Virtual Rigger Topper 4.2 series winner - Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club

Second overall for the event and FIRST in the 2014 series !

I had the whole day off on Friday because it takes us seven hours to get to Derwent from the south coast.

On the Saturday we launched as planned but then the wind dropped and the 4.2s just rafted up for about an hour. Then we paddled in but everyone else got a lift straight away except me and Ben O'D so we paddled three quarters of the way in ourselves. We had an hours lunch because there still wasn't enough wind. When we did get out we did 3 races and I came 3rd, 3rd and a 4th, I was quite happy with the day.

On Sunday morning the wind was good as forecast so we got straight out as planned and did four races back to back with a break for lunch out on the water. In the races I came 2nd in all of them. This put me up a place into 2nd overall for the event!!!!

Finally we had the results for the overall series.... I won the series by 1 point to Coco. I'd like to thank everyone for great compition and especially Coco for great competition all year round.

Well done to Calum, Lucy and Jack for coming top 3 overall in the 5.3 series.

I'd like to thank my personal sponsors Virtual Rigger, Gul and 1610 for the great support all year round.

Hope to see everyone in Pwhelli for the Worlds + Nationals

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Virtual Rigger Topper 4.2 National Championships

The 4.2 Nationals draw plenty of competition from more experienced 5.3 squad sailors who save their 4.2 sails just for this event. Last year I came 42nd at Burnham and this year I finished 18th overall so I was very pleased.





School gave me the afternoon off so that I could get to Northampton before 7.00pm. As soon as we arrived I rigged my boat ready for the weekend

On Saturday we had a 9:30am Squad briefing with Andy. The main briefing was at 9:45am and we launched at 10:30am.

There were 3 races in the morning, I came 17th, 13th and 16th which I was very pleased with as last year I came 42nd overall.

After lunch we did another 2 races and I came 14th and 15th so that put me 14th overnight which I was so happy with.

On the Sunday we launched at 9:55am after a Squad warm-up and completed three races in the morning.

I came 14th, 25th and a D.N.F I didn’t do very well in the last race because I capsized and then got hit on the arm and neck by another boat at speed.

In the afternoon I wasn’t expected to go back out but I did as I still wanted to finish in the top 20, in the last 2 races I came 20th and 32nd but that was because of my collision earlier, the bruises were starting to show!

Thank you to all the volunteers and everyone at Northampton especially the galley for great food services.


See everyone at Derwent in July

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Virtual Rigger Topper 4.2 National Series 4, at Paignton Sailing Club

Paignton Sailing Club is the closest sailing club in the national series to us so there was no leaving school early for me this time.

It has been a long time since there was a national series at Paignton sailing club, so everyone had a warm welcome as we arrived at the Promenade in our camper and put my boat into its berth in the dinghy park.

Early on Saturday there was no wind and after the sailors briefing there was a 2 hour postponement. After helping Simon set up at the VR van parked at the harbour, I made the most of the morning with my squad and we went to play mini-golf

Launching on the Saturday was easy, as the tide was out and there was lots of space on the beach.  In the 4.2 fleet we did three races in light winds, I came 6th, 1st and 4th, this meant I was 3rd overnight and happy with the day.

On Sunday there was no postponement, so we launched as planned. It was fun when we launched  - the tide was in and a group of volunteers were in the water helping us get off the slipway.  Unfortunately by the time we reached the race course all the wind had gone.  We hung around the line messing about waiting for the wind to reappear. Happily we got three races in, I came 7th, OCS and a 9th meaning overall I finished 6th, and was happy with the weekend.

Thank you to everyone at Paignton Sailing Club, all the volunteers for helping and a personal thank you to my sponsor Virtual Rigger for my great Gul kit and all the great prizes for the 4.2 fleet.

See everyone at Northampton for the 4.2 National Championships or at Derwent for NS5.

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VR Topper 4.2 Inlands - 3rd place

3rd place and leading the overall 4.2 series after three events

After a flat calm on Saturday that stopped all racing, there was enough wind on Sunday morning for us to get afloat and start our first race on schedule at 9:55, aiming to get in as many races as possible.

The first start had a port bias line and because of a shift we could nearly reach to the mark. In the first race both Hakan and I got a port flyer and were able to cross the whole fleet - I came 2^nd overall which I was very happy with. In the second race I came 3^rd after another port flyer. In the third race I came tenth because I got a knock and so was glad of a rest as we came in for lunch.  We did two more races in the afternoon and I got a 2^nd and in the last race I got a 9^th.

Overall I came 3rd with Milly in 2nd (well done Milly, a fellow south west sailor and her first national event) and well done Hakan, the new VR 4.2 Inland Champion in 1^st.

Thank you to everyone at the club and all the volunteers for helping and a personal thank you to my sponsor Virtual Rigger for my great Gul kit and great prizes for the 4.2's.

See everyone at Paignton for the next National Series event with Virtual Rigger

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Final South West Topper Zone Squad for 2014 at Paignton Sailing Club

On Saturday we spent four and a half hours on the water focussing on wave sailing, starts and using tethered rudders to get a sense of steering just with the boat movement. 

It was fun sailing in waves but some people felt sea sick. 

After a long days training we had a party with our coaches and all the parents as it was our last zone squad and Drew’s birthday.  

The club did a fantastic curry and we presented Lynne and Duncan with some customised chairs.

On Sunday the clocks went forward so we lost an hour of sleep. 

I was the first one rigged but we didn’t get out immediately until the wind filled in. 

When we did get out we practised on tethered rudder again and it was really fun. 

We also did some races and Duncan & Lynn kept the results - I came mid fleet in all the races and these would count towards selection for the ET’s.

On Monday I got an email saying that I have been chosen for the ET’s!!!

Thank you everyone at Paignton Sailing Club, Duncan and Lynn for a great last weekend.

See everyone at Frampton in a couple of weekends!

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RYA Ranker & RYA South West Topper Zone Squad

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RYA South West Topper Zone Squad training camp at Mount Batten

So very windy in Plymouth, Saturdays training was blown off !

A 6am start saw us heading off just as the sun came up.  The skies were clear and there was no wind, however by the time we reached Plymouth Saturday’s forecast was turning into reality with gale force winds, white horses and gusts strong enough to blow you over.  Mum had a lucky escape on the outside staircase nearly coming down quicker than she had just walked up !  The winds were so strong parents took boats off of car roofs and transferred them to spare racks on other squaddies trailers and then tied everything down securely.


Our Squad spent Saturday in the classroom on theory and fitness sessions.  Saturday’s theory covered tidal sailing, course strategy, top tips before the start and protests.  No broken furniture this time!!!

Luckily we were staying on site at the Mount Batten Centre which meant we had sea views all weekend and not too far to go to breakfast and boat rigging on Sunday morning.Sunday provided 4 hours of mixed sailing conditions. 

We had sunshine, we had squally rain showers with winds ranging from 12 – 25 knots but best of all we were out on the water having fun in some challenging conditions. 

My coach persuaded me to go out on my 5.3 sail.  I improved a lot on my downwind sailing throughout the day and only capsized a couple of times which was great as this was the first time of using my 5.3 in these conditions.


After lunch, relaunch was interesting as the tide had gone out & our ribs were high and dry or rather stuck in the mud!  Coaches, parents and a few Plymouth Uni students to the rescue and eventually the ribs were water side again. 

A few bumps and bruises given the sailing conditions and we were all relieved that our team mate who went to A&E for a check-up was sent home to rest.  No long term injuries just a nasty knock on the head from someone else’s boom.

Thank you for everyone at Mountbatten and Duncan and Lynn for a great weekend

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