John Tappenden Proves Unbeatable

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the fourth race in its Spring Series last Sunday 6 May in fairly miserable conditions, with grey skies and a moderate north/north easterly breeze.  All the competitors were bang-on the line at the start with Paul Davis quickly pulling away in his Solution.  The fleet sailed close hauled to the Kingscliff buoy, assisted by a strengthening ebb tide, and then ran out to the Seaward mark; by which time the two Contenders of Simon Clarke and Matt Downing had taken the lead.  The next leg was a beat back to the Kingscliff buoy and whilst it was obvious that Clarke and Downing were having a real tussle as to who should be in front, neither could shake-off John Tappenden in his Blaze.  Despite having a slower handicapped boat, Tappenden managed to slip in front of the Contenders although positions were constantly changing.  At the other end of the fleet the Cadet Vice-Commodore Robert Gutteridge in his Topper, and the Cadet Rear-Commodore Aaron Baker in his Topaz were having their own battle, both bringing their sailing skills to the fore.  The competitors, having rounded the Kingscliff buoy for the second time, then headed back out to sea before a reach into the Eastcliff buoy and then back through the line.  After the first lap it was evident that, on handicap, the race for top-spot was going to be between Tappenden and Davis but, try as he might and despite closing the gap, Davis was unable to catch the victorious Tappenden.