Topper North East Traveller at Scammonden Water Sailing Club

Tom Clayton wins the Scammonden Topper open © Ian Escritt

Three home club members were joined by eleven visitors for round three of the North East Topper traveller series.

The reservoir was looking tasty with a good force 4 to 5 blowing. The OOD showed no mercy on a young fleet of sailors by setting a beat the full length of the lake and 4 downwind gybes, which made for a race of snakes and ladders as the lead changed according to who was upright at the time.

Ellie Brown from North Lincs S C survived best to take the win from Joe Henderson (sunderland) After lunch race two started in even more breeze and at the first windward buoy James Mckenzie (Ripon) was leading from Tom Clayton (Scaling Dam) and Callum Escritt (Yorkshire Dales), James came to grief at the first gybe leaving Tom to pull away into a big lead. As in the first race staying upright was the name of the game which Issac Marsh (Scammonden) did brilliantly to recover from a poor start to finish just behind Tom and a boat length in front of Joe.

For race three the OOD made the sensible decision to move the course up the lake into a slightly calmer area. Spectators were able to stand looking down the start line and were impressed at how the majority of the fleet started together (no line sag here).

With all to play for there were 4 possible winners. Tom rounded the windward mark in first and as in the previous race built an unassailable lead, behind him Joe pushed but couldn’t catch Tom. Ellie Brown looked like she had left too much to do but a burst of speed put her in 3rd, and Faye Wright (Sunderland) 4th.

Overall Tom was the clear winner. Second (on count back) was Ellie with Joe third. Issac showed great form to be 1st home club boat in 4th.

Everyone was presented with a well deserved prize courtesy of Boat Bits Huddersfield.

The next event is at Ripon SC in two weeks.

Overall Results: