Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Week 10
by Paul Heath 9 Mar 2016 17:36 GMT
6 March 2016
A cold westerly 10–13 knot breeze for Sundays first race, on the penultimate weekend of the Tipsy Icicle series, was welcomed by all competitors as the race team were able to lay a course using the whole length of the Flash for the first beat and the Asymmetric sailors were happy with a windward/leeward course.
In the 11 strong Laser fleet Charlotte Greenhalgh (LLSC) continued her fine form by taking the lead and sailing off for another win. Behind her Graham MacWhirter (UKLA) was a comfortable second, Gareth Staple-Jones (LLSC) third and the ever improving George Pulman (Dovestone SC) fourth.
The 18 boat handicap fleet, which included 9 Solos, were next away but not before a pre-start incident involving the GP14 of Tom Wallwork/Sam Platt (Bolton SC) and several other boats. This resulted in the GP crew being protested and having to take a penalty which put them out of the top four. Once it had all settled down it was Graeme Bristow (LLSC – Streaker) who took the win on corrected time from Steve Norris (LLSC – Phantom) in second and the Albacore of Mike Banner/Martin Cooper (LLSC/WLYC) fourth.
In the Solos there is a battle between Brian Sprague (LLSC) and Steve Ferrington (WKSC) for third place overall in the series. On the water Sprague took the lead but a major windshift saw him drop down the fleet as Ferrington took the lead and the race while Sprague retired. The remaining top four places went to the Leigh & Lowton boats of Kim Cant, Dave Welch and Chris Helsby respectively.
The 14 boat Asymmetric fleet saw some early close racing between the RS400s. Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC) took the lead followed by series leaders Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC) and Dave Exley/Paul Heath (LLSC) These three pulled away from the rest of the fleet but so intense was the battle between the top two that they took their eyes off Exley/Heath and they slipped through to take the lead and the race win. Gledhill/Dowse managed to hold off Catchpole/Coop to take second and the RS200 of Martin/Sian Joesbury (Budworth SC), one of five RS200s out today, was fourth.
Last away was the 7 boat junior fleet which saw the return of the Toppers and they took all top four places. After some close racing Lorcan Knowles (LLSC) held off Sam Cooper (WLYC) to take the win. Coopers clubmate Molly Nixon was third and Brandon Banner (LLSC) fourth.
During lunch the wind continued to blow from the west and by the start of the second race it had increased to an average of 12 knots with gusts of 17 knots.
The Laser fleet saw Garry Knott (Ogston SC) take the win and he remains second overall in the series but Greenhalgh sailed well again to come home in second and is now only.9 of a point behind him. Behind them MacWhirter was third and Staple-Jones fourth resulting in MacWhirter leapfrogging Staple-Jones into fourth overall.
Wallwork/Platt took to the water with the bit between their teeth in this race and powered off to take the win. Bristow could only manage second while Banner/Cooper scored a third to strengthen their claim for second overall in the series. Michael Platt (Bolton SC – Supernova) was fourth and is making a late charge for third overall in the series.
Ferrington had another battle with Sprague but managed to hold him off to take the win and now looks likely to take third overall in the series Third home was Malcolm Waddington (LLSC) with Cant fourth.
Another battle at the front of the Asymmetric fleet but this time between Exley/Heath and Caroline Exley/Judith Allen (RLLSC – RS400). Up the last beat Exley decided to put a 'Mothers Day' cover tack on his fast approaching wife even though Heath told him not to do it. They crossed the line in that order but on handicap Greg Booth (PDSC – RS100 10.2) manged to get between them to take second place while Catchpole/Coop were fourth. With Exley missing next week the race for first overall is, with just 8 points between them and some big points to discard, between Catchpole/Coop, Gledhill/Dowse and Booth.
In the junior fleet it was a West Lancs top two with Cooper and Nixon finishing in that order. Knowles was third and Adam Din (Hollingworth Lake SC - Laser 4.7) fourth. Going into the final weekend of the series Knowles leads Cooper by two points.
Full results can be found at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2016/Tipsy.htm
Photo album of the day can be found on the clubs Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LeighLowtonSC