International 14 Prince of Wales Cup Week at the WPNSA - Day 3
by Tom Partington 25 May 13:22 PDT
22-27 May 2025
Sunday dawned and it was the day of the big one, the intimidating, the iconic Price of Wales Cup race.
A race steeped in tradition and history and for those that don't know, a unique winner-takes-all shoot out for the crown of 2025 International 14 National champion.
Set over six laps of alternating sausage-triangles, its aimed at testing teams to their limit of patience, stamina and ability.
The race was originally planned for Monday but with the forecast looking less and less favourable and Tuesday looking ballistic the committee decided Sunday would provide the best option to crown the national champion.
Most would have had it down as a two horse race; Shaw/Struckitt (2024 World Champions) and Trusswell/Fitzgerald (2024 National champions) have been constantly battling it at the front this season. Jones/Kennedy would have fancied their chances in the breeze or could the returning Partington's spring a surprise in their favoured conditions.
The race started in shifty and gusty 16-20 knots at first time of asking. Trusswell/Fitz won the committee boat end, Partington's next down and Jones/Kennedy next. Shaw/Strucket further down the line.
Trusswell powered to the windward mark in first, closely followed by Jones, Shaw with Andy Fitz and Partington's a little further back. The top three disappeared off in a massive gust, Fitz and Partington showed sensible seaman ship single wiring down the first run.
Shaw used his superior downwind pace and tactical nous to get himself into the lead at the leeward mark, closely followed by Trusswell and Jones.
Jones fell out the running on the second beat with a capsize, allowing the Partington's up into third.
The two horse race many predicted, ensued. The breeze was up and down and shifting through 30+ degrees but Shaw stood firm, batting away everything Trusswell could throw at him. One mistake and he was in, with never more than 15 seconds apart for the whole of the race. Proper ding dong battle! All whilst pulling comfortably away from the rest of the fleet.
So after 98 minutes of racing Andy Shaw and Rob Strucket crossed the line to take the 2025 Prince of Wales Cup, followed 10 seconds later by Trusswell/Fitz. Third, after a 5 year hiatus from the class, were the Partingtons, fourth was Jones/Kennedy, fifth Bromley/MacLean and sixth Cunnison/Mobley.
Special mention to Hugh MacLean and Aiden Mobley who will be initiated into the Crews Union on Monday night for their first top six POW performance.
Caroline on the Race Committee Boat:
POW Race Day - The whole fleet of 18 boats started clear start in a 16-18 knot Westerly on T6 course, 1.1nm long. 1553 won the committee boat end soon after the gun. The fleet mainly went left, with 1553 leading at the first windward mark.
Damage saw retirements for 1565 (foil) and 1575 (rig stay failure).
1553 overstood the gate and was overtaken by 1569 to lead the second lap, top reach to wing 2, then kite to the gate. 1559 come through to third as 1567 capsized. 1569 maintained their lead round the third lap in 15-16 knots, closely followed by 1553 with 1559 a distant third.
1569 maintained and extended their lead round lap 4 from 1553, with the wind between 15 and 18 knots, 1559 in third, 1572 fourth, 1567 fifth and 1554 sixth.
With the wind up to 17-18 knots for the last lap, 1569 won by 10 seconds from 1553 in a 98 min race. 1559 was a distant third, 1567 fourth (good comeback from capsize), 1572 fifth, 1544 sixth, 1522 seventh, 1568 eighth.
There were 15 finishers.
Results after Day 3:
If you finished in the top ten in the International 14 Prince of Wales Cup Race then enter your Gear Guide information here
| Pos | Sail No | Boat | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | PoW | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 1553 | | Glen Truswell | Ed FitzGerald | | ‑2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ‑2 | 6 |
| 2 | 1569 | | Andy Shaw | Rob Struckett | Itchenor SC | 1 | ‑3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ‑1 | 8 |
| 3 | 1567 | Synchronicity | Martin Jones | Harry Kennedy | | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | ‑5 | 4 | ‑4 | 15 |
| 4 | 1565 | | Danny Boatman | Bill Maughan | | 4 | 5 | 6 | ‑7 | 3 | 3 | (RET [19]) | 21 |
| 5 | 1575 | Seeing Pink | Andy Fitzgerald | Daniel Johnson | | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ‑13 | 6 | (RET [19]) | 25 |
| 6 | 1572 | | Peter Bromley | Hugh Maclean | Itchenor SC | 7 | (RET [19]) | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | ‑5 | 26 |
| 7 | 1568 | Pat Clifton | Liam Stacpoole | Wayne Barnicoat | Restronguet SC | 5 | 6 | ‑7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ‑8 | 29 |
| 8 | 1484 | Honk!! | Josh Kerr | Ali Kent | Largs SC | ‑12 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 8 | ‑10 | 43 |
| 9 | 1522 | | Andy Brown | Stuart Keegan | Tynemouth SC | ‑13 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 9 | ‑7 | 47 |
| 10 | 1545 | The Hoff | Paul Anderson | Luca DeJong | | ‑15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 10 | ‑14 | 58 |
| 11 | 1544 | Pamela | James Cunnison | Aidan Mobley | Itchenor SC | 10 | 9 | 12 | (DNS [19]) | 11 | DNS [19] | ‑6 | 61 |
| 12 | 1531 | | Andrew Penman | Chris Watson | Itchenor SC | 8 | 8 | 9 | (DNC [19]) | DNC [19] | DNC [19] | ‑11 | 63 |
| 13 | 1520 | Hiccup | Roger Ewart Smith | James Bayliss | Itchenor SC | 14 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 12 | (DNS [19]) | ‑13 | 63 |
| 14 | 1558 | Dragon | Robin Pascal | Martin Pascal | Itchenor SC | 11 | 11 | 10 | (DNC [19]) | DNC [19] | DNC [19] | ‑9 | 70 |
| 15 | 1566 | | Philip Gladman | Natasha Gladman | Itchenor SC | 9 | 12 | 13 | (DNC [19]) | DNC [19] | DNC [19] | ‑15 | 72 |
| 16 | 1559 | Penguin Dance | Andy Partington | Tom Partington | | (DNC [19]) | DNC [19] | DNC [19] | 8 | RET [19] | DNS [19] | ‑3 | 84 |
| 17 | 1546 | Jungle Fire | Charles Duchesne | Thomas Bracewell | Itchenor SC | (DNC [19]) | DNC [19] | DNC [19] | DNS [19] | 10 | DNS [19] | (RET [19]) | 86 |
| 18 | 1527 | | Philip McDanell | Luke Boughton | Itchenor SC | 16 | (DNS [19]) | DNS [19] | DNC [19] | DNC [19] | DNC [19] | ‑12 | 92 |
