ITCA Topper Coastal Championships and NS4 at Plas Heli

ITCA Topper Coastal Championships and NS4 at Plas Heli © Roger Phillips

With 79 sailors entered in the 5.3 rig it called for flights and ensured some good racing in some tricky conditions.

Pwllheli is a great sailing venue but we didn't see the best side of it. Very light winds on Saturday caused for no racing sadly. We launched after about a 1 hour postponement where lots of swimming and fun and games happened on the beach. Eventually the race committee made the call to send us out onto the water.

Andy put us in the bay round towards the right which caused for some nice waves with a southerly sea breeze. The 4.2s started first on outer loop in minimal wind where they got whiskey finished at the leeward gate. 5.3s first start had two attempts where they abandoned on go both times because the wind wasn't consistent enough. The race committee then raised 'AP' to postpone us on the water.

After some sitting around they made the call to send us back to the beach where we waited with anticipation. They still had the option to send us back out on the water but in the end decided not to.

Sunday called for more wind where we launched about on time, keen for some races to make the long drives worth it. Sunday was a very different day with more of a northerly breeze where it picked up nicely to around 15 knots which caused for some good racing still with some big shifts though.

Race 1 had Harry Dence take one of the wins and Robert Hole take the other. Jasper Focadi Dolling and Reuben Lawrence in second. With Sam Mason and Henry Noel taking third.

Race 2 had Alex Staiton and Toby Turner taking the wins. Ralph Hadley and Sam Dence taking second. Sam Mason and Phileas Rousselle taking third.

Race 3 had Jasper Bramwell and Henry Noel taking the wins. Jasper Focadi Dolling and Oscar Lay taking second with Alex Stainton and Tristan Shaw taking third.

Race 4: The race I'm sure we have all heard lots about. The wind came to the full amount of 0 knots at the end causing for the whiskey flag to make an appearance for the 4.2s and the second 5.3 start.

At the front on the first 5.3 start had Jasper Bramwell loose his almost leg-long lead from the wind completely going and then slowly filling in on from the back. It was some tense and tight finishing with an element of luck involved but Jasper got his deserved win, just about, and Sam Mason taking the win in the other flight. Second had Dougal Jackson and Victory Montgomery and third Henry Noel and Ralph Hadley.

5.3 podium - ITCA Topper Coastal Championships and NS4 at Plas Heli - photo © Clare Rhodes

Overall it was some good racing, sadly only two races one day but we can't control the weather.

The podium made up of Jasper Bramwell, Sam Mason and Henry Noel and it was very tight all on 7 points. Congratulations to Jasper Bramwell on his win and it is looking tight at the top of the table in the National Series so all to play for at NS5 where a discard will come into play and some big jumps will occur.

4.2 podium - ITCA Topper Coastal Championships and NS4 at Plas Heli - photo © Clare Rhodes

Thanks to sponsors Rooster, Noble Marine, Topper Sailboats, Optimum Time and Harken.

5.3 Results:

4.2 Results: