Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Week 9

Light patchy wind and a bitterly cold North Easterly breeze greeted the competitors this week as 49 boats took to the water for races 17 & 18 of the Tipsy Icicle series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club.

The 15 boat Laser fleet got away first time and from the start Charlotte Greenhalgh (LLSC) sailed a blinder as she got her nose in front and held off the pursuing fleet to take the win. Shadowing her all through the race was Oliver Davenport (Redesmere SC) who held on to second place. George Pullman (Dovestone SC) was holding third place for most of the race but slipped back down the fleet however, his moment to shine was coming. Haydn Griffiths (LLSC) came through in third with series leader Jack Hopkins (Delph SC) fourth.

Second fleet to start was the 16 boat handicap fleet which included 10 Solos. The conditions were ideal for the Enterprise of Mike Baldwin/Holly Lowe (LLSC) and they hit the front early on and stayed there to the finish. Behind them the Supernova of series leader Andy Flitcroft (Bolton SC) and the Streaker of Graeme Bristow (LLSC) were never too far apart and they crossed the line in that order but on corrected time Bristow took the win from Flitcroft in second, Baldwin/Lowe in third and the Supernova of Mark Cuthbert (LLSC) fourth.

This week the Solo fleet saw the return of Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC) and he disappeared into the distance to take the bullet. Behind him there was close racing but Malcolm Waddington (LLSC) came through into second, Steve Ferrington (WKSC) third and Kim Cant (LLSC) fourth.

Next away were the 13 boat Asymmetric fleet who once again were given a windward/leeward course. The RS400 of Bill Kenyon/Joe Hartigan (Budworth SC) made the early running but were reeled in and overtaken by the RS400 of Dave Exley/Chris Mountain (LLSC) however these two had to settle for third and fourth place overall as not far behind them, and on corrected time taking the first two places, were the RS200s of Louise McKeand/Olivia Cuthbert (LLSC) and Gareth/Jen Williams (LLSC)

Only 5 boats in the junior fleet this week. It was a Topper top two as the returning Natasha Helsby (LLSC) took the win from Marcus Howard (Redesmere SC) Third place went to Maddie Bristow (LLSC) in her RS Tera Pro and fourth to Adam Din (HLSC) in his Laser 4.7.

The second race of the day started off in slightly less wind that before and died off as the race progressed.

In the Lasers Pullman made no mistakes this time as he hit the front and sailed well to stay there to record his first win of the series. Hopkins came home in second and still leads the series. Greenhalgh was third and now looks good for a top three finish in the series while Graham MacWhirter (UKLA) came home in fourth.

It was the same top four, with the same top two, as in the last race in the handicap fleet with Cuthbert and Baldwin/Lowe swapping places.

The Solo fleet also saw the same top four. Hamilton took another win from Cant in second, Ferrington third and Waddington fourth.

In the Aysmmetrics Exley/Mountain took the win from Greg Booth (PDSC – RS100 10.2) Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC – RS400) were third and McKeand/Cuthbert fourth.

The junior fleet had a Laser 4.7 top three. Din took the win from Lewis Coop (LLSC) with Michael Du Plessis (LLSC) in third and the Topper of Howard in fourth.

This Sunday is the penultimate weekend of the series with just 4 possible races left. Can you still qualify and be in the prizes? Remember 'You need to be in it to win it' so come along and try and improve your overall position to get 'in the chocolates'

Full series results at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2016/Tipsy.htm