Topper Winter Championship at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

by Chris Woodard 6 Mar 2018 06:50 GMT 24-25 February 2018

Topper Winter Championships at the WPNSA © Andrew Peaty

After a break of just over five months, the Topper GJW Direct National Series got back underway at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy over the weekend of February 24/25.

For many Topper sailors the winter months are given over to Squad training, with around 50 of the top-ranking sailors being selected for the two RYA National Squads, another 40 in the two ITCA National Squads, and over 100 more in the RYA Zone and Home Country Squads, so the majority of the competitors came to Weymouth with newly acquired knowledge and skills to put into race practice.

The Topper Winter Championships are now traditionally held in Weymouth in late February and they have, year after year, developed a reputation for being a seriously windy event, and this year was no exception. Indeed, in the days leading up to the event the forecast was looking so fearsome that it seemed likely that the event would have to be cancelled, so the 170+ pre-entered competitors were kept on tenterhooks until Thursday afternoon when ITCA, WPNSA, and the PRO jointly decided that, on the Saturday at least, conditions should be sailable and the Championship would go ahead as planned.

Topper Winter Championships at the WPNSA - photo © Andrew Peaty

For many, travelling from throughout Scotland, Wales, northern England and even Ireland, this is one of the National Series’ longer treks and therefore a good excuse for a day off school, so from Friday mid-afternoon the dinghy park began filling up fast, and the two local Premier Inns took on a Topper-themed atmosphere, with no chance of getting a table in the Restaurant unless you’d booked early!

Saturday dawned pretty much as forecast, bitterly cold and with an average 18 knot wind which promised some exciting sailing provided you were wrapped up warmly. In the 142-boat 5.3 fleet a significant proportion of competitors put in a couple of reefs before launching and heading out through a decent chop towards the harbour wall. The race officer managed to get four races in which, with the fleet racing as usual in flights, meant getting eight 70-boat starts away cleanly. Initially the wind was steadily easing, which resulted in most of the reefed competitors shaking their reefs out before race 2, only to see the wind build steadily again as the day progressed, and with a vicious wind-chill it was not surprising to see a trickle of boats coming in early towards the latter part of the afternoon.

Topper Winter Championships at the WPNSA - photo © Andrew Peaty

At the front of the fleet it was an outstanding day for Toby Pearce, scoring three 1sts and discarding a 2nd, to take a comfortable overnight lead, but he was being chased hard by Aled Llewellyn-Jones with two 1sts and a 3rd, with the other race winners being Finlay Tulett, Liam Schiess and Oliver Vowles.

Topper Winter Championships at the WPNSA - photo © Andrew Peaty

The 29-boat 4.2 fleet managed to complete their full schedule of 5 races, with some slick turnarounds between races, and these generally younger and smaller sailors were packed away and showered before the 5.3s came back in! Charles Alston put in a great performance in his final 4.2 event, scoring three 1sts and two 2nds to hold a comfortable overnight lead, followed by Tom Thwaites and James Crossley.

The 170+ competitors returned bright and early on Sunday morning but there seemed to be a general reluctance to get rigged or changed, unsurprising really because it was even colder than the previous day, and with the wind averaging 25 knots and forecasts of 40 knot gusts by midday it was a fairly simple decision for the race management team to cancel all racing for the day and call an unusually early prize giving!

Topper Winter Championships at the WPNSA - photo © Andrew Peaty

The overnight positions therefore remained unchanged. In the 5.3 fleet Toby Pearce took a well earned victory to become the 2018 Winter Champion, Milly Jinks was 1st Girl, and Anya Morris won the Optimum Time Endeavour prize. In the 4.2 fleet Charles Alston was crowned the 2018 Winter Champion, Ciara Woodard was 1st Girl, and Merryn Attridge won the Endeavour. (A great day for the East Zone – not that I’m biased – taking 3 of the top 4 category prizes!)

As always, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors Rooster, Harken and Optimum Time, the prize-giving table was groaning under the weight, and in addition to the customary overall prizes for the top-10 in the 5.3s, the top-5 in the 4.2s, and the top-3 boys and girls in each fleet, there were plenty of spot prizes to be claimed by those at the prize giving, but remember, you’ve got to be there to win it!

After the long winter break there is now barely time to catch breath before the next National Series event at Datchet SC on 17-18 March, and with over 160 boats already pre-entered this promises to be another great event – and hopefully a little warmer!

