Middle Nene Sailing Club, Thrapston was to be the venue for the 2nd leg of the 2010 Midland Topper Traveller Series held on Sat 20th March.
A fleet of 24 budding young Topper Racers travelled from all over the Midlands to be greeted by a fresh South-Westerly breeze and a threat of light rain.

Photos

The 1st race started at 11am, however 2 boats were re-called for being a little too eager to get away and ending up over the line.
 
Race 1
Will Alloway (Rutland SC) got away cleanly and led the way to the 1st mark closely followed by Georgina Claybburn (Rutland SC) &  local hopeful Ed Connellan with Calum Healey (Sutton SC) hot in his tracks.  Will extended his lead around the course until un-wittingly taking the wrong marker buoy, thus handing the lead to Ed Connellan who was by this time sitting in 2nd position.
 
However, Lawrence Logan (Notts County SC) had worked his way up the fleet wasn’t going to settle for 3rd and pulled off a stunning over-taking move to jump into the lead ahead of Ed Connellan and crossed the finish line first. 
 
Race 2
Following lunch, Race 2 got underway with a clean start with many boats contending for an early lead and numerous changes in position.  The previous front runners were now joined by Elizabeth Tones (Nott’s SC), Lawrence Claybburn (Rutland SC).  Ed Connellan rounded the windward mark in pole position with Will Alloway and Lawrence Logan snapping at his heels.
 
With the pace of the race building as much as the wind, disaster struck for leader Ed Connellan when he was flattened by a gust and capsized dropping 10 places.  Will Alloway, intent on making amends for his previous error grabbed pole and never looked back.  Lawrence Logan finished 2nd and Calum Healy in 3rd.
 
Race 3
Tension was high on the start line with 3 different competitors vying for the overall win, all hanging on the results of the final race of the day.      
The race officers must have been relived to get the fleet underway to another clean stat and the race was on.  Once more it was a close run thing and places trading freely with some new faces pushing the usual suspects hard.  Robin Jones (North Hykam SC) in his 1st race away from his Local club found himself in the mix for a time during the first two laps. 
 
As the race progressed with the top 6 bots fighting it out until Will Alloway and Ed Connellan broke away from the pack and embarked on their own private battle for the lead.  Will Alloway just about held the upper hand and covered Ed Connellan all the way upwind however on the final run to the last mark Ed Connellan chased hard and Will Alloway was made to do a penalty turn after he hit the buoy. 
 
Ed Connellan now took the lead and headed for the finish knowing that if he was to cross first overall victory would be his.  Will Alloway, now a couple of boat lengths behind dug deep and incredibly pulled himself level as the line rapidly approached - as they crossed the finish 2 guns were sounded simultaneously!
 
It must be said that throughout the day we were treated to some exciting & competitive racing from some of the regions keenest young sailors and look forward to the next event.
 
Will Alloway (Rutland SC) had done it by a matter of inches and thus won the day with 1st overall.
Lawrence Logan (Nott’s County SC) finished that race in 3rd position giving him 2nd overall.
Ed Connellan (Middle Nene SC) who finished 2nd in that race behind Will secured 3rd overall.
 

Andrew Connellan