The Topper Challenge - carrying a Topper to the Top of Snowdon

Members of ITCA (GBR) carry a Topper to the top of Mount Snowdon on Friday 8th August to raise money for the John Merricks Sailing Trust and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation © Caroline Randeria

Way back in October 2013 during the UK Topper Intermediate Squad Camp at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, a plan was hatched to raise some money for the John Merricks Sailing Trust and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation.

Due to the high winds which prevailed during the autumn and winter, the sailors were kept busy ashore with classroom based theory sessions and fitness tests. The parents, who would have preferred to be on the water supporting the coaches, also found themselves confined to shore with little else to do. During one of our many chats over cups of tea in the galley, the idea was proposed that as a class we should raise some money for the two charities named above, but what to do? As the International Topper Class (GBR) Nationals were being held in Pwllheli, Gwynedd, Wales and followed directly by the Topper Worlds also at Pwllheli the mad idea to take a Topper to the top of Mount Snowdon on one of the rest days between the events took shape.

So on Friday 8th August, a group of twenty six sailors and parents gathered at the bottom of the Llanberis path to attempt the challenge. With the men taking much of the strain the boat was walked surprisingly swiftly to the summit, the climb taking less than two hours to complete. The boat, a borrowed Topper from Pwllheli Sailing Club, was suspended between the two mast sections and teams of four or six swapped in and out at regular intervals to keep the momentum going. A rest break at the half way and three quarter points were all that were needed to refresh the weary team before pushing on to the top. Other Snowdon users were amazed to be overtaken by a boat on the mountain path and many donated any money they had to our cause.

We reached the summit of Snowdon at 12.43, having left at 10.55 and after a few minutes rest the boat was taken up the final few feet to the trig point where the mast and sail were raised.

I would like to thank all those who supported that mad cap idea on the walk, especially the main boat bearers Andy Alcock, Paul Albone, Mike Deaton, Jack and Hal Sanderson, Tom Dixon (Jnr), Brian McGeeney and Clive Jackson, who had detoured off his route from Chelmsford to Largs for the Laser Nationals to join us. Sarah Dixon, Kathryn Deaton and I swapped into the carrying team as often as we could on the flat bits to help take some of the strain and Topper sailors Ollie Dixon and Ashley Deaton need special mention for their outstanding efforts considering they had just sailed the Nationals and were supposed to be resting for the Worlds.

We raised a staggering £343 just during our walk with thanks to Sharon Albone for tirelessly explaining to fellow walkers why we were carrying a boat. The rest of the team who carried the necessary supplies of muffins and drinks were Jo and Peter Sabberton, Tim Moughton, Paul Luxford and Adam McElroy who carried the sail. A donation to the fund by Ciaran Randeria ensured his sail was the one seen at the top of the mountain. Many junior sailors also joined the attempt and these were Catherine and Beth Albone, Bex Alcock, Francesca and Arrabella Sabberton, James Deaton and Paul Moughton-Leah.

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