GUNFLEET Sailing Club’s 2017 Cadet Week burst onto the scene with a full day of racing, sail training and team games – both on and off the water.

The morning’s racing was a lively affair with winds blowing force four, gusting five, from the southwest.

Toppers and Topazes were first away with Jude Aylen and Harry Swinbourne lead the Topaz fleet, whilst it was Ted Newson in the Toppers.

As the boats beat down the coast to the Eastcliff buoy Beth Elliott and Freddie Spooner drove their Topaz into the lead and were first to round the mark.

A little later the Hobie 405s and the Menagerie fleet set off and heading straight out to sea, in order to gain ground with the first of the flood tide, were Tom and Ed Philpot in their 405, Alfie Searles leading the Menagerie fleet in his Pico.

Capsizing before the start were Alex Corbett and Henry Spooner in their 405.

These competitors, completing a larger course, beat to the St. Michael’s buoy, before heading out to the Seaward mark on a broad reach.

At times the winds freshened and the waves continued to get larger but it didn’t deter the young crews who sheeted hard-in, hung right out of the boats and drove their craft onwards.

Having successfully, or in some wet cases – unsuccessfully, gybed around the Seaward buoy it was a very lively reach in to the AWS mark and then a fetch back out to sea.

A second gybe caught a few out, again and then it was a broad reach to the Kingscliff buoy before beating back through the line.

Just before the completion of the first lap Thomas Aiken and Lauren Hooper capsized in their Topaz but were soon up and on their way.

On the second lap the wind backed southerly and this resulted in some really close tussles in the Topaz fleet.

Particularly noticeable were Harrison Smith and Mac Symmonds who, in the end, outsmarted Maddie Corbett and Francesca Cottee but not without a fight.

Unfortunately, Owen Hooper and Joshua Aiken suffered a bad capsize and were forced to retire, one of the Club’s Rescue Boats towing the stricken Topaz ashore.

At the end of the race it was victory for Ted Newson in his Topper, Beth Elliott and Freddie Spooner in their Topaz, Tom and Ed Philpot in the 405s and Alfie Searles in the Menagerie fleet.