This invitation-only event, to determine the overall dinghy champion of champions from the UK's most popular dinghy racing classes, goes from strength to strength, with last year's 50th anniversary event attracting a record number of 30 champions.
Because winning the Endeavour Trophy is, and has always been, recognised as an ultimate achievement in British dinghy racing, the competition is exceptionally challenging. Those who qualify for the event through winning their own class championship are given the opportunity to race equally talented sailors in a unique, highly demanding two-day event on the River Crouch, and win not only the Endeavour title, but also an entry to the British Virgin Islands' Pro-Am Regatta at Bitter End Yacht Club (29 October–5 November). The Endeavour Trophy winner will join the Pro line-up, which this year includes Ed Baird (6-time Pro-Am winner and current skipper for Quantum Racing), Peter Holmberg, Anna Tunnicliffe, Paul Cayard, Dave Ullman, Russell Coutts and Zack Railey.
To ensure the Endeavour Trophy event is made as fair as possible – taking into account the diverse entry, which includes singlehanded, doublehanded, heavy and lightweight crews – racing takes place in carefully selected, strict one-designs. Owing to the success of the last six years, the Ian Howlett-designed Topper Xenon is the chosen class once again. Not only does this particular design offer an ideal all-up crew weight range of between 18-24 stone (114-152 kilos), but also because it has no class championship, there is no class champion to gain an unfair advantage.
Topper, who have specifically built and kindly loaned the fleet of 25 brand-new Xenons for the event, have been working closely with Hyde who are supplying sails, Selden the masts, English Braids the ropes, and Allen Brothers the fittings. Together they have been able to produce an 'Endeavour boat' that is arguably the most fair choice of class in the history of the event.
The Calltracks-sponsored pre-event training session on the Friday, run by ABC for Winning coach Adam Bowers, will be followed by a pasta meal in the evening. The eight-race, seven to count Endeavour Trophy series gets underway at 1030 on the Saturday morning (8 October) with the plan to run five, 45-minute races back-to-back on windward/leeward courses. The remaining three races will take place on Sunday morning.
Endeavour Trophy 2011 Entries
Class Helmsman Crew
Albacore Thomas Gillard Andy Tompson
B14 Mike Bees Martin Worth
Cadet Ben Hazeldine -
Enterprise Christian Birrell -
Fireball Chips Howarth -
Firefly Ben Vines -
GP14 Stuart Bithell -
Lark Alan Krailing Tim Linsell
Laser 2000 Graham Sexton Katrina Harborne
Merlin Rocket Andy Davis Tom Pygall
Miracle Sam Mettam Geoff Phillips
Mirror Rory Ruairidh Mackenzie Calum Mackenzie
National 12 Tom Stewart Rachel Williamson
OK Nick Craig Toby Lewis
Osprey Matt Burge Tim Needham
Phantom Andy Couch Martin Couch
RS Feva Owen Bowerman Charlie Darling
RS100 Paul Childs Toby Harris
RS200 James Peters -
RS300 Steve Bolland Pete Cruickshank
RS500 Alex Taylor Tom Halhead
RS800 Stevie Wilson Alain Sign
Scorpion Tom Jeffcoate Mark Hogan
Topper Giles Kuzyk Adam Cockerill
Wayfarer David Wade John Meadowcroft
