Craftinsure Topper 5.3 National Series 2 at Queen Mary Sailing Club
by Adam McElroy 8 Apr 2014 15:24 BST
5-6 April 2014
146 sailors gathered at Queen Mary Sailing Club for the second national event in the Craftinsure Topper 5.3 National Series, including several helms from the home club.
This was the first visit for the Class to Queen Mary in recent years and follows the victory of Toppers over the Moths at Queen Mary's Bloody Mary pursuit race earlier this year, where the conditions clearly favoured the smaller boats.
The winds this weekend could have seen that situation reversed as a S-SW breeze of 16-18 knots gave the Toppers sailors a hard days racing on Saturday, after launching from the pontoons in flights - with the assistance of many parents & volunteers to efficiently get 146 boats afloat & racing on schedule.
Setting a tight course, the mark laying team coped fantastically with a number of wind shifts to maintain a fast changeover between races.
With a forecast of increasing conditions on Sunday, the competitors put in four back-to-back races around the western reservoir, before making a very well controlled return to the pontoons on a lee shore.
The RYA Chairman, Stacey Clark visited QMSC during the racing on Saturday and was clearly impressed by the skill & commitment of the Topper sailors and the support of their families in getting them to this event.
The Sunday forecast was thankfully only a forecast, the mist soon cleared and racing started on time for the final two races of the event.
Similar wind strengths to Saturday saw only a few major breakages amongst the fleet and a number of pit stop repairs took place with the Topper parents and the on site chandler, Virtual Rigger.
The parents enjoyed the excellent galley facilities and the class is grateful to the club members and RTYC who shared their waters with the Toppers for this national series event.
Event photographs from Craftinsure Topper 5.3 National Series 2 is now available below from Sportography.tv – including prize giving with the QMSC Commodore, Andrew Craig.
Thankyou to all at QMSC for hosting an excellent event.
CraftInsure Topper 5.3 National Series 2 - Top 10 results:
1. Jack Butters (Parkstone)
2. Patrick Croghan (Queen Mary SC)
3. Alexander Hughes (Sutton SC)
4. Thomas Wallwork (Redesmere)
5. Georgie McKenzie (Yorkshire Dales)
6. Joseph Drake (Waveney & Outon Broad Yacht Club)
7. Daniel Bull (Rollesby Broad)
8. Lucy Mearns (Rutland SC)
9. Stephanie Wingeatt (Leigh & Lowton SC)
10. Anya Haji-Michael (Redesmere)
Female series leaders:
1. Georgie McKenzie (Yorkshire Dales)
2. Lucy Mearns (Rutland SC)
3. Stephanie Wingeatt (Leigh & Lowton SC)
Male series leaders:
1. Jack Butters (Parkstone)
2. Thomas Wallwork (Redesmere)
3. Alexander Hughes (Sutton SC)
Youth series leaders:
1. Lucy Mearns (Rutland SC)
2. Daniel Taylor (Draycote Water)
3. Alexander Clarke (Brightlingsea SC)
Junior series leaders:
1. Jack Butters (Parkstone)
2. Thomas Wallwork (Redesmere)
3. Georgie McKenzie (Yorkshire Dales)
Overall CraftInsure series results:
1. Jack Butters (Parkstone)
2. Thomas Wallwork (Redesmere)
3. Georgie McKenzie (Yorkshire Dales)
4. Alexander Hughes (Sutton SC)
5. Lucy Mearns (Rutland SC)
6. Daniel Taylor (Draycote Water)
7. Calum Rosie (Helensburgh SC)
8. Joseph Drake (Waveney & Outen Broad Yacht Club)
9. Patrick Croghan (Queen Mary SC)
10. Ciaran Randeria (Grafham Water & Hayling Island)