New Mast and Boom at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show.
We’re excited to announce that we will be attending the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show at Farnborough International over the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd of February. You’ll find us on Stand 6, where we’ll be showcasing a range of innovative new products including our new dinghy mast and boom sections, alongside three fully Allen-fitted boats.
Ready to be unveiled to the dinghy enthusiasts of the UK are two brand-new sets of dinghy spars, one for the Solo dinghy and one for the new GOAT Aigos. Come along to find out more about these rigs and see the finer details which make them special.
We are excited to announce the new Topper Race Pack collection. The six packs have been developed in collaboration with a handful of top sailors from the Topper fleet over the last few seasons and the result is a selection of high-performance, easy-to-install packs which will help elevate your boat’s performance.
The six meticulously curated packs utilise our high-performance components such as dynamic blocks, Tii-on blocks, aluminium cam cleats, as well as high-performance British-made rope which is pre-cut or spliced to the required lengths. All six of the packs are one hundred percent class-legal and can be used for competition and training.
After three years of sailing – first year doing open coaching, the second year in the RYA Zone Squad and the third in the RYA Junior Squad – it all came together in 2018. I had a good run in the London & South East Region Topper Travellers, securing the overall winner. The series started in March and ran through to the end of October. The series is spread between fifteen events hosted by various clubs in the region. In the National Series, consisting of six-weekend events across the UK, I won the final event, placing me second overall in the national series.
In July I attended the National Schools Sailing Association (NSSA) regatta hosted by Datchet Water. This was a week-long event where clubs and area representatives get together for a week of sailing and fun. I was a member of the Queen Mary Sailing Club team. I came first in the Topper event and as we had a strong Topper fleet overall, we also won the team prize!
In August I went to China for the Topper Worlds. Unfortunately, the wind was against us. We either had too much or none at all. However, It was great to compete against other nations and although we did not complete a series I was placed third overall. After the event, I had a great experience as we visited various places with my family and friends which included the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army.
In September I managed to talk my parents into letting me enter the Isle of Sheppey round the island race, which is part of the Allen Endurance Series. The race is a forty-mile circumnavigation of the Isle of Sheppey. It took me four hours and forty-six minutes to complete the course, which for me was a long time in a Topper. I came 15th overall and won the junior helm prize together with the first placed slow handicap boat. Hopefully, I will attend in 2019 but not in a Topper!
I have now transitioned into the Laser and sail both the 4.7 & Radial depending on the wind conditions. I have learnt a lot from the two UKLA training sessions which I’ve attended as well as the two local Laser Radial events I won this Autumn.
2019 is an important year as I have my GCSE’s in May & June. I will be going to Weymouth to compete in the Youth Nationals at Easter and again in July for the NSSA.
Aaron Evans Joins Team Allen
I am a competitive Topper sailor and now a part of Team Allen. I have been racing on the national circuit for two years and have been selected to join RYA Topper National Junior Squad.
My home club is Silver Wing Sailing Club based near Heathrow and I also train at Queen Mary Sailing Club. My recent achievements include: coming 5th at Poole National Series 1; winning the South East Topper Zone Champs and winning both the Queen Mary Sailing Club and Bosham Sailing Club Topper Open events.
Allen Brothers generously support me with high quality racing equipment for my Topper so I can rig my boat effectively with the knowledge that the products have been rigorously tested by some of the best sailors in the world.
Last weekend I trained with national squad at Rutland Sailing Club. There was a good breeze and we sailed both days with the aim of improving tactics and strategy.
My ambitions for the coming year include achieving a top ten place in the upcoming Topper National events. I hope that I can win some of the regional Topper Traveller events but there are some very good sailors in the region. I will be attending the Topper Worlds, to be held in China, which will be a fantastic sailing opportunity and even better if I get a good placing. Here’s hoping that I will get some good results in 2018.
