FOUR youngsters from Castle Cove Sailing Club made the trip to Cambridgeshire for the National Topper Inland Championships.

Alex McFarlane, George and Oliver Fellows, and Will Adler all competed at Grafham Water Sailing Club near Huntingdon.

Sailing in the white fleet gave McFarlane an early chance to gauge the wind, with gusts of more than 20 knots on the course.

He said: “I figured that I should start closer to the pin end of the line due to it being biased. I had a good start and kept out in clear air as much as possible.”

After battling with the four other sailors in the front group, McFarlane finished fourth in race one.

He then won race two but illness affected him in the third and he came in 30th.

He added: “After realising that I couldn’t afford another bad result as I could only get one discard for the whole weekend, I had to sail even though I felt ill.”

McFarlane was fourth in the final race of the day, leaving him in same position overall going into day two.

The second day brought with it rain and more winds exceeding 20 knots, but McFarlane thrived in the conditions and was second in the opening race.

The youngster continued: “I had a great start to the day by coming second, but I realised I would have to come in the top six in the final race to come in the top five overall.”

Under pressure, he finished fifth in that last race to claim fourth overall.

At the prize-giving, McFarlane was presented with two sail shape trophies and the titles of third boy and fourth overall. He also won a new kit bag.

Meanwhile, Adler picked up the trophy for best under-13 sailor, while he was 46th overall. Oliver Fellows placed in the top 100 and George Fellows won the endeavour prize in the regatta fleet.