Topper National Series 3 at Queen Mary Sailing Club
by Jeanette Sanderson 23 Mar 2015 13:00 GMT
21-22 March 2015
Topper National Series 3 4.2 rig podium © Jeanette Sanderson
Freezing but fast, fun and fair racing
Over 160 Topper sailors travelled from across the UK to Queen Mary Reservoir to participate in last weekend's ITCA (GBR) National Series 3 event. Despite the extremely cold conditions and variable winds (strong on the Saturday, lighter and more shifty on the Sunday) there was some highly competitive sailing in both the 5.3 and 4.2 fleets. Once again the event demonstrated that the Topper class delivers fast, fun and fair racing for some of our very best junior and youth sailors.
In the 5.3 fleet, competition for line honours was particularly fierce with only 3 points separating the first three with Ollie Dixon taking 1st place followed by Joseph Drake in 2nd and Dylan Walendy-Wrigley in 3rd.
Meanwhile, on the 4.2 Topper course some 21 boats helmed by sailors from 10 to 13 years of age sailed a series of eight highly competitive races with battles for position going on up and down the fleet. First place went to Sam Jones with Toby Pearce in 2nd and Curtis McKay in 3rd.
The Topper class would like to thank the staff of Queen Mary Reservoir Sailing Club for their hard work and hospitality over the weekend; the event, race and safety management teams and all those on shore volunteers who helped make the event such a success; and, last but not least, our event sponsors for their generous support:
- GJW Direct Insurance (Official Sponsor of the ITCA GBR National Race Series)
- Magic Marine (ITCA GBR National 5.3 Race Series Official Technical Clothing Sponsor)
- Sailing Solutions (exclusively at Rooster Sailing) in conjunction with Oakley Eyewear, Official Sponsors of the ITCA GBR National 4.2 Race Series
Overall Results:
5.3 Fleet
1 Ollie DIXON (Royal Harwich Yacht Club)
2 Joseph DRAKE (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club)
3 Dylan WALENDY-WRIGLEY (Harwich Town Sailing Club)
4 Niamh HARPER (Loch Tummel Sailing Club)
5 Ashley DEATON (Royal Harwich Yacht Club)
6 Elliott KUZYK (Parkstone Yacht Club)
7 Ewan GRIBBIN (Paignton Sailing Club)
8 Morgan ARCHER (Blue Circle Sailing Club)
9 Tom RENNY (Fishguard Bay Yacht Club/Teifi Boating)
10 Eleanor HUTCHINGS (Roadford Lake)
4.2 Fleet
1 Sam JONES (Hill Head Sailing Club/Jets)
2 Toby PEARCE (Horning Sailing Club)
3 Curtis MCKAY (HOAC/Queensmead)