Crewsaver Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Week 9
by Paul Heath 4 Mar 2015 19:42 GMT
1 March 2015
With midweek forecasts of gale force winds for Sunday it was touch and go whether we would get any sailing in this weekend, however the majority of the gale seemed to have blown through overnight as competitors for races 17 & 18 in the Crewsaver sponsored Tipsy Icicle series at Leigh & Lowton sailing club arrived to find a manageable 17 knot south westerly breeze which enticed 46 boats on to the water while many others opted for the warmth of the club house.
While rigging, and again during the first race, the wind increased in strength with gusts of up to 25 knots recorded. This was a good enough reason for a few of the 11 boat Laser fleet to either opt for a radial rig or sit the race out hoping for a quieter second one. New to the series Bill Busby (LLSC) opted for a full rig and while pegged back up wind by Stuart Belfield (LLSC), who was using a radial rig, Busby made bigger gains on the downwind legs to keep his nose in front and take the win while Belfield finished second. Adam Russ (Redesmere SC) sailed extremely well to finish third and Paul Graham (Burwain SC) came home in fourth.
Second fleet away was the 12 boat handicap fleet which included 6 Solos (the results of which are taken separately from the handicap finish) In the main fleet the 420 crew of Mark Platt/Emma McClusky (LLSC) revelled in the conditions to take the win on corrected time from the Supernovas of Alex Collins (LLSC) and Peter Mackin (Bolton SC) in second and third respectively and the other 420 of Tom Wallwork/Sam Platt (Bolton SC) in fourth.
In the Solo fleet only three boats managed to finish. Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC) disappeared into the distance to take the win while Steve Ferrington (West Kirby) and Paul Heath (LLSC) carried on from where they left off last week and had a synchronised capsize at the first gybe mark. Ferrington had to retire with a snapped tiller extension while Heath carried on and just managed to overhaul Brain Sprague (LLSC) to take second.
Next away were the 7 boat Asymmetric fleet who took to the water with smiles on their faces because they had been given a windward/leeward course. After several months out recovering from tennis elbow Dave Exley (LLSC – RS400) picked his day to have a gentle sail with Mrs Exley but they had to make do with second as the RS400 of series leaders Chris Pickles/Matt Sharman (Delph SC) took the lead did a horizon job. Behind them the RS200 of Jon Chapman/Wendy Martin (Budworth SC) split the 400 dominance leaving clubmates Bill Kenyon/Andy Dawson (RS400) fourth.
Once again there was very close racing in this weeks 13 strong junior fleet. Series leader Sam Cooper (WLYC) took another win in his Topper with fellow Topper sailor George Graham (Burwain) second. Optimists took the next two places with Drew Gibbons (Redesmere SC) heading home Olivia Cuthbert (LLSC).
After lunch the fleet launched again for Race 2 in a now noticeably chilly 10 knot breeze which had swung more southerly. The reduction in wind strength tempted a few more competitors out on the water and some Laser sailors to revert to their full rigs.
In the Lasers it was Belfield, now with his full rig up, who nailed the start and held an early lead but as the wind began to pick up with gusts of 21 knots the cold and tiredness got to him and he was overhauled by the well-rested Mark Lunn (LLSC) who went on to take the win from Belfield. Third went to Busby while another rested helm, Graham McWhirter (UKLA) was fourth.
In the handicap fleet the series leader Alex Morrison/Steve White (LLSC – X1) stormed off to take the win from Mackin in second, Platt/McClusky third and Gareth Williams (LLSC – RS Aero 7) in fourth.
Solo wise Hamilton got into a heap of trouble of the windward mark and ended up dizzy from all the turns he had to do. While he was doing his penalties Heath took advantage and sailed off into a comfortable lead to take the win. Hamilton climbed back through to second, Ferrington (and his new tiller extension) was third and Sprague fourth.
Only three asymmetrics went out for the last race of the day and due to the wind shift they had to sail around the cans. This made no difference to the result as Pickles/Sharman took another win to cement their position at the top of the table. Kenyon/Dawson scored a second and the consistent Chapman/Martin third.
The junior fleet misbehaved, had a general recall and restarted under the blackflag which caught out Gibbons and Cuthbert. Cooper scored another win while the Optimists of Sian Talbot (LLSC) and Jonny Latham (LLSC) were second and third followed by the Topper of Lorcan Knowles (LLSC).
With 5 new entries to the series this weekend it means that the total number of crews we have had on the water to date,and crossing the start line during the 'Crewsaver' Tipsy Icicle series, is 162.
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' at the 'Crewsaver' Tipsy Icicle series, the largest club winter dinghy series in the country.
Full results can be found at www.llsc.org.uk/1/LLSC/Results/2015/Tipsy.htm