Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Revett Series - Day 1
by Paul Heath 14 Nov 2017 18:11 GMT
12 November 2017
It wasn't a day for the feint hearted as a bright but cold day and a gusty north westerly breeze greeted competitors for the first weekend of Leigh & Lowton Sailing Clubs Revett series which started on the 12th November.
As the gusts blew across the water and made the Laser 4.7s training look like hard but cold work a few made their excuses to sit out the racing although 36 boats did take to the water for a great days racing overseen by OD for the day Dave Exley.
Lasers
A few worried faces in the 8 boat fleet opted for Radial rigs to start this race but they, and those with full rigs, were no match for the speed of Oliver Blackburn (LLSC – Radial) who, after an early battle with Howard Green (LLSC – using a radial rig in this race) and Stuart Belfield (LLSC), went on to take a convincing win. Belfield held on to second and with Green having to retire third went to Ty Burrows (LLSC)
Handicap
7 boats for the handicap fleet and there was close racing all around but the main battle was between last years overall first and second placed boats. The winner in this race was the Albacore of Mike Banner/Nick Radesk (LLSC) with the returning Martin Knott (Ribble SC – Phantom) second and Martin Tubb (LLSC – Solution) third.
Asymmetric
Biggest fleet of the day was the 9 boat Asymmetric fleet and as usual there was close throughout the fleet. Paul/Jude Allen (LLSC – RS400), in their first sail since early August, looked favourite for the honour of first boat around the windward mark until sailing into a hole allowing the majority of the fleet to pass them. Their race went from bad to worse as a short while later their boom came off the goose neck and resulted in their retirement.
Chris Pickles/Martin Lunn (Delph/LLSC) scooted in to be first around the windward mark, engaged the turbo and disappeared into the distance to take the win. Bill Kenyon/Matt Bromley (Budworth SC) and Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC) had one heck of a battle in second and third but with Matt hiking like a badger he and Kenyon held off the West Riding challenge. This is how the first three boats crossed the line but in the final reckoning the RS200 of Gareth/Jen Williams (LLSC) took second place on handicap.
Solo
Brian Sprague (LLSC) took first place in the 7 boat Solo fleet but didn't have everything his own way as he had to battle to get past both Kim Cant (LLSC) and Stuart Van Den Hoek (LLSC) and that is how the first three places finished.
Junior
A fleet of 5 Toppers fought it out but in the tough conditions only three finished with Lion Morris (LLSC) taking the win and Noe Peckham (LLSC) second.
After that a warm hearty lunch was required and was duly served up Ann, Helen and helpers in the magnificent galley. After much-needed rest the competitors took to the water in slightly less wind but still enough to stretch the limbs.
Lasers
Blackburn is the man to beat as he took another race win with Belfield once again second. Green opted for a full rig this time and kept himself out of trouble to take third.
Handicap
Knott upped his game to take the win. Another Phantom, that of Steve Dawson (LLSC), came home in second with Banner/Radesk third.
Asymmetric
Kenyon/Bromley led the fleet for the majority of the first lap but after a long beat Pickles/Lunn got the inside of a big shift to nip in at the mark to take the lead. This time they had to put up with the Allens chasing them down and closing the gap but held on to the end to take their second race win. The Allens crossed the line in second and Gledhill/Dowse third but once again, on handicap, the RS200 of Team Williams took second.
Solo
After having to work his way through the fleet Sprague eventually took another race. Tom Weltz (LLSC) came home in second, Nik James (LLSC) who was third.
Junior
Once again five started and three finished in the same order.
The Revett series runs through to the 10th December and, following a short break, is followed by the New Years Day pursuit race which is then followed by the start of the Tipsy Icicle series which runs through until the 11th March.
If you intend to take part in either event please help us to help you by entering online via the link: webcollect.org.uk/llsc/event/winter-2017-2018
Results to date: www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2017/Revett.htm?v=1