Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Week 11
by Paul Heath 16 Mar 2016 20:25 GMT
13 March 2016
The final weekend of the Tipsy Icicle series at Leigh & Lowton sailing club and competitors were greeted by bright sunshine and a 4 knot easterly breeze that disappeared in the minutes before the scheduled midday start time. This resulted in a 20 minute postponement before the patchy 4 knot, gusting 8 knot, breeze filled in again and the 42 boats got underway.
Top place in the Laser fleet was up for grabs if the results went the right (or wrong) way for the top three. Charlotte Greenhalgh (LLSC) made the early running and led the 10 boat fleet for two laps before becoming a victim of the fickle breeze. Series leader Jack Hopkins (Delph SC) took advantage and sailed through to take the race win and with it put one hand on the trophy. Greenhalgh came home in second and leapfrogged her nearest rival, Garry Knott (Ogston SC), in the overall standings as he did not finish the race. After a few weeks away Tom Keegan (PUSC) returned to the fleet and took third while Graham McWhirter (UKLA) was fourth.
With the series already won Andy Flitcroft (Bolton SC – Supernova) had a relaxing sail but had to settle for second in this race as Graeme Bristow (LLSC), in his attempt to qualify counting all races sailed by the end of day, continued his great form and took the race win in the 11 boat fleet. After a tight battle between themselves third and fourth place went to the Enterprises of Alan Johnson/Kaye Tickle (Southport SC/LLSC) and Mike Baldwin/Holly Lowe (LLSC).
8 boats on the water this week in the Solo fleet and it was second in the series Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC) who took the win from third in the series Steve Ferrington (WKSC) Third place went to 'new to the series' Steve White (LLSC) in a borrowed boat while Malcolm Waddington (LLSC) was fourth.
It was a windward/leeward course for the 10 boats in the Asymmetric fleet and, although it was the RS400s who crossed the line first, three of the top four places were taken by other classes. Greg Booth (RS100 10.2 – PDSC) took the win to put pressure on other series hopefuls. The RS200 of Louise McKeand/Cathy Partington was second, the RS400 of Chris Pickles/Matt Sharman (Delph SC) third and Jon Chapman/Wendy Martin (Budworth SC) in their RS200 fourth.
Once again many of the regular Topper and Optimist fleet were away at training events so there were only 3 boats out in the fleet resulting in them starting with the big boys and girl of the handicap fleet. With the series leader missing Sam Cooper (WLYC), in second overall at start of the day, took the first race and moved into first overall. Second place went to Simon Hall/Emily Houghton (RS Feva XL – LLSC) and third to Adam Din (Laser 4.7 – HLSC).
During lunch the calculators were out as to what result was needed to better a position and leapfrog the boat in front in the series. In the final race of the series the wind was now at 6 knots with occasional 11 knot gusts.
With the steadier breeze Greenhalgh made no mistakes, and avoided being becalmed this time, and sailed off to take the race win and with it she secured second place overall in the series. Hopkins was just behind her and it was enough to win the series. McWhirter was third (fourth overall) and Keegan fourth. Knott failed to finish the race but was third in the series.
In the handicap fleet Flitcroft finished the series with a win. Johnson/Tickle were second and Bristow managed to get his qualifying race in with a third and this pushed him up to second overall in the series. Mark Cuthbert (LLSC – Supernova) finished both the race and series in fourth. Not sailing today but finishing the series in third was the Albacore of Mike Banner/Martin Cooper (LLSC/WLYC).
Hamilton took another race win in the Solos and finished the series in second. Ferrington scored another second and finished the series in third. White and Waddington swopped their first race positions to finish third and fourth. Series winner was Paul Heath (LLSC) and fourth overall was Brian Sprague (LLSC) neither of whom were sailing today.
With more breeze in this race the RS400s managed to pull away from the other classes so it was no surprise that the first four places went to them. Pickles/Sharman took the win with Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC) second, Bill Kenyon/Joe Hartigan (Budworth SC) third and Richard Catchpole/Mark Atherton fourth. At the end of the day it was Catchpole/Atherton who won the series from the RS400 of Dave Exley/Chris Hill (LLSC - who didn't sail today) Third overall was 'the housewives choice' Greg Booth with Gledhill/Dowse fourth.
In the junior fleet only two boats took to the water. Hall/Houghton sailed off to take the win from Copper in second. Overall Cooper took the series from the abscent Lorcan Knowles and Brandon Banner (Toppers – LLSC) Adam Din was fourth.
At the prize giving the overall top three in each fleet were presented with their trophies and presentations were also made to volunteers and catering/bar staff that have once again helped make the Tipsy Icicle series so successful. All 22 races were sailed and we had a total of 159 boats taking to the water and starting at least one race in the series.
Tipsy Icicle 2016 results at http://www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2016/Tipsy.htm