Some Close Racing Sees Tappenden Win Through

Gunfleet Sailing Club held the third race in its Autumn Series last Sunday 28 September 2025 and, after some nail-biting tussles, it was a win for John Tappenden in his RS Aero.

A force three to four southerly breeze set the scene and at the start it was Andy Dunnett who led the way, in his Laser, down the coast to the Eastcliff buoy on a reach, but he was soon overtaken by Ken Potts in his RS Aero; Brian Allen, also in an RS Aero, just behind.  Then, passing the fleet with apparent ease was Tappenden in his RS Aero and the battle was on.  With the flood ride under them, it was only minutes before the competitors arrived at Eastcliff with Potts first to round the mark, closely followed by Tappenden and then the RS Aero of Tom Bartlett.  The second leg was a close reach out to the Seaward buoy and Tim Dye in his RS Aero, after a poor start, slipped past Simon Kedge in his Laser to take fourth place on the water; whilst son Adam Kedge, also in a Laser but with a radial rig, was not that far behind.  Once round Seaward there followed a run into the AWS buoy and during this leg Tappenden managed to work his way in front of Potts, rounding the mark just a split second ahead.  However, Tappenden’s euphoria was short lived when, on the beat back out to Seaward, Potts got the better of him.  As the fleet rounded the offshore mark, Dye was now sitting in third place, followed by Bartlett and then Allen.  A broad reach into the Kingscliff buoy saw Potts challenged yet again by Tappenden who rounded the mark a gnats-whisker in front but then, due to his mainsheet getting caught on his horse, allowed Potts to pull away.  At the end of the first lap, on handicap, it was Potts first, Tappenden second, and Adam Kedge third.  Potts maintained his lead for a while on the second lap but, once again, Tappenden overtook him on the run down to AWS when he just kept accelerating and began to carve out quite a lead.  Meanwhile, slightly further back, Dave Ingle and Martin Chivers, both in RS Aeros, were having their own private battle; Dunnett having dropped back a little and Gary Hollis, in his Laser, some way behind him.  At the end of the second lap the top three places, on handicap, were Tappenden, Adam Krdge and Potts; the third lap seeing no change.

Autumn Series 3:
1.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
2.    Laser – Adam Kedge
3.    RS Aero – Ken Potts