GJW Direct Topper 'Not the Nationals' 2021 at Grafham Water Sailing Club

GJW Direct Topper 'Not the Nationals' 2021 prize winners © Gareth Griffiths

We could race! After the roller-coaster of having our nationals and worlds cancelled last year, and again this year we were all very excited to be racing at 'Not the Nationals' hosted by Grafham Water Sailing Club.

But Wednesday 4th August saw no wind... We spent a day in the boat park, on edge hoping the wind would fill in- it didn't. However, after AP over A flew over our Toppers, many of us raced off the nearby AquaPark - at least not all was wasted!

Day 2... Finally, after the long wait here we were on the start line of the first race. The wind shifty and gusting anywhere between about 10 to 17 knots. After discussing our tactics lots of us opted for a starboard start. We worked hard up the first beat trying to play shifts and gusts to get ahead of one another and as the wind swung right me, Leo Yates and Reuben found ourselves in a 1, 2, 3 with a healthy lead. After some tight match racing and a delightful death-roll from me, Leo finished 1st and I clung onto 2nd with Reuben Hudson just behind in 3rd. A Shoreham clean sweep, not bad?

Onto race 2, after picking up the wind shifted left which caught many of us out! But not Kaitlyn Wyatt who kept going and finished 2nd behind Alfred Noel from Warsash and Leo in 4th.

In race 3, we went again, the wind oscillating much more predictably again, I finished first, closely followed by Leo and Oscar Fry from Warsash in 3rd.

And, into the final series race of the day. After a tight start and everyone doing well to play the shifts no one had a major advantage after the first 3 legs. It was all to play for. Samson Cross and I banged left believing the left shift that threw us off in race 2 could come in handy and it did! We had the edge and after rounding 1st and 6th we worked hard downwind attacking and defending, finishing 1st and only Alfred from Warsash clinging onto 2nd with Samson in 3rd.

Then the fun race! A different course and lighter breeze and many of us standing up, Rhys Griffiths came in a took a respectable 4th!

After a restless night, not knowing if we would race again due to the strong forecast, we all arrived. Despite the growing winds and the launching tractor breaking, we all found our way to the race course. The press rib, now our committee! After a general and a second start being abandoned due to a mis-communication, we were all on edge. Third time lucky though, we were off! After some more nail-biting racing, Daisy Fischer of Hollingworth Lake came out on top followed by me, Oscar Fry and then Leo Yates in 4th.

The winds picking up and the gusts becoming more frequent, we started race 2, Reuben Hudson reaching the first mark in the lead followed by Leo Yates then me. The gusts coming through more and more the top 15 had it all to play for. The gusts now became the constant, 27knots now, with gusts up to 32 and the hail becoming relentless! The second beat was insane! Everything hurt. I got to the top mark in the lead but after death rolling and pitchpoling twice while trying to avoid the now sea of turtled boats, Leo overtook me and was being closely followed by Kaitlyn Wyatt, but with only the best bit left, the reach, they abandoned it.

What an awesome three days. From no wind to too much in 72 hours. Overall, I managed to hang on and finish first overall, followed by Leo Yates in second, my brother Samson Cross came sixth, Kaitlyn Wyatt and Reuben Hudson in eighth and ninth and Rhys Griffiths in 16th of 78.

5.3 Fleet Results: (see other event report for 4.2 fleet results)