Craftinsure Topper National Series 1 at Rutland Sailing Club

by Tim Yeates 23 Apr 2009 09:02 BST 18-19 April 2009

A record entry for the first event in the Topper National Series, organised by ITCA and sponsored by Craftinsure, saw 200 Topper dinghies converge on Rutland SC on the weekend of 18th/19th April from all over the UK. The organisation that takes place to get 200 boats into the dinghy park then onto the foreshore in one morning has to be slick and that is the only way to describe the superb organisation that Rutland SC provided with marshalling of cars from the drop off point, swiftly onto the carpark which made space for more boats to rig.

Approx 198 eager sailors attended the 10:30 briefing and were introduced to the PRO for the event, Steve Tylecote, here they were told that the wind was up & expected to increase further. There was also a warning that a cold wind chill would be experienced, that the water was cold and to avoid the passenger ferry, The Rutland Belle which had right of way at all times. There was additional tactical advise about the wind shadow in the region of the Tower and that from time to time the lake was aerated which resulted in upflows of water!!. An 11:30 launch in time for a 12:00 start to race one was planned and the sailors were told that due to lighter airs being forecast for Sunday, the PRO may go for 4 races back to back on Saturday so stock up on snacks and liquids.

2 sailors from the Northwest were unlucky enough to experience the aftermath of the closure of the M6, this led to a painfully slow exit off the Motorway and an arrival at the lake at 11am – a mobile call gathered a welcoming committee of volunteers which saw the boats starting to come off the trailer as the wheels stopped turning, the back of the car had already become the changing room and it is testament to the friendliness of the class that Abi & Megan were able to launch amongst the 1st on the water at 11:30 – nice one guys! The launch took place with the aid of Water Marshalls in drysuits as waves were building in the onshore NE Force 4 gusting to Force 5 (18 – 22 mph), a wind speed that stayed constant for the whole day.

The 200 sailors were split into flights and each race was split into 2, therefore each had 2 x 1st places, 2 x 2nds etc. The 4 races that took place on the 1st day saw 4 different winners with Mickey Beckett (3) Felicity Foulds (2) Christopher Eames (2) and Robbie Gilmore (1) taking these positions. This gave Mickey the overnight lead from Felicity, the stage was set for the final 2 races on Sunday.

Sunday dawned with slightly less wind, approx 11mph NE at launch which started to slowly fade as the day wore on but the brilliant sunshine was a real bonus to the travelling parents onshore. Race 5 got underway eventually, several General Recalls were required and a total of 16 sailors were shown the black flag, maybe they were pushing the line to the limit or maybe it was the updraft from the water authority aeration that was warned about at the briefing that dragged them over the line!

Race 5 wins went to Andrew Bridgman and Tom Sully whilst Race 6 was dominated by the girls with Felicity Foulds and Lucy Jackson each taking a win. The final standings saw Felicity take the event from Andrew Bridgman who showed remarkable consistency and overnight leader Mickey Beckett in third. It was noticeable that many of the lighter weight helms improved their overnight standings and the overall standard of sailing was of a very high quality, this is a highly competitive fleet but one that willingly accepts those sailors that have less experience.

It's worth mentioning that the Topper is not just for the youngsters, there were 8 adults vying for the adult prize which was won by Clive Jackson in 56th place just above Katy Shepherd of Craftinsure who came in 57th. Adult sailor Clare Bennet-Lloyd was taking part in her 1st Topper event, her daughter Bryony (70th) managed to stay ahead in the rankings. At the prizegiving, Steve Tylecote praised the class & competitors & welcomed them back for future events. Spot Prizes are handed at regular intervals through the fleet in addition to the top 20 helms being rewarded for their efforts.

