Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Week 5
by Paul Heath 2 Feb 2016 16:28 GMT
31 January 2016
There was disappointment in the eyes of the competitors as they arrived to find that once again there was no wind at Pennington Flash for races 9 & 10 of the Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Tipsy Icicle series. As the midday start time approached a 4 knot breeze filled in from the east and racing got underway but, after a very slow half a lap, the wind went 180 degrees and then switched off altogether. The race was abandoned and the 57 boat fleet drifted to shore for yet another early lunch.
During lunch prayers were offered up to the wind Gods and they answered us with a 15-20 knot westerly breeze so afloat again we all went, for back to back races, for what turned out to be a fantastic day's racing with a lake long beat and plenty of fast off wind sailing.
The first fleet away was the 17 strong Laser fleet. Series leader Jack Hopkins was absent so it gave the chasing pack a chance to reel him in a bit. There was close racing in the gusty breeze and a few succumbed to the odd capsize including race leader Graham McWhirter (UKLA) This allowed Garry Knott (Ogston SC) the chance to seize the moment, which he did, to take the win. Greg Marshall (WLYC) came home in second, Howard Green (LLSC) third and Haydn Griffiths (LLSC) fourth.
Second away was the 22 handicap fleet which included 10 Solos. Series leader Andy Flitcroft (Bolton SC) continued his fine form to take the bullet. The GP14 of Nick Devereux/Sam Platt (Budworth SC) sailed well to take second from Mark Cuthbert (LLSC – Supernova) in third and Alan Johnson/Kaye Tickle (Southport SC – Enterprise) fourth.
In the Solos Patrick Hamilton and Paul Heath continued their battle. Hamilton was OCS at the start thus allowing Heath to get his nose in front and there it stayed to the end. Hamilton worked his way through the handicap fleet and had a battle with Alex Taylor (Budworth SC) before finishing second, Taylor third and Steve Ferrington (WKSC) fourth.
Asymmetrics next and, with the RS100 sailing series leader Greg Booth not sailing, the fleet for this race was made up of seven very happy RS400s and five even happier RS200s crews as, due to the wind direction, they were let loose with a windward/leeward course. Racing was very close with place changing continually going on at the front end between the 400s of Paul/Jude Allen (LLSC) and Chris Pickles/Matt Sharman (Delph SC) Up the last beat it was the Allens to lose but Pickles/Sharman had the edge downwind and passed the Allens to take the win on handicap. The Allens had to settle for second, Dave Exley/Joe Hartigan (LLSC) third and Martin/Liam Parker (LLSC) fourth.
Due to Topper and Optimist squad training elsewhere there were only 6 boats out in the junior fleet this weekend. Samuel Cooper (WLYC - Topper) reveled in the conditions and took the win on handicap from the RS Feva XL of Eddie/Kevin Farrell (Llandudno SC) Third, in her Laser 4.7, was Olivia Cuthbert (LLSC) and fourth was Tom Brindley (Redesmere SC – Laser Radial)
The second race got under way in identical conditions and with the same course.
In the Laser fleet Marshall upped his game to take the win from Griffiths in second, Knott on third and Gareth Staples- Jones (LLSC) fourth. Hopkins still remains as series leader with Knott and Griffiths tied on points in second and third with Marshall just behind them.
Flitcroft got away early and avoided the carnage at the gybe mark that claimed a few of the handicap fleet, and took another win to cement his position as series leader. Martin Tubb (LLSC - Solution) proved upright is fast as he sailed well to take second place from Mark Dingsdale (LLSC – Phantom) in third and Michael Platt (Bolton SC – Supernova) fourth.
There were four Solos on a dead run and in very close proximity as they approached the gybe mark and ahead of them were boats from the handicap fleet capsized around that mark. The race was settled when leader Hamilton had to take avoiding action when an Enterprise suddenly, and without warning, capsized right in front of him. Second placed Ferrington gybed, put his boat on its side, scooped a load of water and half sank but kindly left a gap for Taylor and Heath to sail into. Both survived the gybe and sailed off from the casualties. Heath went on to take the win while Hamilton caught up and passed Taylor on the final lap to take second. Ferrington recovered and sailed through to take another fourth.
At the front of the Asymmetric fleet Pickles/Sharman and the Allens once again continued their battle and once again Pickles/Sharman pipped them to the post with Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC – RS400) crossing the line in third and Exley/Hartigan fourth. The fleet was heading for what looked like another RS400 dominated top four but they didn't count on the RS200 of Louise McKeand/Cathy Partington (LLSC) who were on a mission, left the other 200s in their wake and sailed fast to take the win on handicap. Pickles/Sharman now lead the series.
It was the same top three, in the same positions, in the junior fleet but this time Marcus Howard (Redesmere SC) powered up his Topper and sailed well to take fourth. Nearly half way through the series Cooper is now the series leader.
The Tipsy Icicle series runs until the 15th March. First race starts at midday and full details on how to enter are on the club website or pay per day at the reception desk. Come and join us this coming Sunday for races 11 & 12 in the series.
Full results can be found at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2016/Tipsy.htm
Photographs from the whole series, and other events, can be found on the club's Facebook page.