Ten Topper sailors from five clubs in Northern Ireland recently made the long journey to Dromineer in County Tipperary for the Topper Winter Championships at Lough Derg Yacht Club. They all competed in the 5.3 fleets.
Three Belfast Lough competitors fared very well. First overall and first Youth Male in that 53-strong fleet was Luke Simpson from County Antrim Yacht Club, who counted two first places in four races. Emily McAfee from Ballyholme was second overall, 1st Female and 1st Junior Female with a win in the second race and in 6th slot and taking 2nd Junior Male was Tom Driscoll from Royal North of Ireland YC. Another Ballyholme girl, Isabel Nixon, was 8th overall and 2nd Youth Female.
Conditions were challenging on both days, with strong North Westerlies gusting up to 24 knots on Saturday, and in contrast, Day 2 saw lighter shifty breezes.
Tom Driscoll with Declan Mulcahy, Commodore LDYC
Isabel Nixon with Declan Mulcahy, LDYC Commodore
Maurice Collins (left), ITCA RCYC organiser of the Topper Worlds.present Luke Simpson with the prize for First overall and First Youth
Emily McAfee with Maurice Collins, ITCA and RCYC Topper Worlds organiser
The other Northern Ireland competitors were Hugo Boyd, Iseult Speirs, Charlotte Cairns and Sophie Cairns from Ballyholme; Rose Kelly East Down YC and Ronan Hodge from Strangford SC.
Rear Commodore Sailing, Fergal Keating, was complimentary about the competitors; “Wonderful set of kids, when you consider the cold freshwater conditions in the rain and blustery winds. How many adults would tolerate those conditions?”
