Tappenden Takes The Trophy

The Super September Sailing Series continued at Gunfleet Sailing Club on Sunday 20 September 2026 when the third of four races was held, this time for the Sid Dowding Trophy.  The Race Officer, being mindful of the blustery west/north-westerly wind had a buoy placed close to the line in order to set a course encompassing a strong beat.  The competitors appeared slightly hesitant at the start with little fear on anyone being over the line; leading the fleet away was Brian Allen in his RS Aero, with Ken Potts, also in an RS Aero, hot on his heels.  Despite this first leg being a short reach to the X buoy, Potts managed to be level-pegging with Allen as they rounded the mark and then it was a run out to the Seaward buoy.  Further back Paul Stanton kept ahead of Simon Kedge, both in Lasers, whilst Dave Ingle held off Paul Jackson in the RS Aeros.  Once around Seaward it was a beat, against the tide, to the Eastcliff buoy and whilst most chose to stay out and head parallel to the land to gain the cleaner wind, Allen tacked towards the shore to try and gain the benefit of the weaker adverse tide.  Potts, now leading, decided on a halfway house but when he subsequently tacked towards the shore he met Allen who gained an uplift, cleared Potts and immediately tacked to cover him.  After Eastcliff it was out to the Lilley Farm mark and then a reach up the coast to the Preston Park buoy with Potts and Allen still side by side, the wind starting to build, whilst John Tappenden in his RS Aero was laying third.  Stanton began to find the full rig on his Laser a bit of a handful which allowed Kedge, using a radial sail, to slip past him, whilst Ingle had issues with his outhaul in attempting to flatten his sail and so reduce power.  The last leg was a beat back to the line and, with the freshening wind, Allen found some of the gusts quite tricky which allowed Potts to pull away and take the lead, on handicap, at the end of the first lap.  Tappenden pulled out all the stops to now be in second place, and Allen third.  Ingle capsized as his outhaul gave way and was forced to retire whilst Tappenden continued to work hard and consistently closed the gap, so giving him first place on the second lap.  The third and final lap saw Potts fight back but despite his hard work he was unable to regain his earlier lead

Sid Dowding Trophy:
1.    RS Aero – John Tappenden
2.    RS Aero – Ken Potts
3.    Laser – Simon Kedge