Next stop for the Topper Fleet is the Inland Championships at Grafham Water SC starting 2nd May and the next event in the Craftinsure National series is at Derwent Reservoir SC on the weekend of 20th June – plenty of time to practise at Topper Traveller events all over the UK in the meantime.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1	504	Felicity FOULDS	Norfolk Broads Yacht Club	1	-3	1	3	2	1	8
2	55	Andrew BRIDGMAN	Blithfield	3	4	2	-6	1	4	14
3	299	Michael BECKETT	Solva Rowing & Water Sports Club	6	1	1	1	6	-10	15
4	404	Christopher EAMES	Strangford Lough Y.c.	1	1	3	6	6	-25	17
5	362	Peter NEWBERY	Earlswood Lakes	2	5	4	5	2	-9	18
6	33	James DUGDALE	Norfolk Broads Yacht Club	4	2	5	9	5	(BFD)	25
7	56	James WILSON	Rollesby Broad SC	-15	3	14	4	3	2	26
8	101	Tom PIGGOTT	Shotwick Lake	7	5	9	5	-42	2	28
9	233	Henry WETHERELL	Beaver Sailing Club	-10	4	8	7	4	5	28
10	458	Robbie GILMORE	S.l.y.c.	2	8	5	1	-16	13	29
11	571	Jack PREECE	Cardiff Bay Yacht Club	3	6	6	2	13	-14	30
12	577	Charlotte BONELLA	Papercourt SC	4	7	-12	10	8	11	40
13	514	Tom SULLY	Thornbury	16	12	9	-19	1	3	41
14	291	Alexander ALCOCK	Hunts Sailing Club	10	10	7	3	-41	12	42
15	10	Rheanna PAVEY	Stour SC/alton Water SC	5	8	6	7	(BFD)	22	48
16	293	Lucy JACKSON	Elton	7	9	-23	14	20	1	51
17	544	Tom BUCKTROUT	Grafham Water Sailing Club	19	-31	15	9	5	3	51
18	258	Adam MILLINGTON	Redesmere	13	9	3	15	14	-55	54
19	331	Andrew GREEN	Leigh And Lowton	11	16	13	-18	3	11	54
20	152	Georgina POVALL	Hickling Broad	14	17	-21	8	15	4	58
21	361	Alex BENBOW	Stokes Bay Sailing Club	8	2	17	2	(BFD)	33	62
22	306	Andrew MCGOWAN	Helensburgh SC / Ccc	12	13	-20	18	13	6	62
23	279	Ross MORETON	Llandudno Sailing Club	11	11	22	10	(BFD)	16	70
24	580	George MEREDITH	Grafham Water	17	-26	7	13	19	17	73
25	612	Ian PAYNE	Draycote Water Sailing Club	8	20	18	19	8	-27	73
26	68	Mark BILLOWES	Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club	16	12	19	17	9	-23	73
27	241	Iain MILLAR	Bristol Corinthian Y C	-29	24	16	4	26	7	77
28	620	Oliver MACHELL	Papercourt	18	10	8	15	-53	31	82
29	198	Simon BENNETT	Nofolk Broads Yacht Club	-38	18	29	16	11	9	83
30	350	Edward ROBERTS	Nhebsc	18	13	-29	26	12	19	88
31	40	Anna ACKROYD	Norfolk Broads Yacht Club	9	18	10	-35	22	33	92
32	392	Adam UNDERWOOD	Thornbury/cotswold SC	-61	7	19	29	12	26	93
33	673	Alex JARDINE	Shotwick Lake	28	11	-31	31	10	20	100
34	634	Freddie SMITHERS	Bosham SC	5	6	43	12	-45	35	101
35	590	Kieran HILL	SCaling Dam	20	23	17	20	-33	23	103
36	131	Abigail HEWITT	West Lancs Yacht Club	24	29	11	24	-48	16	104
37	222	Will GLOVER	Rotherham	33	17	15	14	-45	27	106
38	2	Reuben MURPHY	Portishead Yacht & Sailing Club	31	21	10	(Tal)	35	10	107
