Latest Scottish Toppers Newsletter

The latest Scottish Toppers newsletter is now available on http://www.facebook.com/scottishtoppers
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Winter 2011 Newsletter

Scottish Topper Winter Newsletter now available to download
http://www.gbrtopper.co.uk/e107_files/public/stt1a.pdf

ISAF Sailing Worlds 2011

Racing is now underway in Perth, Australia for the 2011 ISAF Olympic Classes World Championships.  With both Luke Patience and Charlotte Dobson looking to confirm their places at the 2012 Olympics there is much at stake.  Follow the action via www.scottishradials.blogspot.com

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Strathclyde Loch Christmas Regatta 2011 - See you there?

Top tips for fast Toppers

One thing that you don't want is your mast waggling about in the mast gate wasting energy and knocking the flow of wind off your sails.  Complex tricks have evolved using wraps of electrical tape over spacers like reclaimed plastic bottles to try and create mast chafe pads to fill the gap between the mast gate and the mast just above the collar.  Now there is a simple new solution.  Check out this special protect tape from P&B.  http://www.pinbax.com/index.asp?selection=detailed&uid=39340&itemtitle=

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Scottish Open Race Traing

Hi All,




This is advanced warning that Scottish Open Race Training are organising Topper & Laser Training at Helensburgh Sailing Club on the weekend of 15th & 16th October. We may be able to offer some Topper 4.2 and Laser training could include 4.7 rig if there is enough demand. The cost will be around £70 per sailor and the coaches will be Michael Gorskowski and Robin Paris. Registration will be available soon via SORT’s website.



http://scottishracing.org/wp

Zone Championships this weekend

Looks like a great entry and good winds in store for the RYA Scottish Area Zone Championships at Largs this weekend.

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=159625

g.

Prestwick Traveller

Just a few days to go to the final Topper Traveller of 2011 at Prestwick.  The wind looks excellent for Saturday with a possibility of light winds and perhaps an early finish on Sunday?

Jack, Lewis and Aaron are all in a good position to win the series overall so it will be an interesting weekend.  Prestwick is also recognized as a secondary indicator for squad so well worth getting there if you can.

I have sent the trophies but I cannot be there in person as my parents  are celebrating 50, YES FIFTY, years together as a married couple and they wont be doing that again!

Good luck everyone.

Largs Traveller

Largs had light shifty winds with Aaron winning the first two races followed by Jack and Lewis. Jack took the honours in race three being pushed all the way by Lewis, Calum Rosie sailed well and finished 3^rd, Aaron had to return to start after being over the line and recovered to fourth therefore Jack led Aaron and Lewis overnight separated by a few points. Sunday dawned to light winds again with Lewis storming to victory followed by Ryan Macintyre then Calum Rosie. Race 5 was again dominated by Lewis with Jack and Aaron trailing in his wake. Going into the final race it could be either Lewis, Jack or Aaron that would take the overall spoils depending on the finishing order. Aaron led from start to finish with Lewis sailing in to finish second, third was Ryan who just pipped the ever improving Calum Rosie. The last race result gave overall victory to Lewis over Aaron by one point. The final event will be at Prestwick where the Series title will be decided with four to count from six races it will be either Jack, Lewis or Aaron that will be crowned Scottish Traveller Series Winner. Prestwick is an secondary indicator for squad selection so if you intend or are applying for squads then you should be sailing at Prestwick.

1^st           Lewis Marr

2^nd          Aaron Murray

3^rd           Jack Aitken

4^th           Calum Rosie.

