International 14 - Gallon Trophy @ Itchenor SC 2025
Published 11:50 on 18 Jun 2025
The Gallon is the other big trophy on the International 14 calendar — and arguably the most grueling. The Deed of Gift for this event demands a long-distance race around Chichester Harbour, testing every skill in the skiff sailors arsenal: speed, tactics, fitness, boathandling, and... navigation?!
This year delivered classic conditions: warm sunshine paired with a stiff 20-knot breeze. Just before launch, a squall pushing 25 knots delayed proceedings, holding the fleet ashore. Once it passed, boats launched — though a few teams remained ashore, trimming down the start list.
The race began off Thorney Island, with George Yeoman & Harry Kennedy executing a port flier to lead off the line, just crossing ahead of Glen Truswell & Ed Fitzgerald who took the fleet left. Glen & Ed werent held back for long, and by halfway up the first beat they had taken the lead — extending rapidly.
The windward mark, nestled tightly under the beach, was already lumpy. Glen & Ed rounded first and straight-set. George & Harry opted for a gybe-set (without George telling Harry) — which, perhaps unsurprisingly, ended in a capsize. Douglas Pattison & Mark Tait seized the opportunity to move into second and took off in pursuit of the leaders. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, Charlie Duschene & Tom Bracewell swung by to join George & Harry at the impromptu pool party.
From here, Glen & Ed stamped their dominance, choosing tidy gybe-sets and simplifying their racecourse. Douglas & Mark stayed steady in second, while George & Harry mounted a spirited comeback — only to be thwarted by a trapeze hook malfunction during a tack that refused to let go. By the time they were upright, a sizeable gap had opened between the top three.
Next came the harbour loop: a long two-sail reach across to Hayling Island, skimming the sandbank in gusty, lumpy waters. The boats flirted with the death zone, but all came through unscathed. Glen & Ed cruised along, untroubled.
Then came a broad reach from Hayling to Emsworth — part white sail, part kite. Glen & Ed hoisted early and surged forward with the tide. Douglas & Mark delayed slightly, while George & Harry held longest. But it was Glen & Ed who called it best, stretching out another lead margin with only a fetch and final downwind to go.
On the last leg, the key decision was when to hoist for the final run around Thorney Island. Most of the fleet opted to delay, but Glen & Ed nailed their line and avoided traffic to finish cleanly — comfortably ahead of the ever-consistent Douglas & Mark, who had kept steady all the way around. George & Harry closed out the top three with big grins on their faces.
Final Results:
- Glen Truswell & Ed Fitzgerald
- Douglas Pattison & Mark Tait
- George Yeoman & Harry Kennedy
Post-race, the fleet swapped stories of spray-soaked downwinds, near-miss capsize moments, and bragged about GPS top speeds. The highest recorded so far: a blistering 21.7 knots — with a few more logs still under review.
Check out the on-the-water action on Instagram: @international.14
A huge thanks to the race committee team of Harry & Prue Roome, and of course Caroline Gosford, forever the heartbeat of the UK 14 class, for delivering a brilliant race under challenging conditions.
Photos from Caroline Gosford:https://photos.app.goo.gl/UyusNJ5xSZgur8QY8
Report by George Yeoman
Last updated 11:52 on 18 June 2025