Overall Results:

5.3 Rig

Pos	Flight	Sail No	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	Pts
1st	White	47488	Toby Pearce	1	1	1	‑2	3
2nd	Red	48120	Aled Llewellyn‑Jones	3	1	‑6	1	5
3rd	Yellow	47836	Finlay Tulett	‑3	3	3	1	7
4th	Blue	47350	Liam Schiess	‑4	3	1	4	8
5th	Blue	47649	Finlay Swanton	‑8	5	3	2	10
6th	Blue	47126	Oliver Fellows	5	2	4	‑20	11
7th	Yellow	47777	Matty Cohen	2	‑29	4	8	14
8th	Blue	47101	Jude Singleton	6	‑12	5	3	14
9th	Blue	46772	Oliver Vowles	1	4	‑13	12	17
10th	White	47491	Tom Mitchell	2	6	‑11	9	17
11th	White	47785	Milly Jinks	5	8	7	(DNC)	20
12th	Yellow	47780	Aaron Evans	‑25	2	6	15	23
13th	Red	48159	Lowri Boorman	‑16	12	7	4	23
14th	Red	47641	Sam Jones	4	‑19	12	8	24
15th	Yellow	47657	David Peaty	11	5	8	‑23	24
16th	Red	46046	Lily Barrett	‑9	9	9	6	24
17th	Yellow	46137	Erin McIlwaine	‑10	6	10	9	25
18th	Red	48249	Leo Wilkinson	7	‑27	8	12	27
19th	Blue	48258	Oliver Mills	‑17	15	2	11	28
20th	Yellow	47797	Phoebe Hutchings	(DSQ)	21	2	6	29
21st	White	47731	Tom Cochrane	6	‑13	13	10	29
22nd	Red	46855	Louis Siveyer	13	‑37	14	3	30
23rd	White	47454	Ellen Barbour	‑22	16	9	5	30
24th	Yellow	46875	Harriet LEE	7	7	‑18	16	30
25th	Yellow	47484	George Vincent	22	‑23	5	7	34
26th	Blue	47685	Samuel Brackley	‑18	10	11	13	34
27th	Blue	44437	Edward Baker	15	‑26	18	5	38
28th	Blue	47302	Sebastian Gotto	19	9	10	‑22	38
29th	Red	47890	Emilia Walker	‑20	4	16	19	39
30th	Yellow	46974	George Ellis‑Miller	9	22	‑23	10	41
31st	Yellow	48140	Zoe Belben	13	14	‑21	14	41
32nd	White	47636	Alexander Baird	‑21	14	12	16	42
33rd	White	47830	Holly Annels	8	‑24	17	18	43
34th	White	48050	Heloise Shadbolt	17	11	15	‑20	43
35th	Yellow	48259	Richard Thurlby	12	‑25	14	17	43
36th	White	47725	Maisie Bristow	15	18	‑26	14	47
37th	Yellow	47076	Daniel Nicoll	14	17	16	‑19	47
38th	Blue	47426	James Deaton	‑36	7	20	21	48
39th	White	46978	Hamish McDonald	11	‑28	28	11	50
40th	Red	46770	William Thomas	10	‑33	26	15	51
41st	Red	47028	Toby Bloomfield	18	13	21	‑26	52
42nd	Red	47764	Kamran Ewbank	14	‑24	17	22	53
43rd	Yellow	47806	Yana Skvortsova	16	18	19	‑25	53
44th	Red	48177	William Hudson	‑35	26	25	7	58
45th	Blue	48027	Thomas Williamson	21	‑25	19	18	58
46th	White	47956	Anabelle Esqulant	19	17	25	‑33	61
47th	Red	48093	Tom Campbell	‑57	16	23	24	63
48th	Red	47855	Harriet Kirk	33	‑41	15	17	65
49th	White	47833	Tom Peacock	‑30	22	20	23	65
50th	White	47394	Leah Fidling	‑50	32	22	13	67
51st	Red	47000	LUC JAMES	12	28	‑38	31	71
52nd	Yellow	45477	Jacob Atkins	‑27	20	27	24	71
53rd	Red	47750	Maxi Tustain	34	8	32	‑41	74
54th	Red	47503	Samuel Carr	23	15	36	(DNS)	74
55th	Blue	46521	Jasmin Robertson	20	21	‑41	34	75
56th	Blue	47078	Monique Vennis‑Ozanne	‑37	20	27	28	75
57th	White	40395	Austin Wright	24	31	24	‑42	79
58th	Red	46364	Honor Procter	‑58	10	43	28	81
59th	Blue	47722	Lauren McDowell	29	19	33	‑45	81
60th	Blue	48105	Ben Purrier	30	‑39	28	26	84
61st	Red	47834	Hamilton Roaf	37	11	40	‑52	88
62nd	Yellow	45700	Andy Peng	28	30	30	‑37	88
63rd	White	47779	Robin Stein	‑39	23	39	27	89
64th	White	46734	James Deverell	25	30	35	‑45	90
65th	White	47099	Harry Newton	28	‑47	34	29	91
66th	Red	45735	Gus MCKENZIE	31	‑40	29	32	92
67th	Yellow	47620	Oliver Vennis‑Ozanne	35	‑42	31	27	93
68th	Yellow	45565	Tristan Hills	23	39	‑41	33	95
69th	Yellow	45971	Imogen Asquith	31	‑53	32	32	95
70th	Red	47086	Iwan Roberts	‑42	36	35	25	96
71st	Blue	47533	Eve Bhogal	32	27	37	‑39	96
72nd	Yellow	46731	Max Robinson	33	31	33	‑41	97
73rd	Red	46611	Miles Everett	29	47	22	(RET)	98
74th	Blue	48246	Lawrence Donnelly	26	42	30	(BFD)	98
75th	Yellow	45617	Benedict Richardson	‑53	32	29	38	99
76th	Red	46387	Matilda Gregson	26	43	31	‑44	100
77th	Blue	47821	Oliver Haig	24	36	42	‑43	102