Regatta Fleet

1^st           Calum Dingley

2^nd          Robbie Peacock

Results http://www.largssc.co.uk/sites/default/files/publications/2011/Topper%20Traveller%202011_0.htm

September Events

Forthcoming Events in September

Scottish Topper Traveller 5 - Largs Sailing Club - 3rd/4th September 2011

GBR Topper Nationwide 4 - Pwllheli SC (Wales) - 10th/11th September 2011

Scottish Topper Traveller 6 - Prestwick Sailing Club - 17th/18th September 2011

RYA Scotland Zone Championships 2011 - Largs Sailing Club - 24th/25th September 2011

Please Note:- Last entry for the Zone Championships is 20th September 2011 and must be made on line at the RYA Pages on Sailracer.  Anyone who wishes to be considered for squads in 2011/12 must register their interest online via the RYA and also sail at the Zone Championships or contact the RYA High Performance Manager to agree an alternative plan.  On line registration is the single entry point for both national and regional squads.

Volvo Champion Club Regatta 2012

I hope everyone is enjoying a weekend off or perhaps rediscovering their local sailing club?

Last Saturday saw the Annual RYA Scotland Volvo Champion Club Regatta hosted this year at Loch Tummel SC. The event which is firmly aimed at encouraging club level junior sailors to take their first steps into travelling to regional and national level events comprised a morning of coaching for the sailors whilst RYA Pathway Development Officer Adam McGovern met the parents and gave a comprehensive introduction to the RYA Pathway classes and Junior and Youth Racing in Scotland and the UK.  In the afternoon three highly competitive inter-club races were held in the Optimist, Topper and RS Feva Classes.

Overall club winners this year were Loch Tummel SC securing victory by one point despite a very strong challenge by Helensburgh SC.  Read the RYA report here and look out for the full results inclusding individual sailors positions on www.lochtummelsc.org.

Latest Topper News

Joanna Barrie

Samantha 2nd Silver Fleet

Well that's the small Scottish team back from the Worlds.  A good showing, though sadly not spectacular but very promising for next year with Lewis, Joanne and Arron all posting top ten results in individual races and all eligible to compete again as Juniors next year.  Joanna Barrie also performed very well, especially at the beginning of the week and Samantha had a slow start but remembered her Topper skills by the end to secure a place at the prize giving with 2nd overall and first female in the silver fleet.

Dugal and Rory Wilson, plus Lindsay and Scott Johnstone were also enjoying their first experience of a Topper World Championships.

Lewis Marr

Joanne Foster

Aaron Murray

I hope you all found the Championships blog on the special event web site and have enjoyed following our progress.  Sorry I was not Scottish specific updates this time.

These are examples of the many great photo's available to buy from the official event photographer on www.fotosail.com

LARGS SAILING CLUB TRAVELLER

Please be aware that the next Scottish Traveller Event is at LARGS SC on 3rd and 4th September.  This is a replacement for the original plan to go to Loch Lomond which fell through.  Largs are hosting us specially so please make the effort to attend.  This is the venue for the 2011 Zone Championships so with just a few weeks to go to the Zones there could not be a better chance to brush up on sailing at the event venue.  You can enter on the day at Largs.  Alistair Leicester is the club contact.  Further details will appear on the Largs SC web site.

Sovereign Ski Topper World Championships 2011

The 2011 Topper World Championships will shortly take place from the National Yacht Club based in Dun Laoghhaire on Dublin Bay.

Click here to link to the event mini site.

Nationals Report

Wast Lothian Yacht Club were a fantastic host for the 2011 Topper National Championships.  Despite very challenging weather conditions a championship series was held with four races in the qualifying series then four races in the resulting Bronze, Silver and Gold Fleets.  Day 1-5 were held in very challenging light conditions with various interruptions for torrential rain or sea harr reducing visbility below safe levels but the competitiors sprits sayed high.

Friday dawned with sunshine and a good 15 mph Westerley with occassional 20-25 mph gusts and the resulting champagne sailing conditions did at least give the competitiors a taste of East Lothian at its awsome best.

Overall Winner was Gyles Kuzak of Parkstone Yacht Club slipping in front of a very consistent Matt Vennables from Sutton during that last day.  Laura Gilmore from Strangford Lough who had led with a string of first places in the lighter winds could not sustain the challenge in the breeze and finished first female in 6th overall.  Curtis Mearns also enjoyed the breeze to take third overall.

Top Scott was Jack Aitken (JDP) in 32nd overall.  With only four races held in very light breezes the gold fleet was packed out with current Topper 4.2 National squad sailors enjoying the chance to excel with the extra size of the 5.3 sail.  With only one discard there was little room for black flags or errors and several of our top sailors were dissapointed not to make the gold fleet cut in what was to proove a very mixed up set of early results.

Current 4.2 Scottish Star Lewis Marr did make Gold fleet and hung on in the breeze to finish 70th in GOLD and second Scottish sailor overall whilst National Squad Sailors Joanna Barrie (NJS) and Aaron Murray (NIJS) just missed Gold and were 6th and 8th in Silver respectively.

Perhaps the most dissapointed of all was Joanne Foster (NIJS) who might have been a good bet for a top 20 in a breezy event but was lying in the 220's after day one and could not avoid the cut for Bronze fleet!  Fortunately some running repairs solved the problem and she was able to conclude with a 1,3,3,1 scoreline, the only competitor in any fleet to "medal" in every race of the championship series and recovered from 39th to 3rd overall in Bronze.

There are day by day reports on Yachts and Yachting.  The full results and some event pictures are best viewed on the event mini site at http://www.sailracer.us/eventsites/default_eventmode.asp?eventid=63171

The results are currently mixed by fleet so there are three first places then three seconds etc.  These are the gold, silver and bronze fleet positions.

Next up is the Sovereign Ski Topper World Championships in Ireland starting on 15th August 2011.  Lets hope for a more favourable week of weather in Dublin Bay.  Click here for the Worlds Minisite.

Topper 4.2 Flourishing at North Berwick

Just could not resist pointing out the 33 boat Topper 4.2 Regatta Fleet at the Topper Nationals at North Berwick.

Aberdeen and Stonehaven Regatta 2011

The ASYC Open Regatta will take place on 13/14 August (in just over a week), woefully at the same time as the Worlds in Ireland. However, more the reason to make a splash and try out a new venue.

While no longer part of the Topper traveller series, the racing should be very competitive and interesting.
Stonehaven is one of the most picturesque and interesting sailing venues in the country.
Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht club would love to welcome as many Toppers come as possible. Two years ago the travelling Optimist fleet voted ASYC as one of their most popular and friendly venues.
Topper Main fleet sailors are invited to compete amongst the General Handicap fleet  - the Development fleet will join the Optimist Regatta fleet on a smaller and fully coached course.
There will be separate prizes for both the Topper main class and Topper Development class.

Event registration via http://www.kbsuk.com/optimist/scotland/index.asp?EventID=72
For more information about the club and NOR check out http://www.asyc.org.uk/

A fully catered for event with even the offer of space on the club house floor if you are struggling to find accommodation.

So what are you waiting for.....

Scottish Topper Championships 2011

Helensburgh Sailing Club provided a warm welcome for the Topper and Optimists for their combined Scottish Championships.  Sadly winds were a little lacking but with some patience all six races were held and the racing could not have been any closer with at least ten boats vying for every race win.

Amongst the boys it was to be a close battle, race by race between 2010 National Champion Aaron Murray and Lewis Marr enjoying the extra power of the 5.3 after a highly successful season in the 4.2, having finished runner up in the Great Britain 4.2 Nationwide series 2010. Jack Aitken found the lighter winds less to his liking and ruled himself out with two OCS whilst Dean Malcolm was always close but had to settle for third.

For the girls it was equally close fought.  Joanne Foster led from the start with a third overall in race one and managed to hold of the strong challenge from Kae Clark and Joanna Barrie until the all important final race when Kae mounted a late charge, winning race 5 overall and then keep Joanne behind her in race 6 to draw level on points and became 2011 girls Champion by the most firsts procedure.

In the Regatta fleet the competition was equally close with Robbie Peacock again finishing on equa lpoints to Tom Graham with Robbie getting the first place, again on a most firsts count back.  First girl was Georgia MacLeod.

So both Champions became worthy winners having had to fight all the way in very tricky conditions.

Thank you to Helensburgh Sailing Club for a fantastic no hassle event in brilliant sunshine.

For full results click here.



 

Brown Cup Results

Remember the 2011 Brown Cup?  Well here are the results!.

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ITCA (GBR) National Championships 2011 - East Lothian Yacht Club

Click picture to link to event mini-site

Here is the link for the Topper GBR National Championships Website in case anyone has not yet found it and is looking for information.  Would any parent who is attending please make themselves available for duties on our Area day which is Friday and also consider helping out with arrivals on Saturday when we need at least ten helpers to take a turn on the registration desk.  I will be at helensburgh this weekend and will be holding a parents meeting whilst the sailors are out racing so we can get names in the frame please.  We can also sort out arrangemnts for on shore support for the sailors.

Graham

Championship Season

On final approach now for the Scottish Topper Championships at Helensburgh Sailing Club this weekend and the UK Nationals at North Berwick the week after.  The details including Notice of Race were on the Helensburgh SC website at http://www.helensburghsailingclub.co.uk/files/2011/T&O_Scottish_2011_NoR.pdf.  Entries arealso being taken on the day so hope to see you all at Helensburgh on Saturday.

There are now 32 Scottish Toppers on the entry list for the UK Nationals which is a little dissappointing given we managed to field the same number in Wales but perhaps we Scots just travel well!

We will be duty Area on Friday so will need volunteers for a variety of shore based and on water helper roles that day.  Beachmaster, On water blogger, on shore blogger (needs a laptop),Tally team, trolley dollies etc.  Also a couple of folks to help Susan set up for the prizegiving on Friday afternoon.

I have also been asked to find a few folks to help at registration on Saturday and Sunday (a good way to meet lots of the sailors).

We will be planning to erect our Marqee (actually it's a little pagoda) with bunting etc and to serve hot pasta to our sailors before launching each day if we can a get a team together.  Lelsey and Sam have now left for La Rochelle (Laser Radial Youth Worlds) so I can pay some attention to Toppers now and will be at Helensburgh so I am hoping we can firm up our plans there.

Graham

Pre -Worlds Open Coaching and Event Support

Topper World Championships 2011

Pre- Worlds Coaching and Coach Support throughout the event

ITCA GBR are organising a day’s pre-event  coaching and coach support throughout the event for any sailors who would be interested, who have not already got this through their squad, or do not belong to a squad.

The days coaching will be on Saturday  13^th August, and coach support will be daily throughout the event. This will include daily briefings before sailing, support on the water and a daily debrief, and support at protests if required.

If you are interested in signing up for this, you are asked to contact Andy Millington  [o7973346l5l] by Monday 25^th July, and he will then be able to let you know how much it will cost, depending on the numbers.

If you would like any further information, please email Andy or give him a ring, or to view the Main Topper web site click here.

Topper Scottish Championships 2011

I hope everyone is ready to head to Helensburgh next weekend, 23/24th July 2011 for the Topper and Optimist Scottish Championships.

For the notice of race and event details please click here.

29er Demonstrations at UK Topper Nationals

Scottish Sailing were at Derwent Resevoir on Sunday collecting their first 29er demonstrator.  Demo sails can now be arranged with Duncan Hepplewhite and the 29er will be at North Berwick during the UK Topper National Championships for demo sails.  Currently a new 29er can be secured for just a £500 deposit and there are also a few ex ISAF worlds boats, used one week only available soon.

RYA Scotland Volvo Champion Club Trophy

Calling all club sailors, it is time to sign up for the 2011 Volvo Champion Club Trophy on 20th August at Loch Tummel.

Topper 4.2 gains RYA Pathway status.

Topper 4.2 Nationals 2010

News just in and announced at the Derwent Nationwide is that following two years of highly successful racing and training supported by ITCA (GBR) and the RYA the Topper 4.2 is now officially recognised as an RYA pathway class for Junior sailors.  The Topper 4.2 represents a real option for smaller sailors typically from around 35kg to 45kg allowing them to sail a Topper and learn all the key skills of sailing an una rigged singlehander similar to the Laser and Laser Radial without having to battle with the full 5.3 m sail.  Toppers can be picked up very cheaply at clubs all around the UK, older Toppers can be very competitive and any Topper can be converted to a 4.2 simply with the addition of a 4.2 sail.  No other parts are necessary and the sails are interchangable so a sailor can easily transition from 4.2 to 5.3 events.  Topper 4.2's are always welcome in all Topper Open events except the World Championships (only the 5.3 has ISAF International Class status at present) with the only condition being that sailors must use the same sail size throughout each event.

RYA Topper head coach David Cockerill has been a strong supporter of the Topper 4.2 as have I and one of the main reasons is that it allows smaller sailors to focus on learning to sail well in all winds.  The skills of the Topper 4.2 sailors was very much in evidence at Derwent with three of the current 4.2 squad appearing in the top 20.

Joanne Foster, Topper 4.2 Nationwide Champion 2010

Scotland has had a strong presence in the Topper 4.2 fleet and has had two sailors in the Topper 4.2 National squad.  Joanne Foster who placed 3rd at the 2009 4.2 National Championships and won the 2010 Topper 4.2 Nationwide series was a member in 2009/10 and Lewis Marr who placed 2nd in the 2011 Topper 4.2 Nationwide Series was a member in 2010/11.

Who will be next I wonder?

G.

Derwent Reservoir Results

Despite the uninspiring forecast of zero wind the Topper Annual Camping expedition to Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club, West of Newcastle was interrupted by some racing....

Launching on Saturday was delayed until late afternoon when a gentle Easterly crept over the Dam allowing one race to be sailed before it was deemed too late for the little ones (some competitors were just 10) and the fleet was brought ashore.

Sunday dawned way to early after the night before but with a promising 11 knots from the Norrth West.  Although race 2 got away as early as permitted Race 3 was abandoned, restarted and abandoned again as the breeze died and veered repeatedly.

With no discards there was little room for errors in the highly competitive 196 boat fleet.  Star of the Scottish Topper show this time was Topper Youth Squad and Scottish Radial Squad member Samantha Foster finishing 12th overall having actually led two of the three races, although sadly never on the crucial final leg! Next up was Jack Aitken continuing his highly successful season with 26th overall and then Lewis Marr in 40th who was also collecting prizes by virtue of being 2nd overall in the 2011 Topper 4.2 Nationwide Series which concluded last week at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club.

Full results are now posted at http://www.sailracer.org/results_report.asp?event=18258

G.

Scottish Sailing to be 29er agents

Interesting news just in is that Ovington Sailboats have appointed Duncan Hepplewhite and Scottish Sailing as their Scottish agents and they will be promoting Ovington sailboats especially the 29er fleet in Scotland.

Look out for forthcoming opportunities including demo sails at North Berwick around the dates of the Nationals.

Scottish Sailing

The Dinghy specialist

07817 704 637

01324 861 756

www.sailingfast.co.uk

Skype: scottishsailing

Topper Nationals 2011 - North Berwick

Topper Nationals - Event Support

On the 31st July - 5th August 2011 the UK Topper Championships come to Scotland and RYA Scotland will be at the event to provide support for all Scottish Topper Sailors.

RYA Scotland will this year be offering event support for all non-squad sailors to ensure they get the most out of the Championships. The support is free for all Scottish sailors - all you need to do is register your interest with Adam McGovern 'Club & Pathway Development Officer' by emailing adam.mcgovern@ryascotland.org.uk  

When registering please include the following information:

Sailor Name

Sail Number

Championship Number

Contact Email / Phone

We also have a small number of Toppers available free of charge; they will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

You can enter the Topper Championships HERE

Regards,

Adam McGovern

Club and Pathway Development Officer

RYA Scotland

0131 466 4670

07795248859