Comet sailor Stevie Dickinson responded to his critics by clinching the Edna Foggo Trophy in dominant fashion in St.George's Harbour over the weekend.

A week after surrendering his Flag Pole to Flag Pole title to perennial rival Rudy Bailey, 1993 CAC Games silver medallist Dickinson rebounded triumphantly by winning all four races in light and shifty northeasterly breezes to claim overall honours in the East End.

West End Sail Boat Club's Gladwin Lambert and East End skipper James (Smokey) Perry placed second and third respectively — but the day well and truly belonged to Dickinson who returned to his winning ways along with teenaged crew M'Kai Hodsoll.

"I never have any fear that I'm not going to bounce back. Like with all sailors sometimes you have good days while other times you might not. But I felt that I had to get back in the groove and overall I thought we sailed pretty fast," said the former Devonshire Colts football striker.

Doubts were raised over Dickinson's thirst to compete in the class after arch rival Bailey released his three-year stranglehold on the coveted Flag Pole title earlier this month following a brief sailing stint in the snipe fleet. But those doubts were quashed over the weekend as Dickinson showed every sign that he is beginning to return to his best.

"I have been sailing comets for so long, it doesn't take me long to get the feel for the boat. But it's also like anything else, whereas you still have to practise in it," he said.

With that victory under his belt, achieved in the absence of the vacationing Bailey, Dickinson now intends to intensify preparations for the defence of his Long Distance title that will go up for grabs on June 11 when the fleet set sail from the Great Sound to St.George's Harbour via the North Shore.

"I'm feeling good and like every other year I am ready to go. I just have to do a few minor things to the boat and get out there and race," he said.

Dickinson again opted to sail with 14-year-old crew Hodsoll, a youngster the veteran skipper feels has enormous potential.

"If he hangs in there he has the potential to become a very good sailor because he absorbs information very quickly and he is growing into the boat," Dickinson added.

As is usually the case in the lead-up to the annual Long Distance Race, Dickinson again finds himself in the thick of the traditional pre-race hype along with fellow class heavyweights Bailey and Lambert who continues to sail consistently — but just can't find a way to victory lane.

"I don't get into all of that. I just go out there and race and what will be will be. But it's like any other year — every year it's the same thing," Dickinson said.

In recent times the likes of Bailey, Lambert and Dickinson have all dominated the local comet scene and on current form look likely to continue tightening their grip over the rest of the fleet.

"You have to realise that the top three skippers in the fleet have been around for more than 40 years — Gladwin even more so. That's why you consistently see the three of us up there because we know the boats so well," Dickinson explained.

"We all have our boats tuned in and know exactly what they are capable of and really just sail off of that. I think anyone of us can get into any boat and rig it to our liking and make it go fast."