39	244	Ben CHRYSTALL	Dell Quay Sailing Club	43	15	4	11	-44	37	110
40	269	Giles KUZYK	Parkstone Yacht Club	41	30	27	-51	7	5	110
41	310	James ASQUITH	Redesmere	21	19	-34	22	21	29	112
42	146	Angus GRAY-STEPHENS	Tarbert Loch Fyne YC/mid Argyll SC	27	29	25	21	11	-32	113
43	24	Matthew DUFFIELD	Chelmarsh	36	21	28	12	17	(Tal)	114
44	271	Rachel TILLEY	Llandgefedd SC	14	33	16	21	30	-63	114
45	615	Sara JACKSON	Llandegfedd SC	-41	28	39	37	7	6	117
46	143	Lewis KNEALE	Chester S&cc	24	16	11	30	-54	38	119
47	609	Steven CLAYTON	Royal Harwich Yacht Club	9	35	-54	42	17	18	121
48	346	Gavin PAGE	Dabchicks	34	41	-58	23	9	19	126
49	303	Tobias HAMER	Langstone	20	24	23	13	(BFD)	48	128
50	604	Robert HOOPER	Royal Burnham Yacht Club	25	25	14	22	43	-66	129
51	140	Samantha TOWERS	Ydsc	-51	22	30	23	23	31	129
52	342	Sarah YEATES	Leigh & Lowton SC	34	15	22	8	(BFD)	55	134
53	525	Hector SIMPSON	Ripon	19	27	35	16	37	(DNF)	134
54	103	P{hilippa HOLLINGHURST	Spinnaker/royal Lymingto	36	39	26	11	24	-52	136
55	144	Matthew HALL	Spinnaker	32	51	24	17	-52	14	138
56	49	Clive JACKSON	Papercourt	15	34	(DSQ)	46	28	15	138
57	8	Katy SHEPHERD	Ripon SC	6	39	68	(DNC)	4	22	139
58	593	Helen ARMSTRONG	Derwent Reservoir SC	-52	32	37	33	35	7	144
59	266	Annabel CATTERMOLE	Welwyn Garden City SC	28	34	45	-54	18	21	146
60	509	Karen THOMAS	NA	29	50	24	25	21	-67	149
61	589	Jamie PURCELL	Redesmere	-55	37	25	30	29	29	150
62	223	Ben MACKLEY	Gwsc	47	27	38	24	15	-51	151
63	149	Ellie MEOPHAM	Solva Rowing And Water Sports Club	13	42	(BFD)	43	18	36	152
64	287	Tom JOWETT	Llandudno	-53	25	18	28	39	42	152
65	53	Richard CUMPSTY	Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club	17	14	2	20	(DNC)	DNC	154
66	557	Megan ADAMS	West Lancashire Yacht Club	37	23	36	45	-58	15	156
67	376	Kieran WOOD	Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club	47	42	13	27	31	-57	160
68	28	Alex HUTCHINGS	Roadford Lake	23	14	33	38	53	-70	161
69	399	Jason ROBBINS	Hollowell SC	35	48	27	-62	24	28	162
70	270	Bryony BENNETT-LLOYD	Hickling Broad Sailing Club	30	22	32	33	-54	46	163
71	629	Robyn COX	Port Dinorwic SC	31	(DNC)	30	40	10	53	164
72	624	Sebastian MILNER	Covenham	50	30	20	-58	26	39	165
73	312	Edward JONES	Chew Valley Lake SC	45	36	42	25	-62	24	172
74	523	Daisy MURPHY	Leigh And Lowton Sailing Club	27	-60	26	52	39	28	172
75	147	Jack SPENCE	Papercourt SC	42	28	-50	46	33	25	174
76	389	Alexander STILL	Royal Gourock Yacht Club	23	-67	39	40	23	50	175
77	29	Louis KNEVETT	NA	22	53	21	-56	40	41	177
78	282	Alice WOODINGS	Carsington	40	44	12	34	49	-67	179
79	539	Andy SAYER	Great Moor SC	44	43	-50	38	38	20	183
