Enterprise Open at Southport Sailing Club
by Steve Blackburn 8 Nov 2011 18:43 GMT
6 November 2011
As competitors arrived at the Marine Lake we was greeted with wall to wall sunshine and very little wind. Tea, coffee and bacon butties where provided for the sailors. After the briefing the racing was postponed for the sea breeze to arrive. The wind arrived from a northwesterly direction but nothing over a force 2 for the remainder of the racing.
For race 1 Southport SSC used the powerboat area of the lake as part of the course making the lake unusually big. Jonathon Woodward and Alex Halliwell (Bartly / WLYC rounded the windward mark in first followed by Steve Blackburn and Royston Taggart WLYC / Pilkington. In third were Richard Critchley and Izzy Sowley Pilkington. Steve soon overtook Jonathon and established a gap from the fleet and finished in first. Richard overtook Jonathon for a while but Jonathon managed to take his 2nd position back at the finish with Richard only half a boat length behind.
As we parked our Ents up we were provide with lunch, Chili and chip or potato. For dessert we had apple crumble and custard.
Race 2 soon started with the course using most of the lake. Tim Harper & Diane Thomas WLYC / Pilkington created the best start with Tim Finch and Alex Dromgoole and Richard Critchley in 2nd and 3rd. As the race progressed Steve Blackburn and Clive & Jordan Porter WLYC made their way through the fleet to finish 1st and 2nd with Tim Harper finishing 3rd.
A good starboard bias line was used for race 3 and Richard and Millie Pryke Ripon took the lead followed by Tim Finch they both created a short lead for the rest of the fleet and finished 1st and 2nd. Richard Critchley pull up through the fleet to finish in 3rd and Tim Harper 4th.
A special thank you to Southport SC for a great and very friendly event.
This was the last event of the Enterprise Association North West Top Helm Series, Richard Critchley & Izzy Sowley won the Event 2nd Steve Blackburn & Various crews, 3rd John Berry & Erica Hayton and Winner of the Silver Fleet Tim & Jackie Finch / Alex Dromgoole
Overall Results:
1st Steve Blackburn & Royston Taggart Pilkington (WLYC)
2nd Richard Critchley & Izzy Sowley Pilkington
3rd Jonathon Woodward & Alex Halliwell Bartly (WLYC)
4th Richard & Millie Pryke (Ripon)
5th Tim Harper & Diane Thomas (WLYC Pilkington)
6th Tim Finch & Alex Dromgoole (Chester)
7th Clive & Jordan Porter (WLYC)
8th Alison Payne & Kev Law (Toddbrook)
9th Mike Birch & Sid Baines (WLYC)
10th Paul Young & Megan Ward
11th Ben Jacobs & Craig Marshall