Tappenden Dominates The Easter Sailing
Last Sunday 8 April thirteen boats came to the line for the first race in the Gunfleet Sailing Club’s Egg and Bacon Series. The weather was anything but inviting with grey skies, a fine drizzle and a chilly force four to five southerly wind – in fact typical Easter conditions. The Contenders of Simon Clarke and Matt Downing had a cracking start and, with the flood tide helping them on their way, the whole fleet made short work of the close-hauled sail down to St. Michael’s buoy. From there it was a lively reach out to the Seaward mark, followed by a gybe. For John Tappenden conditions were perfect in his Blaze and he flew in front of the two Contenders, as well as Derroll Pedder in his Vortex – all three being faster handicapped craft. The cold did get to some though and Cadet Robert Gutteridge retired in his Topper; also forced to retire was another Cadet, George Venables, who was out racing his Laser for the first time but, having capsized and then turtled his boat a couple of times trying to right it, headed back to the safety of the shore. However, some of the more seasoned racers also capsized, with Paul Davis going over at the Seaward buoy in his Solution and Clarke flipping his Contender over at the Kingscliff mark. At the end of the first lap Paul Stanton was ahead in the Laser fleet but Tappenden lead overall on handicap, going on to take the winning gun. Sailing consistently, and gaining a third place for the second week running was Cadet Commodore Downing who has clearly mastered his Contender and looks set to be regularly challenging the top spot.
