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Topper Winter Regatta and South East Traveller Round 1 at Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club

by Mike Jones 3 Mar 2024 06:59 GMT 24 February 2024
Race 1 start during the Topper Winter Regatta at Island Barn © Will Helyer

No less than 52 Toppers turned up at Island Barn, near Kingston, for the first South East Traveller of the 2024 season. This was a record turnout for this popular Winter Regatta, started 12 years ago.

A dead calm greeted the sailors on arrival, but with a three hour window of wind forecast between midday and 3, early lunch was taken so that 3 back to back races could be packed into that period.

A light breeze came in on cue at midday and Race 1 got under way. After a Winter of waiting, this was an impatient Topper fleet and half a dozen started prematurely at the pin end resulting in a general recall. The I flagged re-start was still very competitive, with three boats needing to return. This left Jake Davies, 15, from Warsash, to sail into an eight boat-length lead which he held to the finish. Sam Mason, 13, from Silver Wing finished second with Evan Hellyer, 14, from Aquasports close behind in third.

With an I flagged start with Race 2, the fleet was more cautious and there was just one premature starter, who returned smartly. Race 2 was a much closer affair with Davies swapping the lead several times with Henry Cruse, 12, from Burghfield. Davis led at the last windward mark and just held the lead until the finish, with Cruse second and George Sumner from Island Barn, 3rd.

With the Open winner already decided with Jake Davies on two firsts,second place overall could be taken by Sam Mason, Henry Cruse, Evan Hellyer or Harry Dence. Fraser Ferguson,14, from Shoreham spoilt the party by leading from start to finish, with event winner Jake Davies second. Henry Cruse secured second place overall by coming in 3rd, just ahead of Callum Harris, 14, Shoreham and Harry Michell, 15, from Erith. And Fraser Ferguson's brilliant last race win lifted him into third place overall.

The Topper 4.2 Fleet raced with the main Fleet, and the 4.2 prize was won by Tom Brown, 13, from Papercourt with two firsts. Alexander Pemberton, 12, from Datchet was second 4.2 overall, one point behind Brown.

The Regatta Fleet for racing Beginners in Topper 4.2s was one by William Pipe from Waldringfield, and the Regatta Fleet Topper 5.3 prize was won by Dylan Thurgood from Island Barn whose starts were excellent throughout.

The very welcome, three hour, spell of wind converted a potentially quiet day into an exciting 3 race event, with Jake Davies putting in a quality performance to win first place and the Barnstormer Trophy.

Particular thanks were given to the catering team lead by Polly Smith who brought the hot lunches forward by an hour and a half to allow full use of the short period of wind.

Prizewinners:

Main 5.3 Fleet
Ist Jake Davies, Warsash SC
2nd Henry Cruse, Burghfield SC
3rd Fraser Ferguson, Shoreham SC
4th Sam Mason, Silver Wing SC
5th Harry Dence, Island Barn RSC
6th Harry Mitchell, Erith YC
7th Calum Harris, Shoreham SC & IBRSC
8th George Sumner, Island Barn RSC

4.2 Fleet
1st Tom Brown, Papercourt SC
2nd Alexander Pembertion, Datchet Water SC
3rd Isabelle Simpson, Island Barn RSC

6.4 Fleet
Ist Erica Bishop

Regatta 4.2 Fleet
1st William Pipe, Waldringfield SC
2nd Rex Wright, Datchet Water SC
3rd Alfie Tollitt, Shoreham SC

Regatta 4.2 Fleet
1st Dylan Thurgood, Island Barn SC

1st Non Squad
George Sumner Island Barn RSC

1st Under 13
Henry Cruse Burghfield RSC

Overall Results:

PosHelmSail NoChamp NoClubR1R2R3Pts
Main 4.2 Fleet
1stTom Brown45093292Papercourt SC1‑212
2ndAlexander Pemberton47752367Datchet Water SC21‑33
3rdIsabelle Simpson49057 Island Barn Reservoir SC‑3325
Main 5.3 Fleet
1stJake Davies47776236Warsash SC11‑22
2ndHenry Cruse49272220Burfield‑4235
3rdFraser Ferguson45975321Shoreham SC6‑1417
4thSam Mason4670355Silver Wing SC2‑1079
5thHarry Dence49176513Island Barn Reservoir Sc‑114610
6thHarry Mitchell48320352Erith YC/King George Sc‑175510
7thCallum Harris4865294Shoreham SC / Island Barn Reservoir SC10‑22414
8thGeorge Sumner48102 Island Barn Reservoir SC‑1931215
9thWilliam Sadler48683339Reading SC‑1261016
10thSam Clancy49178669Desborough SC(OCS)7916
11thEvan Hellyer44598391Aqua Sports3‑151417
12thSam Dence49177516Island Barn Reservoir SC811‑1819
13thOscar Lay49180600Desborough Sc/Island Barn Reservoir SC7‑231320
14thThomas Matthews46007575Grafham Water SC9‑161120
15thTorben Brown49207298Chipstead SC5‑311621
16thDexter Corkin47719615Island Barn Reservoir SC16‑20824
17thJames Pipe46389224Waldringfield Sc1312‑2125
18thAlex Balding48660554Island Barn Reservoir SC‑3592029
19thJacki Leslie47833 Papercourt SC14‑301529
20thEdward Taylor47863574Island Barn Reservoir SC‑2882634
21stGloria Smith49187113Island Barn Reservoir SC15‑242237
22ndIsla Todd47647183Island Barn Reservoir SC20‑331737
23rdJames Broad49199374Hill Head SC/Poole YC21‑351940
24thGideon Crees48181390Island Barn Reservoir SC/Thames SC2417‑2841
25thTiphaine Ungari48409699Wembley SC18‑292442
26thIan Ma42079809Papercourt SC2518‑3143
27thHenry Moss47730261Downs SC2221‑2343
28thHenry Noel49200346Warsash SC‑29192544
29thAdriana Balding46520584Island Barn Reservoir SC3313‑3846
30thSam Taylor47649654Island Barn Reservoir SC23‑342952
31stSusan Lewis42919101Papercourt SC‑27272754
32ndFrances Southall46656148Island Barn Reservoir SC/Minima Yc‑34253257
33rdFinlay Todd45506306Island Barn Reservoir SC2632‑3758
34thHannah Kewley4866668Island Barn Reservoir SC31‑393364
35thFlora Gillis41019 Bury Lake Young Mariners/Wembley SC‑39263965
36thEben Rowan44806 Island Barn Reservoir Sc30‑383565
37thOlivier Digesu Bardin49063 Island Barn Reservoir SC36‑403066
38thCillian Mcguire47685286Island Barn Reservoir SC32‑373668
39thLili Von Wehrenalp49062  4128(DNF)69
40thSylvia Jefferies49183559Wpsc/Qmsc‑37363470
41stDylan Boynton Lavelle40795607Island Barn Reservoir SC3842(DNC)80
42ndMidge Ryder49061 Island Barn Reservoir SC40‑414080
Main 6.4 Fleet
1stErica Bishop49240642Minima Yc/Wimbledon Park‑1112
Regatta 4.2 Fleet
1stWilliam Pipe49060 Waldringfield Sc‑2123
2ndRex Wraight47807 Datchet Water SC12‑43
3rdAlfie Tollit4450234Shoreham SC‑3314
4thHarry Rahilly49052 Desborough S/C & Queen Mary S/C‑5538
5thSerg Stepanov49056 Datchet Water SC44‑58
Regatta 5.3 Fleet
1stDylan Thurgood46623 Island Barn Reservoir SC‑1112

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