80	323	Matt VENABLES	Sutton	70	35	57	-80	14	8	184
81	381	Jamie NOYES	Elyc	-57	49	32	51	20	32	184
82	268	Rhiannon MASSEY	Royal Burnham YC	26	26	49	26	-78	59	186
83	106	Joshua TOLLEY	Papercourt	33	45	36	36	36	-46	186
84	527	Lewis STECKLEMACHER	NA	42	19	33	60	(Tal)	34	188
85	638	Noah KNAPTON	Derwent Reservoir SC	22	43	-62	35	30	58	188
86	666	Jamie CATCHPOLE	Leigh & Lowton S.c.	26	38	52	-55	22	51	189
87	548	James BENNETT	Budworth	-56	38	34	47	28	45	192
88	78	Emma PALMER	Royal Forth Yacht Club/dalgety Bay Saili	49	37	31	32	-67	43	192
89	191	Jack TRIGGER	Na	46	-56	51	32	41	26	196
90	626	David PAUL	N/a	35	-52	43	29	42	47	196
91	260	Danielle ROWE	Neyland & Cardiff Bay Yacht Club	Tal	(DNC)	40	75	16	21	206
92	529	Ian TOWERS	Ydsc	12	48	46	72	29	(DNF)	207
93	18	Jonathan MORRIS	Tenby/neyland/teifi	45	41	60	41	25	-71	212
94	606	Stuart MOORE	Hawley Lake	49	-62	48	44	37	35	213
95	364	Callum MCCULLOUGH	Banbury SC	38	31	53	-67	55	37	214
96	153	Ellie CUMPSTY	Chew Valley Lake S.c.	60	32	28	-74	46	50	216
97	330	Lucy YEATES	Leigh & Lowton SC	39	75	63	-79	25	17	219
98	603	Charlotte HOOPER	Royal Burnham Yacht Club	39	56	-71	39	64	24	222
99	109	Graham RIVERS	Leigh-on-sea SC	59	40	45	48	-61	30	222
100	647	Rebecca CLARKE	Papercourt	53	72	61	-76	27	12	225
101	586	Ashley GREENALL	Fairlands	54	20	42	59	51	-66	226
102	247	Thomas SCOTT	Alton Water SC	37	64	40	34	(BFD)	53	228
103	19	Samantha BONELLA	Papercourt SC	48	47	(DNC)	27	BFD	8	231
104	345	Sarah SMALL	Hollowell	-62	52	41	47	47	44	231
105	47	James PYRAH	Priory	52	54	55	28	(BFD)	Tal	233
106	592	Jessica CAMPBELL	Annandale SC	40	44	-65	58	50	42	234
107	44	Sally HARVEY	Thornbury Sailing Club	-71	58	47	36	50	52	243
108	635	Lottie HARLAND	Burghfield Sailing Club	60	-74	48	53	27	56	244
109	613	William TARN-CHAPMAN	Drsc/nsc	30	58	47	60	-76	Tal	244
110	22	Laura CARVETH-MARSHALL	Tees And Hartlepool Yacht Club/ SCailing	55	33	54	42	-73	60	244
111	154	Megan OBRIEN	Sutton Sailing Club	-76	51	53	43	58	41	246
112	34	Felix CROWTHER	Qmsc	54	-59	56	56	34	47	247
113	672	Ariana NIELSEN-TIMMS	Redesmere SC	57	-76	46	61	32	54	250
114	313	James RUSHTON	Norfolk Broads	32	-77	61	77	43	40	253
115	546	Emma SOUTHWELL	Stewartby Water Sports Club	66	46	35	55	(BFD)	56	258
116	336	Georgina CLABBURN	Rutland	68	57	-69	59	40	36	260
117	633	Thomas HOWARD	Ibrsc	-79	55	74	49	Tal	38	260
118	651	Megan HILL	SCaling Dam	25	61	-79	37	66	72	261
119	150	Jamie CROOK	Cbyc	51	59	41	64	47	-78	262
120	157	Christopher TOWERS	Ydsc	-80	69	77	80	31	13	270
121	607	Luke WHYBURD	Dabchicks	21	71	(DNC)	76	64	40	272
122	272	Christopher BERRY	Cransley Sailing Club	63	-69	37	50	55	68	273
123	643	William ALLOWAY	Northampton SC	46	36	38	53	(BFD)	DNC	274
