This year Speed Sails again showed superb consistancy through out the GP14 fleet. The nationals were held at Abersoch and the conditions were very varied proving a good test for all sailors.

Speed customers showed excellent pace as always and finished a very creditable 3rd in their new Duffin hull & NEW Speed mast, other Speed sailors sailing a Winder Hull finished 5th. Both boats were using Aeroweb. This year the fleet was very strong, helms and crews in the top 7 had either won a world, national or european title in various classes, this made for very close and exciting racing. Olympic hopefull Stuart Bithell crewed by Christian Birrell Finished on top of a very close fought week.

We are currently running a end of season offer to celebrate our championship victories, the offers ends on the 7th October and we are making just 10 sets of sails for each class at a very discounted offer. Be sure to make the most of the offer and call us for more details call us on 0845 50 40 600 or visit us at www.speedsails.co.uk

Our new solo showed it can take on the competition at this years Solo Nationals which were held at Abersoch.

Speed Sails stepped in and without much practice this year showed great results throughout the week. Comments of the week were " The boat felt great down wind and seemed faster than others around me, there were many times i didn't have a great first beat, mostly due to lack of practice but by the leeward mark on the first lap I found myself in top 3 or top 5." 

Abersoch gave all conditions and really tested the sailors hard Speed Finished 3rd overall just 6 points off Matt Howard who won and four points from Charlie Cumberly in second.

We used the Speed Sails Radial Kevlar Mainsail with carbon battens, the same setup that Speed had been using pre-season.

A big thank you to Phil Milanes whose boat Speed Sails borrowed.

Speed Sails win Merlin Salcombe week.

It was a battle between the 2 Speed sailmakers. In the end Chris came out on top and claimed his first Merlin Rocket Salcombe week title with Andy finishing 3rd overall. Both Chris, sailing with Will Warren, and Andy, crewed by Ellie Bremer, scored 3 wins a piece from their 6 races. However, Andy was left counting the cost of a broken mast while in 2nd in race 1 as it meant he had to count a 6th from a very shift final day. Chris was able to discard his 6th and, along with a 2nd in the penultimate race, a 3rd in the final race was enough to seal victory overall.

This was Speed Sails 3rd Salcombe week title in a row following victories for Roger Gilbert & Matt Mee in 2007 and Andy & Ellie last year. This august both Andy and Chris will also be out to make it 3 in a row at the Nationals and continue Speed Sails winning ways in the Merlin Rocket fleet.

For more information on our latest Merlin Rocket sails and spares please contact us on 01922 455503 / sails@speedsails.co.uk or visit www.speedsails.co.uk

Flying 15 Nationals

Following on from Salcombe, Andy headed straight up to Abersoch for the Flying 15 Nationals. Despite not having sailed the boat before, and never having sailed with his crew, they finished 8th overall and scored in a 2nd in the final race as time in the boat started to show. New Speed Sails recruit Andy Farmer was sailing with Andy and is an experienced Flying 15 sailor. He was impressed with how well the sails performed across the conditions and ended the event rueing a lack of time in the boat together which he felt prevented a much higher finish.

The latest feedback from the Nationals development of the Speed Flying 15 sails is ongoing helping to ensure the latest Speed designs will be at the front of the fleet whatever the class decide on the new sail proposals.

For more information on our latest Flying 15 sails and spares please contact us n 0845 50 40 600 sails@speedsails.co.uk or visit www.speedsails.co.uk

For all your Merlin Dinghy class spares be sure to check out our extensive stock at www.speedsails.co.uk

Albacore Nationals

Will Gulliver and Steve Graham have won the Albacore Nationals using a Speed Albacore with Chris Turner and Simon MAguire also finishing 3rd. Will and Steve just edged a close battle with Americans Barney Harris & Dave Byron to win the Nationals on countback. Racing continues all this week with results now counting towards the Internationals title. After yesterday Speed boats were in 1st, 3rd and 5th overall.

Entries for the GP14 World Championship 2008 to be held in Abersoch, North Wales have now hit 110. Amongst the latest to enter are former Endeavour Trophy Champion of Champions, and one of the most successful GP14 pairings of all time, Richard Estaugh and Simon Potts, alongside the well known and also very successful dinghy sailor (himself a former Champion of Champions), crewed by Andy Service.

Richard’s record in the GP14 is impressive. He has won no less than 6 World, 12 National and 11 Inland Championships! Back together with Simon for the first time since their 2007 Nationals win, this team will no doubt be pushing for another podium finish. However, it will not be an easy challenge.

This event will also see current GP14 World Champions Ian Dobson and Andy Tunnicliffe seek to defend their title, 2003 World Champions Neil Marsden and Derek Hill team up again to repeat the success they enjoyed in Abersoch that year and current Fireball World Champion Matt Mee looking to add another World Championship to his growing list of honours, which already include a GP14 National Championship. There are many others too, including Carl Jeffs and Jim Toothill who will again be hoping to capture the major title that still alludes them. 

Elsewhere, there will be the inevitable fight for silver and bronze fleet prizes and special trophies, which feature as much in the post-race bar talk as any other. And as if this high level of competition throughout the fleet and the prospect of racing against 109 other boats was not enough to entice people, Championship Chairman Ian Sinclair and his team, together with South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club are working tirelessly to ensure a great time off the water as well, with live bands, hog roasts and much more!

We look forward to seeing you!