A couple representing Lough Erne Yacht Club, John Patrick and Carolyn McCaldin won the World top husband and wife team trophy at last week’s gruelling ten-race 2016 International GP14 World Championship, hosted by Barbados Yacht Club in the Caribbean. 
The LEYC couple were 14th overall among 105 boats, each two crew, third of 22 Irish competitors, and first of 12 Northern Irish.
The new 2016 World Champions are Shane McCarthy and Andy Davies of Greystones Sailing Club, current Irish Champions. 
Second best Irish were 12th, John and Donal McGuinness, Moville Boat Club. Second best Northern Irish were 38th, veteran Curly Morris and Laura McFarland, East Antrim BC.
This was hard fought sport in strong winds and heavy seas or challenging, fickle, tropical breezes. 
John Patrick and Carolyn’s best was fifth place in race four: feisty in their 40s, parents of three, they revelled in hard conditions that made very many others capsize, retire or just not sail at all. 
Their rudder broke in that day’s second race; they retired with a hefty penalty score for race 5. 
The repaired rudder lasted for remaining races. 
Another storming sixth-place finish in the final tenth race completed a total score for 14th overall in a tough, testing International GP14 World Championship.
John Patrick and Carolyn are due home this week – their GP14, Duffy later in a shipping container. 
Lough Erne YC is a ‘champion club’ training young people in sailing and racing, hoping some become ‘champions’. John Patrick McCaldin is one splendid example of such success. He also competes in his International J/24 keelboat winning several Irish championships. LEYC youth sailors first gather this Sunday morning for their 2016 season: that afternoon the J/24 fleet plan the first club racing.
For more information, including full GP14 World Championship results go to LEYC Facebook.