124	625	Lucy CASELDINE	Stoke Gabriel	62	46	52	-68	56	61	277
125	37	Matthew MERCER	Wlyc	59	53	62	57	-82	54	285
126	334	Jon HAND	NA	67	70	51	44	(BFD)	58	290
127	371	Nicholas SMITH	Bowmoor Sailing Club	64	60	56	50	-80	61	291
128	92	Eilish THOMAS	Teifi	63	62	67	41	(BFD)	60	293
129	217	Natasha DE LA FUENTE	Hollowell SC	65	-79	74	74	36	45	294
130	75	Henry MORLEY	Rutland Sailing Club	-82	50	58	73	69	48	298
131	239	Charlie ORR	NA	58	54	59	67	60	-75	298
132	46	Katie DABSON	Grafham Water Sailing Club	-80	40	65	54	75	65	299
133	619	Matthew ALDOUS-HORNE	Fishers Green	-87	45	69	52	51	83	300
134	86	Ceri ROBERTS	Llandudno SC	58	68	-77	48	52	77	303
135	519	Stephen BOXALL	NA	65	47	44	69	-87	80	305
136	645	Bradley HILTON	Rutland SC	64	65	70	57	-79	49	305
137	226	Lawrence LOGAN	Notts County Sailing Club	66	-81	66	69	63	43	307
138	642	Samantha THOMAS	SCaling Dam	-75	73	63	61	68	44	309
139	507	Matt BRUSHWOOD	Emberton Park	61	-84	76	65	44	64	310
140	554	Jasmine HANSEN	Cotswold SC	50	63	64	62	74	-84	313
141	365	Dan VENABLES	Sutton	91	86	(DNC)	DNC	19	18	315
142	335	Rebecca STOWE	Grafham Water SC	69	76	64	49	57	-79	315
143	232	Ellie KING	Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club	43	73	-78	71	59	74	320
144	73	Annabel JONES- LAURIE	Tollesbury	74	66	44	-78	65	71	320
145	608	David CLARK	Shotwick Lake Sailing Club	73	-83	70	63	56	59	321
146	207	Conor NOYES	Cbyc	-78	68	75	65	46	68	322
147	173	Tom HOLE	Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club	-89	84	81	77	32	49	323
148	333	Amy MERCER	Wlyc	73	55	(BFD)	31	76	89	324
149	43	Benedict COOPER	Bough Beech Sailing Club	76	87	71	-88	38	57	329
150	648	Lawrence CLABBURN	Rutland	48	-82	78	70	60	74	330
151	130	Helen BALDWIN	Island Barn Reservoir	-75	70	57	66	73	69	335
152	597	Ailsa MCGREGOR	Beadnell	72	63	59	70	72	-85	336
153	113	Hobie WRIGHT	Alton Water Sports Centre	72	61	73	-75	66	70	342
154	621	Clare BENNETT-LLOYD	Hickling Broad Sailing Club	71	49	-84	82	65	83	350
155	71	Jordan BLACK	Loch Earn Sailing Club	67	-79	66	73	69	75	350
156	183	Matthew ESCRITT	Yorkshire Dales S.c	77	71	60	63	-84	80	351
157	339	Iain SYMON	Helensburgh Sailing Club	77	-86	68	79	62	65	351
158	137	Kathryn MACRITCHIE	SWSC	90	(BFD)	72	45	49	BFD	357
159	576	Andrew STOTT	Redesmere	88	65	49	85	(BFD)	Tal	359
160	167	Patrick SHELLCOCK	Loch Tummel Sailing Club	68	57	55	91	(BFD)	88	359
161	639	Emma MERRYFIELD	Swarkestone Sailing Club	79	64	72	64	-83	82	361
162	176	Aaron MURRAY	Loch Earn Sailing Club	-85	75	82	66	67	73	363
163	296	Joseph JONES	Royal Anglesey Yacht Club	69	78	80	81	59	-85	367
164	670	Luke COWLING	Yeadon Sailing Club	56	72	(DNF)	DNC	78	62	369
