The 2017 Topper World Championships were held at Cercle Nautique de Loctudy, Brittany, France from Monday to Friday July 24-28. The event was run by ITCA World and was sailed in a mix of conditions which were good for the sailors.
The majority of competitors were from Britain, Northern Ireland and Eire, along with a handful of sailors from other countries around the globe including Macau, France and South Africa as well as a large contingent from China
In the days leading up to the event all the teams were out getting some last minute practice and a feel for the venue. On the Sunday there was an opening ceremony with lots of flags and a parade down the seafront.
The event kicked off on Monday, the wind was around 12-16 knots coming off the land. It was gusty and there were lots of shifts. At the end of the day I had two 1st place results along with a black flag disqualification (BFD) for being over the line at the start.
Going into the second day I needed three good consistent results in order to climb up the leader board. I finished 6th in the first race and 3rd in the second. I then had a second BFD for being over the line again! Unfortunately I had to wait for 10 races to be sailed before I could discard both disqualifications.
On Wednesday the wind had picked up to around 20-23 knots. This was to my advantage as I am one of the bigger sailors in the fleet and I sailed to a 1st in two races and a 3rd place.
On the last two days of the event the racing was split into three fleets. I qualified for gold and started the first day of finals with a 4th, 6th and a 2nd place. Having now completed 10 races the two discards were allowed and I was able to discard my two black flags and my result jumped from 18th place to 1st overall.
The outcome of the regatta was all down to the last day and with a 7 point lead, but no discards in hand, I needed to sail cautiously. I finished 4th, 12th and 11th on the last day, winning the regatta overall. Sam Cooper and Dan McGourghey, both from Great Britain were second and third.
The experience that I have from sailing in the waves and tides at Rye helped me enormously. I am looking forward to my last event, the British Topper National Championships in Wales at the beginning of August before I move into my Laser.
[Editor’s note: 15 year-old Scott has been a member of Rye Harbour Sailing Club since he first learned to sail in the family dinghy at the age of six and began sailing his current Topper (shown in the photo, above left) in 2013 before starting to train with the RYA (Royal Yachting Association – sailing’s governing body) two years ago. He moved up to the National squad this year and is now the UK no.1 in Toppers as well, of course, as World Champion. Next year he will be to old to compete in Toppers, hence his move to a Laser. This is similar style of single-handed boat, but larger than a Topper and is the same class in which Olympian Sir Ben Ainsley won one of his gold medals. So, another Olympian in the making? Well, maybe. We wish him luck]
Photos: Christine Wilkinson