Tappenden Takes Toppo Trophy

Members of the Gunfleet Sailing Club enjoyed some exciting sailing, in the single-handed race for the Toppo Trophy last Sunday 23 June, with John Tappenden taking the honours in his RS Aero.

A fresh force three to four easterly wind, couple with sunshine, proved a good backdrop to the race, with nine dinghies taking to the water.  In a clean start, Andy Dunnett in his Laser, Peter Downer in a Comet, and Tappenden’s RS Aero all lead on starboard tack, near the Outer Distance Mark, heading up the coast to the Kingscliff buoy.  Ken Potts, on the other hand, chose to be at the shore end, in his RS600, heading out to sea on port tack; this necessitated him dodging behind the transoms of the starboard boats that had right of way.  Such was the bunching that Dunnett infringed a racing rule, whilst tactically dallying with Tappenden, forcing him to complete a 720 degree penalty turn; this gave Harry Swinbourne the chance to drive his Laser into a very strong position.  Meanwhile Potts, along with Sonny Hart in his Blaze, headed out to sea to gain the clean wind but, at the same time, encountering the stronger flood tide.  Once round the first mark the boats broad reached to the AWS buoy, then gybed and headed into the ODM; at that point Potts immediately tacked and, once more, headed out to sea, as did Dunnett, whilst the rest of the fleet stay close to the shore on the second beat up to Kingscliff.  Swinbourne had pushed his way up to the front of the dinghies but disaster struck on the leg from Kingscliff to Seaward, when the mainsheet pulley came away from  the boom, causing a capsize and forced retirement.  The penultimate leg, from Seaward to Eastcliff buoy provided an exhilarating reach as the boats planed their way, at an impressive speed, towards the home stretch.  

The final leg, a beat to the line, had Potts once again heading out to sea in defiance of the tide, and at the end of the first lap he was leading.  During the second lap Hart capsized close to shore, by Star Point, and lost valuable time righting his Blaze, dropping him back to fourth place.  Potts got caught in irons as he tacked his RS600 and this delay was sufficient to allow Tappenden to claim victory.  Meanwhile, sailing a very clean course in the Topper dinghy, Michael Gutteridge took the Cadet Single Helm Trophy for the first under 18 to finish the race. 
  
Results:  Toppo Single Helm
1.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
2.    RS600 – Ken Potts
3.    Laser – Andy Dunnett
Cadet Single Helm Trophy – Michael Gutteridge