165	15	Chris BARNES	Leigh And Lowton Sailing Club	84	-91	67	81	77	64	373
166	533	Joe HENDERSON	Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club	-84	80	75	68	68	82	373
167	349	Matthew STEPHENS	Burghfield	78	74	82	72	-90	73	379
168	62	James SKULCZUK	Medway / Bewl	81	80	86	-89	48	86	381
169	515	Kae CLARK	Helensburgh Sailing Club	83	66	-84	84	70	78	381
170	177	William MASSEY	Royal Burnham YC	-95	85	83	86	57	77	388
171	63	Ben BAILEY	Shotwick Lake Sailing Club	-89	78	83	71	86	81	399
172	655	Freddie CHIDDICKS	Alton Water SC	87	88	79	83	(BFD)	63	400
173	134	Eddy HUGHES	Cransley	74	77	86	(DNC)	80	90	407
174	267	Angus COUPER	Qmsc	85	-92	88	87	77	72	409
175	164	Jo GRANT	Hawley Lake Stc	81	67	(DNC)	DNC	61	BFD	411
176	475	Sarah EAMES	Strangford Lough Y.c.	70	92	73	78	(BFD)	BFD	414
177	295	Edward ASHWORTH	Rutland	82	-90	76	85	88	89	420
178	479	Tilley JAMES	New Quay	94	(DNC)	90	89	72	79	424
179	16	Brendan WOOD	Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club	-92	89	80	86	91	81	427
180	102	Izzy WHITE	Rutland Sailing Club	(DNC)	82	85	84	89	87	427
181	17	Francesca COUNSELL	Blackpool & Fleetwood	86	83	88	(DNC)	95	76	428
182	254	Rosie POVALL	Hickling Broad	88	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	70	69	429
183	13	Joanna BARRIE	Annandale Sailing Club	-90	87	85	87	85	86	430
184	551	David HANSEN	Cotswold SC	92	81	81	90	-94	87	431
185	357	Edward GILLESPIE	Poole Yacht Club	-94	90	87	92	74	90	433
186	285	Toby WOODINGS	Carsington	93	85	87	(DNF)	92	84	441
187	622	Finn MURPHY	Portishead Yacht & Sailing Club	83	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	81	76	442
188	151	Daniel CROOK	Cbyc	91	88	89	82	93	(BFD)	443
189	72	Elizabeth TONES	Nottingham	-95	94	90	90	81	92	447
190	583	Jacob HUTCHINGS	Roadford Lake	96	93	89	(DNF)	82	92	452
191	159	Hanna CAMPBELL	Teifi Boating Club	86	95	91	83	(DSQ)	DSQ	456
192	286	Mitchell KNEALE	Chester S&cc	97	89	(DNF)	DNC	79	93	459
193	328	William THOMAS	Teifi	93	(DNC)	91	88	97	91	460
194	656	Charles PARRY	Itchenor	(DNF)	DNS	DNC	DNC	71	88	462
195	596	Alisha MANUEL	Welsh Harp	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	71	DSQ	475
196	165	Daniel BARKHAM	NA	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	75	DNC	479
197	60	James DANDO	Cardiff Bay Yacht Club	96	91	(DNC)	DNC	98	94	480
198	216	Callum ESCRITT	Yorkshire Dales S.c	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	DNC	96	91	490
199	197	Simon AUDOIRE	Calshot	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	DNC	DNC	DNC	505
199	246	Hugh SIMPSON	Ripon	(DNS)	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNC	DNC	505