Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster Women's Wetsuit Range

Rooster Topper London & South East Region Traveller Round 7 at Hastings

by Philip Blurton 26 Jun 2019 11:48 BST 22-23 June 2019

Topper dinghy sailing dominated the weekend events at Hastings & St Leonards Sailing Club.

On Saturday the club hosted a training session run through the London & South East region of the International Topper Class Association (ITCA). Fourteen young Topper sailors from the south spent the day with two dinghy coaches, learning how to improve their Topper racing skills. Conditions were perfect and under clear skies and in warm sunshine, the sailing area had a Mediterranean feel.

On Sunday a Topper Open meeting was held where learning from the training was put into action. Fifteen youth sailors entered the four race competition which formed part of the London & South East Topper Traveller series.

In the morning winds was easterly force two to three, but increasing. It was an opportunity for sailors from inland clubs to familiarise themselves with sailing in tide and waves, and, for some, a reminder to check the course board before starting; a number of sailors misread the instructions, adding unnecessary distance to their route around the course. James Crossley of Datchet Water SC won the race with Henry Koe of South Bank SC second and Antonio Pascal of Island Barn SC third.

In the second race, competitors were now familiar with the course but could not disrupt the running order at the front of the fleet where Crossley, Koe and Pascal were again first, second and third respectively. During a break for lunch, the wind began to build and back slightly to the north, bringing sudden gusts along with the overall increase in wind strength. Fitness levels, skills in higher winds and concentration were now more important. Two sailors decided not to compete further and two more retired during the third race. Once again the top sailors found themselves in the same order across the line, frustrating for all bar first placed Crossley, for whom overall victory now seemed certain. By the start of the final race, the winds were touching force five. Boats were moving at considerable speed on the reaches and capsizes were occurring more often.

Signs of fatigue were beginning to show across the fleet. Of the original fifteen entries to the competition, nine entered the final race and only seven completed. This time Pascal managed to gain an edge over Crossley, taking first place comfortably ahead of his rival in second. Third place went to the only female sailor in the competition; Maddie Childs form Datchet Water SC.

Despite the change in positions in the final race, the overall competition winner was still Crossley; Koe was second and Pascal third. Best placed Hastings & St Leonards SC entrant was Isaac Herriot whose positions improved across the races, taking fifth in the final race. Also completing from Hastings & St Leonards SC were Lucas Terry and Jack Gunson. Supporting the training and running the open meeting had required considerable planning and resourcing by the club.

Both events passed off successfully; skills were enhanced, racing was exciting and sailors and their families across the region had come together to share the fun. All involved considered it worth the effort and was a feather in the cap for Hastings & St Leonards Sailing Club who had hosted the events.

Related Articles

ITCA Midlands Topper Travellers at Blithfield
Hot bacon rolls hearten the sailors on a chilly day The first Topper Traveller of the 2024–25 Midlands series was at Blithfield Sailing Club, and conditions on the day were chilly, drizzly, and (as is traditional now at this venue for Midlands Travellers) rather foggy. Posted on 2 Mar
Invitational Topper Coaching at Carsington
A group of the top 23 very enthusiastic sailors from across the UK were in attendance The GBR Class Association for Toppers (ITCA-GBR) recently organised an Invitational Coaching Event at Carsington Sailing Club on 25th/26th January where we had a group of the top 23 very enthusiastic Topper sailors from across the UK were in attendance. Posted on 27 Feb
Interview with Barton Rising Star Ralph Hadley
Kaia Bint Savage chatted with Ralph at the RYA Dinghy & Watesports Show! Kaia Bint Savage, the YJA Young Journalist of the Year 2024, chatted with Barton Rising Star Ralph Hadley at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show 2025 about his amazing 2024 in the Topper 4.2 class and his aims for 2025. Posted on 24 Feb
Rickmansworth SC supports Hillingdon OAC
A lovely example of local clubs working together to keep people on the water Rickmansworth Sailing Club (RSC) has collaborated with Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre (HOAC), who will be running a variety of outdoor courses at Troy Lake during school holidays. Posted on 22 Feb
Northamptonshire Youth Series training
Second winter training session for young sailors at Pitsford Last Saturday cold and drizzly conditions with light wind was the scene for nine young sailors who met at Northampton SC on Pitsford Reservoir. This was the second of three winter coaching events organised. Posted on 18 Feb
RYA N. Ireland launch Sailing Team Website
Proud to support sailors from Northern Ireland RYA Northern Ireland is pleased to announce the launch a new website specifically dedicated to the Northern Ireland Sailing Team. Posted on 14 Feb
Abersoch Dinghy Week 2025 Preview
Entries open for this fabulous family racing week with lively socials South Caernarfonshire Yacht Club are pleased to announce that entries are now being taken for the 2025 Abersoch Dinghy Week. Posted on 13 Feb
NI Sailing Team dominate Celtic Cup
The Northern Ireland Sailing Team emerged victorious Despite some tight racing against sailors from Wales and Scotland, the Northern Ireland Sailing Team emerged victorious at the Celtic Cup trophy on the 1st and 2nd of February after winning every possible team event and the overall trophy. Posted on 7 Feb
Welsh team display winning ways at Celtic Cup
Youth and junior sailors putting their skills to the test against Scotland and Northern Ireland What an adventure! The Celtic Cup 2025 saw youth and junior sailors from Wales putting their racing skills to the test against teams from Scotland and Northern Ireland. Posted on 3 Feb
The new season begins at Sailingfast!
This past weekend saw them at the WASZP End of Seasons Duncan and Emma at Sailingfast have started 2025 in the same way as they finished 2024, supporting sailors up and down the country to ensure they spend more time on the water. Posted on 22 Jan