Topper SW training and Traveller at Durleigh Sailing Centre, Bridgwater
by Tamsin Hoult 31 Mar 11:50 PDT
30 March 2025
Mothers' Day, Sunday 30th March 2025, saw Durleigh welcome fourteen Topper sailors to the first youth Open Meeting hosted by the club in a number of years. The recent amalgamation of Sailing Centre and Sailing Club has seen immediate growth in the number of youth members at the club, with a fledgling Topper fleet enjoying the 80-acre venue.
On Saturday, eleven sailors had enjoyed a consistent 10-12kn breeze for the training day and, although the forecast was stronger for Sunday, Durleigh had an (unfounded) reputation for light wind. Sunday dawned with wall to wall sunshine which lasted the whole day to accompany the fresh breeze. Despite some nervous discussions ashore, each member of the fleet confidently chose an appropriate level of full or reefed sail and, of the fourteen sailors, there were only a couple of retirements during the day and all fourteen completed the fourth race despite the wind staying consistently feisty - at least as strong in race 4 as race 1.
With a strong focus on safety, Durleigh utilised their shore based start line giving parents a grandstand view of the whole race course and maximizing the rescue crew. The wind direction allowed a good beat across the lake which mixed the fleet up at the start of every race.
It was Edward, Amelie, George and Leo who rounded together in race 1, part of a group of seven boats who traded places for the first lap. Charlie had mixed himself up at the start but was chasing hard by the first port reach. After completing the first figure of eight (with a hitch round the sausages) Edward seemed to have a comfortable lead but, as was to be seen in later races, places changed on the short beat to the start/finish gate on every lap and after three laps Charlie pipped him. Edie, Leo and Brooke were close behind.
The second race saw Edward first to the windward mark but this time Charlie was already close behind, having had a clean start. With significant gusts on the reach, place changes put Brooke in the lead by the time the fleet slowed into the tricky light-wind mark near the dam. At the completion of the first lap nine boats were still racing extremely closely, including James in his 4.2, well in the mix.
However, just two legs later Charlie appeared to have caught a gust to gain an unassailable lead, until Brooke got the same gust and sailed under him to claim water. Five boats were sailing in the same kitchen-sized patch of water but it was the last beat, in full view of the supporting audience, that saw separation between them, with Charlie move forward to take the win, George leading the rest of the pack.
The warming pasta bolognese was minutes away from the finish line and, despite encouragement from the race team, cake delayed the fleet making quite the prompt start to the afternoon that they anticipated. However, this gave the RIB crew opportunity to square the line up by dragging the 'fixed' club mark to leeward a little.
Increasing mastery of the conditions was demonstrated by some of the closest racing of the day, throughout the fleet, being during race 3. The square line saw all fourteen boats within three boat-lengths at the start, Charlie a foredeck over, quickly returning. Edie and Edward rounded first with the reefed 5.3 sailed by Harry a comfortable third.
A little behind the front pack, Ivy, Martina and Phoenix raced within a few boat-lengths of each other for two laps before Ivy pulled away with her reef and gave a lovely wave to the race team as she finished. James sailed well within the fleet in his 4.2 rig: amid 5.3, reefed 5.3 and reefed 4.2 sails - all sailors making the rigs work for them individually in challenging conditions. Edward led home followed by Brooke, Edie & Amelie, but Charlie again sneaked back up to the midst of them in third.
What was most noticeable during the day was the growing confidence at the mid to rear of the fleet. This was not only shown by a couple reefs being shaken out (no, the wind had not abated at all) but also by the fact that all fourteen boats were on the second reach by the time the lead boat took the first gybe. No-one left behind.
The biggest gusts of the day on the 'long' reach gave Toppers rooster-tails and resulted in exciting place changing into the tactical sheltered leeward mark in the far corner.
Charlie finished his day of mixed fortunes but great results with another win, sealing his overall first place in the Durleigh Topper Open Meeting 2025. Edward, Brooke, Amelie and Edie took the next four places in a hectic final beat.
Results for 5.3 fleet:
1st Charlie MacKenzie
2nd Edward Lee
3rd Brooke Browning
4th Edie Phillips
5th Amelie Ballantyne
6th Leo Kaneko
7th George Reynolds
8th Harry McLeod
9th Ivy Hart
10th Alex Murray
11th Martina Vasili
12th Phoenix Hitchins
Results for 4.2 fleet:
1st James Colls
2nd Hattie Steele