Final Southern Area Rooster Topper Travellers 2024 at Spinnaker Sailing Club
by Sally Wilson, ITCA Southern Area Representative 22 Oct 2024 12:21 BST
19 October 2024
Rooster Southern Topper Travellers at Spinnaker © Sally Wilson
Soggy weather conditions and a tricky westerly wind direction greeted 29 Topper sailors to Spinnaker Sailing Club on 19th October. This was the final Southern Area Rooster Traveller series of the year, with eleven 5.3 and eighteen 4.2 sailors.
The Southern Traveller series this year consisted of eight events in total, with six to count. An impressive 85 sailors took part in the 5.3 fleet and 37 were in 4.2 fleet. Clearly, this final traveller at Spinnaker SC was a high stakes event for many of the more experienced sailors, especially as a second discard was due to take effect following the day's racing.
Race Officer James Obourne held his nerve waiting for the westerly wind to stabilise, always a tricky direction for Spinnaker as it comes from behind the clubhouse, causing a large wind shadow and unstable wind. Certainly, the day boded challenging wind shifts and large potential for significant gains and losses.
Following a short AP, racing got under way in a light breeze with an ambitious total of seven races planned for both fleets in the shifty westerly conditions. The day's racing was on a trapezoid course with the 5.3s sailing the outer loop and the 4.2s on the inner loop. A real bonus was a large dose of unexpected sunshine, enabling parents to enjoy the racing from the waterside throughout the day.
Sailor's report by Lewis Miller (5.3 Fleet)
We completed four very close races in the morning, with all the starts being clear. Henry Noel and Samuel Wade took a massive lead, in front of the other sailors. At lunch, there was lots of talk between the sailors about the shifty difficult conditions and morning struggle with little wind. We went out for three more races in the afternoon with similar conditions, hard work for the sailors but with very close racing. Congratulations to Henry Noel for winning the event and Samuel Wade for winning the 5.3 series overall.
Spinnaker 5.3 Results:
1st Henry Noel
2nd Samuel Wade
3rd Lucas Keen
Sailor's Report by Emily Doughty (4.2 Fleet)
As sailors got used to the conditions, being in tune with the shifts proved an essential tactic. Henry Cruse dealt with this expertly and managed to win the first race. Phileas Rouselle, one of the 10 Hamble River sailors, took the second race with strong performances from Hendricks Long and Reuben Wealthy.
In the third race, Alixe-Constance Rouselle headed bravely out to the right, with a massive shift giving her the lead at the top windward mark. Behind her, the first windward mark was entertaining for spectators as there was a spectacular pile up of sailors, resulting in three protests being lodged. Alixe-Constance finished second, being beaten by her brother Phileas. Congratulations to Martha Hart who kept clear of the protesting fleet, gaining third.
Henry took the fourth race with Finlay Rhodes and Hendricks, finishing in the top three. Following lunch ashore, sailors completed three more races. On the last race there was a steadily dying breeze, with some sailors struggling to make the start line.
Congratulations to Henry who won the three remaining races, pursued by Phileas, Finlay and Hendricks.
Afterwards, the club provided a delicious snack and cake table for all the hungry sailors to feast on, joined by quite a few parents, whilst awaiting protest results.
Spinnaker 4.2 Results:
1st Henry Cruse
2nd Phileas Rouselle
3rd Finlay Rhodes
Congratulations to many of the sailors competing in their first ever Topper Open meeting, their enthusiasm and determination was very evident throughout the day.
For several sailors this was their final event sailing Toppers, and it was great to hear the pre-start banter before the final race began, highlighting strong camaraderie and friendships established over many years. We wish all those sailors progressing to other classes our very best wishes for exciting new sailing ventures.
Huge thanks to the all the Spinnaker team, especially to James and the club volunteers, who were responsible for a smoothly run and enjoyable event.
Rooster Southern Area Traveller Results
5.3 Fleet Southern Traveller overall results
Samuel Wade won the 5.3 Southern area Topper Traveller Series, with James Broad second and William LeGrice third. Eve Wealthy was first 5.3 girl overall. Huge congratulations to you all in a such a large, competitive fleet.
1st Samuel Wade, Stokes Bay
2nd James Broad, Hill Head
3rd William LeGrice, Warsash
4th Henry Noel, Warsash
5th Eve Wealthy, Stokes Bay
4.2 Fleet Southern Traveller overall results
Henry Cruse won the 4.2 Southern Traveller Series overall, with Finlay Rhodes second and Phileas Rouselle third, truly magnificent sailing by all. Congratulations also Emily Doughty, first 4.2 girl overall.
1st Henry Cruse, Burghfield
2nd Finlay Rhodes, Warsash
3rd Phileas Rouselle, Hamble River
4th Hendricks Long, Warsash
5th Reuben Wealthy, Stokes Bay
The fleet would like to say a massive thank you to Roger Cerrato who's been the Topper Southern Area Rep for several years, always highly supportive of new sailors entering the class, a fount of knowledge for the more experienced and well-known expert at barbeques.
Congratulations to all prize winners and thank you to those supporting the series, especially the parents and volunteers. We look forward to seeing many of you again on the Southern Topper Rooster Traveller Series circuit next year. The first event of the 2025 series will be at Spinnaker Sailing Club on Sunday 16th March.
Full results can be found on the links below: