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!.

G.

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