78th	Red	47664	Edward Schuster‑Bruce	‑47	34	34	34	102
79th	White	47740	Sean Woodard	‑44	33	38	38	109
80th	White	46720	Frederick Barry	‑45	29	44	37	110
81st	White	48137	Joel Bibby	‑55	37	43	30	110
82nd	Blue	48307	Catherine Albone	42	‑58	39	31	112
83rd	Yellow	48309	Charlotte Knight	‑61	35	42	35	112
84th	Red	42619	Alex Holborn	‑56	49	24	40	113
85th	White	47684	Molly Hinsliff‑Smith	43	34	‑49	36	113
86th	Red	45433	Annabelle Pierce‑Jones	48	‑55	49	21	118
87th	Blue	47116	Noah Sherriff	‑55	44	46	29	119
88th	Yellow	44806	Harris Goodman	34	46	‑51	40	120
89th	Red	48138	Thomas Willett	36	‑57	50	35	121
90th	White	48081	lewis thompson	27	46	‑52	49	122
91st	Yellow	46070	Oliver Wilcox	45	44	36	‑48	125
92nd	Blue	46888	Daisy Desorgher	40	40	45	‑55	125
93rd	Yellow	44301	Thomas Clayton	43	‑59	37	47	127
94th	Blue	47173	Gregory Cornes	‑62	41	51	36	128
95th	White	47794	Imogen Day	(OCS)	45	40	43	128
96th	Yellow	48264	Eilidh McQueen	38	‑50	48	44	130
97th	Yellow	47926	Peter Walker	51	‑64	50	30	131
98th	Blue	46610	Aimee Taylor	‑56	38	47	46	131
99th	Blue	47790	Ben Paling	39	43	‑55	49	131
100th	White	46509	Natalie Annels	‑51	35	47	50	132
101st	Yellow	46883	Jorja Marshall	46	‑54	45	42	133
102nd	White	44631	Scarlet Desorgher	38	48	‑53	48	134
103rd	White	47085	Jessica Roberts	32	56	‑57	47	135
104th	Yellow	46970	Oliver Smoult	49	38	‑54	54	141
105th	Red	48153	Harry Somerville	(OCS)	48	44	54	146
106th	Red	45152	Kate Robertson	60	‑65	48	39	147
107th	Yellow	47796	Cameron Sword	44	51	‑63	52	147
108th	Blue	48345	Felix Corson	47	51	‑54	50	148
109th	Red	48082	Roan Briggs	41	‑56	53	55	149
110th	White	44484	Elin Jones	52	52	46	‑53	150
111th	White	30422	Timothy Evans	49	50	‑55	51	150
112th	White	11734	George Sellwood	40	55	‑59	56	151
113th	Red	47414	Ella Spain	54	‑60	52	46	152
114th	Blue	46274	Harriet Sacker	48	‑60	56	56	160
115th	Blue	46578	Llion Morris	50	‑62	57	53	160
116th	Blue	47646	Madeleine Vowles	52	54	58	‑63	164
117th	Blue	47654	James Smaggasgale	41	53	(DNF)	DNC	168
118th	Blue	48185	Islay Goodman	‑63	49	62	58	169
119th	Yellow	48069	Matthew Stubbins	54	‑61	56	60	170
120th	Red	47792	Oliver Hale	53	63	(DNF)	58	174
121st	Blue	47172	Rose Edmonds	57	57	60	(RET)	174
122nd	Blue		Joy Odey	‑60	59	59	57	175
123rd	Yellow	47754	Josephine Asquith	68	58	(XPA)	51	177
124th	Yellow	48101	Felix McMullan	58	‑62	61	59	178
125th	White	46942	Amelia Eaton	59	‑66	64	57	180
126th	Blue	47220	Mark RIPLEY	59	‑63	61	62	182
127th	Yellow	46548	Alice Russell	64	45	(DNF)	DNC	183
128th	White	44529	Ollie Freemantle	63	‑67	62	60	185
129th	Yellow	47950	Oliver Hickling	65	‑66	58	64	187
130th	White	48325	Rhys Powell	64	‑65	65	59	188
131st	Blue	46768	Anya Morris	‑67	64	63	61	188
132nd	Yellow	46981	Matthew Lloyd	66	52	(DNF)	DNC	192
133rd	Red	47306	Andrew Scott	(OCS)	68	64	61	193
134th	White	46127	Ceri Roberts	46	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	194
135th	White	46691	Miles Deverell	61	61	(RET)	DNC	196
136th	Red	47902	henry koe	62	(RET)	DNC	DNC	210
137th	White	47795	Seren Collier	(OCS)	BFD	66	RET	214
138th	Red	45507	Stuart Aitken	(RET)	67	DNS	DNC	215
139th	White	47531	Curtis McKay	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	222
140th	Red	48102	James Curtis	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	222
140th	Red	47637	Amy Smith	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	222
142nd	Yellow	48147	Daniel Coupe	(RET)	RET	DNC	DNC	222
142nd	Yellow	47016	samuel Shackle	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	222
144th	Blue	47647	Charlie Merryweather	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	222
144th	Blue	48087	William Collinson	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	222

