ITCA (GBR) Topper Winter Championships NS2 at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy
by Toby Turner & Hayley Turner 2 Apr 20:34 BST
8-9 March 2025
ITCA (GBR) Topper Winter Championships NS2 at Weymouth © Will Hellyer
The much awaited ITCA Winter Championships finally arrived early March and over 135 Toppers took to the eagerly anticipated wild waters and winds of Weymouth. There was a great buzz around WPNSA as we got our boats ready, caught up with fellow sailing friends and new ones we had made over the winter and focussed on the weekend ahead. This was the first big event of the season and one we had all been training so hard for over the cold winter months.
The conditions were good for the weekend with a strong breeze forecast but also very cold! Just what we hoped for at Weymouth. Day one the winds were top end at 20 knots with a lot of boats unfortunately heading in. A lot of parents 'received that call'. It was choppy, there was wind swell and it was bitterly cold. The hardy remaining sailors took on mother nature with all their might. Survival of the fittest and who could stay warmest was the name of the game.
5.3 Fleet sailor 169 Toby Turner (SBSC and Draycote Academy) said, "overnight I was in 10th position which I was really happy about", but I ate well, got a good night's sleep and started a fresh on the Sunday. The wind had eased a little. I didn't rush to launch on day 2, took my time and got my head together. I have some great mates I sail with so we just hung out and chatted as we do. We're chilled really. But then I got on it and pulled out two bullets in the first two races. The last race I was leading but at the last mark my kicker snapped so I had to hold my boom out to the finish line. I still managed a third place in that race. I finished third overall against some brilliant competition".
Harry Dence was the headline act with 3 incredible bullets over the weekend, closely followed by James Broad by just 2 points. Previous NS1 winner Tristan Shaw finished in a credible 4th place, with Thomas Matthews, Sam Mason and Victory Montgomery hotly following on with just a point each separating them. This year is going to be very interesting!
In the 4.2 Fleet it was an outstanding 3 point lead win for another Draycote Academy sailor, Henry Cruise who is one to watch. We follow you wish interest but watch out for Reuben Wealthy (2nd) and Brooke Browning (3rd) who also had some race bullets and second places between them.
Rooster Rider Toby Turner said, "I'd like to thank the race committee, my sponsor Rooster and the safety boats and parents for all their help, also to having great sailor friends and competition and to ITCA for the ducks when we win a race. They're great fun."
Entries are open for NS3, NS4 and NS5 on the ITCA Website. Topper Sailors will be keen to do as well as they can to put themselves in a position for top spots as the series continues and for the Top 24 spots at Invitational Training in Poole, July 5th and 6th with top lead coach Steve Irish being assisted by Tom Goodburn and former Topper World Champion Joe Rowe.