The Gallon Trophy 2015 overall

by GBR International 14 on 29 Jul 2015 The annual Gallon Trophy was much anticipated. Who would win the chance to fill the Hallon jug for the rest of us to put away? Who would win the most valuable 14 trophy (even heavier in silver than the PoW trophy!).

The forecast was for 17-20 knots, so there was some nervousness about leaving the confines of the harbour. However, a true Gallon consists of four laps outside of the harbour, followed by a sleigh ride through the summer congestion of the harbour, firing up towards Emsworth, before 'about turning' and heading for the Gallon line at Itchenor. So thank god the race officer saw reason and luckily the wind dropped below 20 and we all headed out. Even Charlie Duchesne made the start, timing his arrival perfectly with the start gun. By the time we started, the wind was around 10 to 16 knots, and flicking between NW and WSW with a strong tide against. A good challenge, worthy of Ben just down the coast.

Douglas Pattison and Mark Tait were first to bang the in-shore route, but came back early before a huge righty came in, leaving Katie Nurton/Nigel Ash to hit it hardest, then Archie Massey/Harvey Hillary, the Glen Truswell/Sam Pascoe and finally Andy Fitzgerald/Ed Dyer. We all over stood, with Fitzy/Dyer nailing the lay line and rounding first. Down the first run, Truswell/Pascoe gybed off to clear his air from Fitzy/Dyer and Massey/Hillary shortly following. Showing customary speed, Truswell/Pascoe pulled out 50 yards on the run. The top three distanced themselves on the remainder of the fleet. After the bottom mark, Massey/Hillary soon tacked off to stay in the right-hander, leading Fitzy/Dyer back left, before taking a 40 degree shift back, allowing him to draw level with Truswell/Pascoe. That was 'almost' the last time Glen was challenged.

Meanwhile, two of PoW's big protagonists were having slow days: one in Pamela admitting to forgetting to pull the outhaul on and the other Roxanne allegedly playing with the rig midweek. The Partington's, who were so dominant the weekend before, didn't feature until the close. After completing four laps in the bay, it was time to head in, except for two nameless boats that misread a four for an eight! Truswell/Pascoe entered the harbour nervously as we came back an hour after low tide. Massey/ Hillary was 150 yards behind until a lull dumped him in to windward under Hayling. Shortly after, whilst coming back from Emsworth (and with Archie crossing his fingers!) Sam had been screeching at Glen to drop the kite, before hitting the Stocker sand bank near Hayling. Luckily Sam had had his way and they hit mid-drop whilst down on pace. After walking off the sand, they continued on their merry way, boat undamaged, in a testament to Glen's structural engineering. Further back, Pattison/Tait showed that zero rocker boats fly downhill, and pulled through from ninth to fifth in the harbour. Andy Peake and Graeme Oliver were so close to their first podium, but got passed by the late charging Partingtons.

The Gallon party was celebrated as though Sunday would be blown off and Glen and Sam proved an inflatable kid's duck boat doesn't hold two I14 sailors out in the harbour.