 GP14 Worlds takes place at Skerries Sailing Club © Bob Given
Host club Skerries Sailing Club are delighted to announce that there are now 105 entries for the upcoming GP14 World Championship taking place from the 14th to the 19th of August this year. That number is set to grow further as the event draws closer.
Boats from all over Ireland and the UK as well as competitors from as far as Australia, South Africa, Barbados, Ski Lanka and the USA will compete over for the week long World Championship. The last worlds was in Mount's Bay in Cornwall in 2018 and has been postponed twice in Skerries in 2020 and 2021. Skerries has pedigree when it comes to GP14 world championships as the event was held there 25 years ago in 1997, an event which is still very fondly reminisced about by the older members of the fleet. It has been often described as the best GP worlds ever and Skerries are hoping that they can repeat that memorable event.
Some big names will be arriving in Ireland to compete including 5 times world champion Ian Dobson, multi Endeavour Trophy winner and multi class world champion Nick Craig who is looking to put GP14 world champion on the list, past Topper and GP14 World Champion Neil Marsden amongst many others. Ireland will also be well represented. Top names such as 3 times Olympian and current GP14 National Champion Ger Owen. Ross Kearney a past Mirror World Champion who finished 2nd at the last GP14 worlds. There are plenty of other upcoming young sailors that will be looking to get into the mix. Peter Boyle from Sutton Dinghy Club has being showing some consistent form this year with 2nd in each event so far. He has ace crew (and dad) Stephen Boyle in the boat with him.
The GP14 fleet in Irelands largest double handed class, regularly attracting over 30 boats to regional events and over 40 to National Championships. An impressive 60 Irish boats will compete at the worlds this year. The class has a very vibrant youth section aided by a strong coaching drive with in the class. The youth categories will be hard fought for. There is also a strong category of all female teams and mixed teams. So overall there is a lot of categories to be contested at the event.
The organising committee have been working well with national and local sponsors and as a result will be able to put on a great event. The social calendar is filling up too and it is all shaping up to what looks like another GP14 worlds to remember!