Alan MallettNBYC opened their 2010 season at the weekend with a well attended Topper meeting on Saturday, followed by a record turnout, at any rate this century, for their Wayfarer Open on Sunday.Alan Mallett

NBYC opened their 2010 season at the weekend with a well attended Topper meeting on Saturday, followed by a record turnout, at any rate this century, for their Wayfarer Open on Sunday.

With a brisk northerly the 19 Toppers faced four tough races. Three contestants broke clear throughout, namely Rollesby's James Wilson, who won the first and last races, with a second and fourth in between, and thereby the Topper Tankard; Kathryn MacRitchie, from Stewartsby, who sailed a familiarizing race to start and followed up with a win and two seconds to take runner-up spot; and NBYC's Simon Bennett, third race winner after a second and third, who took third spot on six points. There followed a substantial gap for fourth and fifth overall, shared, on the tie- break by Steven Clayton (Royal Harwich YC) and Joseph Mullan (Priory SC), each of whom earned a third gun, as did Cathryn Brady (NBYC) who finished seventh overall.

The Wayfarer entry of five included Mike McNamara and Gilly Foulds sailing Mike's new boat, in which they won the first three races, and, confusingly, the NBYC Enterprise Trophy, while Paul Wren and Jordan Rumsby took the fourth after playing second fiddle for the first three.

Hickling peaked at 23 starters for their second race of the day, which was chiefly notable for an impressive display by Matt Boreham in his Punt, particularly when he capsized a mere 100 yards from the finish.

Frostbites, by contrast, could have managed with much more wind most of the time on their third down-river, the worst spot being Postwick Grove, from which David and Suzanne Yapp emerged just far enough ahead to win by a minute from John and Caroline Ellis, who headed a bunch of four all finishing within 30 seconds. The return saw David Mackley, with Kate, winning from the Yapps comfortably with Chris Jeckells and Fiona Elliott third.

This weekend we have the first two-day events, Northern Rivers taking their Production Cruisers to Barton for their Spring Trophy, and Yare Valley opening their season with a weekend on Cockshoot Broad. On Sunday only, Hickling host the Laser Travellers Open, while Horning hold their Open downriver race to Acle Bridge and back. Wroxham's Optimists have an open meeting on Saturday.