Ineos Solent Circuit 2013 - Day 6
by Robin Milledge 19 Nov 2013 13:49 GMT
17 November 2013
Caldwells Estate Agents - day sponsors for LTSC Solent Circuit
A grey dawn and patchy northerly breeze greeted the competing yachts for the penultimate races in the Lymington Town Sailing Club Ineos Solent Circuit on Sunday 17th November. The pressure was on the race management team to get two races completed and recover the races lost to the windy weather experienced earlier in the series.
With this in mind a short course with a gate was set for all classes. Unfortunately the wind did not oblige, dying away from 8 to 9 knots at the start of the first race to just 4 knots. With the building ebb tide, many competitors struggled to sail over the tide and make it to the first gate.
With most of the fleet parked up across the Solent, the race officer took the decision to shorten the course for all classes and with little prospect of more breeze, the fleet returned to shore and the Solent Room bar where bottle prizes were presented by Jeremy Caldwell of Race Day sponsors Caldwells Estate Agents.
In IRC Class 1 Cornel Riklins J111, Jitterbug, excelled in the lights airs to take first place. IRC 2 saw a new name at the head of the fleet with Alan Hill's J30, Colleen sailing well up tide to sweep across the line ahead of several, bigger Class 1 boats. In NHC 1 there were no finishers. NHC 2 was won by Oliver Dunne in Minim.
The Folkboat fleet saw another new name in first place with Andrew Salanson's Strider, getting ahead of their rivals.
The RS Elites race was lead by Martin and Amanda Wadham, sailing Kiss, but they subsequently retired, having been racing only two up, they had a distinct weight advantage. The champagne subsequently went to Mike Ratson sailing E'Tu.
The final race of the series takes place this Sunday, 24th November. Individual race entries will be accepted at the Sailing Office for any competitors wanting to have a final race of the season.
The Series prize giving and Charity Raffle draw will take place at the Club following racing. LTSC would like to thank principle sponsors, Ineos, Race Day sponsor Caldwells Estate Agents and supporting sponsors Rathbones, Lymington Yacht Haven, Harken and Ringwood Brewery.