Topper Training and Rooster Southern Autumn Traveller at Portchester Sailing Club
by Kevin Parish 28 Sep 2022 07:47 BST
24-25 September 2022
Prize winners at the Topper Southern Traveller at Portchester © Roger Cerrato
The Topper Rooster Southern Autumn Traveller series visited Portchester Sailing Club on 24th and 25th September for the second event in the series.
Saturday saw Harris Goodman leading his second coaching session of the series with 14 boats registered for the event and two sessions at Portchester Sailing Club on Portsmouth Harbour. With a relatively early high tide a quick briefing and rapid dispatch of the fleet was the order of the day to make the most of the tidal window. The afternoon session had the fleet in for the long haul as the beachmaster and coaches played slipway roulette to give the sailors the maximum time afloat but a very long walk with their trolleys.
Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny with a refreshing and moderate northerly that was forecast to drop during the day. 10 Topper 4.2s and 22 Topper 5.3s were signed on and raring to go. Making the most of the tidal window the PSC team got the committee boat on station early and laid the course while Kevin Parish from the PSC team gave a briefing to the sailors including some important information about the course layout although possibly not everyone was listening as intently as they should have been.
The race committee of Russell Peace, Steve Rukin and Kevin Parish set a classic Olympic triangle, sausage course with an upwind gate to make best use of the sailing area.
The first start for the 5.3s saw nearly as many boats over the line as behind it resulting in a general recall and a restart under the black flag. That seemed to calm things down for all but one of the fleet and they got away at the second attempt. Ethan Rhodes took first, while three 5.3 sailors missed the gate on the beat despite the warning at the briefing. The 4.2s showed more restraint and Charles Wood scored his first win of the day.
Race 2 saw wins for Henry Martin (this time finding the gate) and Megan Cerrato in the 5.3 and 4.2 respectively and this was repeated in race 3 despite the wind dipping towards the end. It was looking like the breeze might drop further for race 4 so the course length was reduced to save a long beat into an ebbing tide. The race committee's decision proved wise with the 4.2s shortened after their first triangle as Charles Wood took another first and Marcus King lead the 5.3s home shortly thereafter.
The prize-giving took place on the club lawn fuelled by hot chocolate and cake for the sailors. ITCA Southern Area Rep Roger Cerrato presented two of the 4.2 fleet with Rooster Sailing drybags for their first Topper event before Kevin Parish presented the trophies to the two fleets. PSC also provided some 'sugar based' spot prizes for randomly selected race positions outside the top 3 with each trophy winner asked to nominate a random placing or two.
Seb Davies took the overall win in the 5.3s with a consistent 2,2,2 to count and encouraged by his peers delivered an excellent speech to thank all those involved in the event and Charles Wood took overall honours in the 4.2s with a 1,2,1 to count.
The team at Portchester SC expresses its thanks to all of those who supported the weekend and of course the sailors who contributed to such an enjoyable event. We look forward to welcoming the Toppers back to PSC in 2023.
The next event is at Oxford SC on 1st and 2nd October.
Overall Results:
4.2 fleet
1. Charles Wood, Warsash SC
2. Megan Cerrato, Warsash SC (also 1st girl)
3. Henry Noel, Warsash SC
5.3 fleet
1. Seb Davies, Warsash SC
2. Henry Martin, Portchester SC
3. Jake Davies, Warsash SC
5.3 fleet girls
1. Ava Francis, Spinnaker SC
2. Ffion Cerrato, Warsash SC
3. Ella Harris, Weston SC