4.2 Rig

Pos	Sail No	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	Pts
1st	47927	Charles Alston	1	‑2	1	1	2	5
2nd	47625	Tom Thwaites	‑6	4	2	2	1	9
3rd	48232	James Crossley	2	‑5	4	4	3	13
4th	46148	Archie Burton	5	1	5	5	‑10	16
5th	44192	Ciara Woodard	‑7	3	6	3	5	17
6th	48348	Xavier Dunn	4	6	9	‑17	6	25
7th	44142	Dru Townsend	3	‑12	12	8	4	27
8th	46920	Tara Ewbank	11	‑17	7	7	7	32
9th	46733	Daisy Robinson	10	8	11	‑15	9	38
10th	31553	Eloise Hutchings	‑17	14	8	9	8	39
11th	19145	alissa marshall	16	11	10	6	(RET)	43
12th	47853	Daniel Perkins	‑22	7	15	10	18	50
13th	48083	Arran Goodman	8	15	‑18	16	11	50
14th	47536	Chloe Mills	9	9	3	(DNC)	DNC	51
15th	45757	River Green	12	10	‑21	11	19	52
16th	47860	Charlie Gran	15	‑18	17	12	13	57
17th	48092	Louise Davis	‑23	16	13	20	12	61
18th	46307	James Clarke	‑21	20	16	13	14	63
19th	47732	Sophie Rennie	14	13	‑19	19	17	63
20th	45770	Bjorn Handley	20	21	14	‑23	16	71
21st	44495	Isabella Ferneyhough	19	‑23	22	18	15	74
22nd	47768	Charlotte Cooper	18	28	20	14	(DNS)	80
23rd	46410	Maximilian Christie	‑27	22	23	22	20	87
24th	47219	Jolyan Smoult	13	19	28	(DNC)	DNC	90
25th	47437	Amber Hale	24	‑25	25	21	21	91
26th	46448	Ryan Davies	‑26	24	24	25	23	96
27th	44954	Alicia Biggs	‑29	26	26	26	22	100
28th	48318	merryn attridge	‑28	27	27	24	24	102
29th	48193	Immi Rees	25	(DNS)	DNS	DNC	DNC	115