Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Week 2
by Paul Heath 13 Jan 2016 08:05 GMT
10 January 2016
The second week of the Leigh & Lowton sailing club Tipsy Icicle series saw a contract to last weekend as competitors were greeted by bright sunshine and a chilly south westerly 15 knot breeze with 20 knot gusts for the first race of the day. The 74 boats were keen to get racing underway.
As usual it was the 19 boat Laser fleet that got us underway and as usual it was close racing at the front. As the race progressed Jack Hopkins (Delph SC) worked through the gears and pulled away to take the win. Second home in her radial rig was Charlotte Greenhalgh (LLSC) while current series leader Garry Knott (Ogston SC) had to settle for third pushing nearest rival Graham MacWhirter (UKLA) into fourth.
Close behind them was the 22 boat handicap fleet which included 13 Solos (the results of which will be taken separately from the handicap finish). In the main fleet the Merlin Rocket of Julian/Euan Perry (Glossop SC) hit the front and was not seen again as it excelled in the conditions. Behind them there was a 'Battle of the Supernovas' between the Bolton SC trio of Mark Platt, Jeff Robinson and Andy Flitcroft. Flitcroft came out on top with Platt third overall and Robinson fourth.
In the Solo fleet Steve Ferrington (West Kirby SC) led for half the first lap but was eventually overtaken by Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC) and Paul Heath (LLSC) Heath managed to get his nose in front to take the win with Hamilton second. Behind them Phil Barnes (Budworth SC), who had started late, caught up and took Ferrington for third place.
Third fleet away was the 19 strong junior fleet which included 8 Optimists taking part in their winter championships and in the end the top four places in the race were all taken by Optimist sailors. After early close racing the eventual winner was Archie Leckie (LLSC) followed by Harvey Leigh (LLSC) Drew Gibbons (Redesmere SC) third and Patrice Beukenholdt (Scaling Dam SC) fourth.
Last fleet away were the 14 boat Asymmetric fleet. Paul Allen/Chris Mountain (LLSC) sailed well to take a large lead and with it the race. The consistent Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC) and Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC) finished second and third respectively for the second race in a row while Alistair/Thomas Coates (RS200 – LLSC) broke the RS400 monopoly by finishing fourth.
As the fleet went afloat for the second race the wind was now blowing around 10 knots with 15 knot gusts.
Hopkins took another win in the Lasers. Knott once again kept MacWhirter one place behind him to finish second and Greenhalgh was fourth.
The handicap fleet saw the Supernovas taking the top three places. Platt and Flitcroft were having a battle at the front of the fleet until Flitcroft capsized. Platt sailed off to take the win while Flitcroft quickly recovered to finish second and Mark Cuthbert (LLSC) third while Team Perry could only manage fourth.
Solo wise Heath claimed another bullet and Hamilton another second. Third, and sailing the whole race playing the main from the boom due to the ratchet block fitting pulling out of his boat at the start, was Alex Taylor (Budworth SC) Barnes was fourth.
Archie Leckie took another win in the junior fleet while Sian Talbot/Eloise Clapson-McBride (LLSC) in their RS Feva XL took second place to spoil the Optimist domination. Third was Bruno Nicolas (Optimist – LLSC) and Gibbons was fourth.
Finally it was the Asymmetrics turn. Caroline Exley/Jude Allen (RS400 – LLSC) put their first race capsize behind them to take the win. Gledhill/Dowse were once again the bridesmaids but it was enough to put them at the top of the series table at the end of day. Alistair/Thomas Coates were third and Catchpole/Coop fourth.
It's early days in the series and already we have had 104 different boats enter and sail in it. There is a long way to go yet and you can still qualify so join us this coming Sunday, 17th January for races 5 & 6 in the Tipsy Icicle series. It's a midday start and full details on how to enter the series online via webcollect can be found on the club website webcollect.org.uk/llsc/category/event
You can also enter on the day at the reception desk. We look forward to seeing you.
Full results can be found on: www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2016/Tipsy.htm and photographs can be found on the club's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LeighLowtonSc