HOME competitor Gareth Owen came out on top in Dee Sailing Club's Dart Catamaran National Travellers Trophy event on the Dee Estuary at Easter.

A total of 40 cats took part and Owen, in Trench and crewed by Chris Delves, got the verdict thanks to a strong performance on Saturday when he took all three races.

Stokes Bay visitor David Lloyd hit back strongly on Sunday, but finished 1.75 points behind in the end in Close Shave.

John Harvey and John Hutchins, from Stokes Bay, were third and fourth overall.

Competition on Good Friday had to be called off due to strong winds, but conditions were much better later in the weekend.

Overall result: 1, Trench (G. Owen, Dee) 17.25 pts; 2, Close Shave (D. Lloyd, Stokes Bay) 19; 3, No 2052 (J. Harvey, Stokes Bay) 22.75; 4, No 6806 (J. Hutchins, Stokes Bay) 23.75.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.