Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Tipsy Icicle Series 2017 – Day 10
by Paul Heath 16 Mar 2017 07:04 GMT
12 March 2017
The penultimate weekend of the series and probably the best day so far. A warm 12 knot shifty westerly, with the odd 15 knot gust, was the order of the day for the 47 boats and this allowed the race team 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.
Lasers
Graham McWhirter (UKLA) arrived at the windward mark first followed by Howard Green (LLSC) and Gary Knott (Ogston SC) McWhirter held off the fleet for a whole lap but in tacking for the second windward mark capsized onto Green and had to take the penalty as well as scuppering Greens chances. Series leader Jack Hopkins (Delph SC) sailed to the front and held the lead to the end with second in the series Knott second. Charlotte Greenhalgh (LLSC), in her full rig, was third with Paul Heath (LLSC) fourth.
Handicap/Solo
Series leader Sam Platt (Bolton) had Chris Jobson in the front of the GP14 this week but they could only manage to finish fourth in this one while their nearest rival for first overall, Martin Knott (Ribble SC – Phantom), took the race win. The Streakers of Graeme Bristow (LLSC) and Steve Blackburn (WLYC) were on the water and they had a close battle all day. In this race Blackburn just pipped Bristow for second place.
In the Solos Tony Sampson (SCYC) had a comfortable win while the real race was behind him between the first two boats in the series, Steve Ferrington (WKSC) and Brian Sprague (LLSC) It was nip and tuck but Sprague claimed second and Ferrington third.
Asymmetric
Series leaders Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC – RS400) suffered the same fate as the GP14 in the handicap fleet as they could only manage a fourth in this race while their nearest rival, Dave Exley/Nigel Hall (LLSC – RS400) won the race and thus closed the gap. Between them were two other RS400s with Paul/Jude Allen (LLSC) second and Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC).
Junior
Ben/Dan Latham (LLSC – 420) took the race win to increase their chances of winning the fleet. Charles Jones (LLSC – Topper) was second and Adam Din (Redesmere – Laser 4.7) third.
During lunch the wind continued to blow from the west and by the start of the second race it had decreased slightly to to an average of 11 knots with gusts of 13 knots.
Lasers
Greenhalgh missed the start of the first race but was on the start line at the right time for this one. She was first at the windward mark and then sailed away from the fleet to win the race by two legs of the course. Hopkins was second, Haydn Griffiths (LLSC) third and Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC) fourth.
Handicap/Solo
Gareth Williams (LLSC) sailed his RS Aero 7 to the win but behind him Knott was second and the Platts GP14 third. The Streakers continued their 'race within a race' with Bristow getting his revenge on Blackburn by taking fourth to Blackburns fifth.
Overall, going into the final weekend, the Platts still lead with 11 points with Knott right behind them with 12.
Asymmetric
Catchpole/Coop took the win from Exley/Hall which now leaves both boats tied on 13 points with just two races to go.
The Allens were third while the RS200 of Louise McKeand/Cathy Partington this time got the better of the other RS200 of Matt Bromley/Libby Cuthbert (Budworth SC) to finish fourth.
Junior
The Lathams took another win and now lead the series. Din was second and the RS Tera of John Bridgeman (LLSC) was third.
Full results can be found at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2017/Tipsy.htm?v=1