| Topper SE Traveller -September 26th 2006 |
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| Written by Mike Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 26 September 2006 21:20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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43 Toppers, 35 in the main fleet and 8 in the Regatta Fleet, were rewarded for their journey with blue skies and a fitful Force 2, which would favour the lighter sailors. The course was a trapezoidal and five races were scheduled, four to count. All the top contenders for the South East Traveller Trophy were here to compete for this prestigious title in the final meeting of the series. The Race 1 start was hotly contested. 2 boats were too keen and were called back. Freddie Connor, the Irish National champion from Bexhill, rounded the windward mark first and gradually extended his lead to win by 40 metres from Ben Slater. Connor repeated this feat in Race 2, putting himself in a very strong position for the day. Jordan Taylor took the second slot. The wind increased to Force 3 for Race 3. Alex Grassick, the tallest sailor in the fleet, used his power well and built up a commanding lead in Lap 1. In Lap 2 the wind dropped and Freddie Connor chipped away at Grassick's lead. The wind dropped more and the race was shortened to 2 laps. Grassick held on to win from Connor and Max Richardson. Surely a 1,1,2 would seal it for Connor - but wait. 2 boats were over at the start in race 4 and one was Connor. With an I flag flying Connor had to round the Committee boat and give chase. By the windward mark on lap 2 Connor had taken the lead which he extended to the finish, to take the Meeting. Max Richardson took second in this race. Race 5 was the closest of the day. On the final lap, on the top reach, Taylor surged past Connor and Richardson. All 3 rounded Mark 2 together, with Charlotte McCarthy very close behind this bunch. Connor gained an inside overlap on Taylor at Mark 3, to take the lead which he held to the finish, to take the Meeting with a perfect score of four firsts. Taylor held off a spirited challenge from Max Richardson, to take second in this final race and also second for the Meeting, on count-back, from Richardson. First female was Charlotte McCarthy in a fleet where females unusually took 6th,7th, 8th, 9th, 10th ,12th and 13th places. The regatta fleet was won by Tom Howard with a perfect score of 3 points from Joshua Hobbs. Prize Winners: 1st Overall 45152, Fred Connor (Bexhill S.C.) This Traveller result meant Freddie Connor deservedly took the coveted 2006 South East Traveller Series Trophy from Max Richardson, second, and Jordan Taylor, third. S.E. Traveller Series Results: 1st Freddie Connor (Bexhill S.C.) Overall Results:
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