Crewsaver Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Week 3
by Paul Heath 19 Jan 2015 16:47 GMT
18 January 2015
The Crewsaver sponsored Tipsy Icicle series at Leigh & Lowton sailing club continued on the 18th January but it was so nearly a 'no go' as competitors arrived to find the whole of the Flash shrouded with a thick mist, not a breath of wind and an air temperature just above zero. When it's like that there is only one thing to do and so it was as the clubhouse was packed with people eating bacon butties, drinking tea and consulting the numerous weather forecasts available all telling them that wind was on its way.
As the midday start time approached there was no improvement in the conditions so, as expected by all, the race officer Peter Baldwin hoisted the AP pennant and told everybody to have an early lunch.
In the end the proverbial phrase 'patience is a virtue' proved to be true as over lunch the mist lifted, the sun came out and a very light breeze began to fill in from the North West. A fleet of 51 boats, with 22 new to the series, hit the water and drifted down to the far end of the Flash for what was, due to the late start time and lengthy starting sequences, to be the only race of the day but they were rewarded as the wind began to increase to an average wind speed of 8 knots with the occasional 13 knot gust.
First away was the 9 boat Laser fleet which included 3 new entries to the series and it was one of these new entries, Graham McWhirter (UKLA) that took the win. Series leader Oliver Davenport (LLSC) could only manage second with Tim Luke (Killington Sailing Ass) third and Stuart Belfield (LLSC) fourth.
Next away was the 14 boat handicap fleet which included 6 Solos (the results of which are taken separately from the handicap finish) The main fleet had 2 new entries but it was series leader Alex Collins (Supernova – LLSC) who sailed a faultless race to take the win on handicap from second in the series Mike Banner/Mark Atherton (Albacore – LLSC) On corrected time there was no separating third and fourth place so the points were split between Mark Cuthbert (Supernova – LLSC) and Mark Platt/Emma McClusky (420 – Bolton SC) who managed to hold off the other 420 of Tom Wallwork/Sam Platt (Bolton SC) by any means necessary so Mark could claim bragging rights.
In the Solo fleet, which also had 2 new entries, there was plenty of close racing but at the end it was new to the series Jon Whitehead (Redesmere SC) who showed the local boats home. Behind him it was the LLSC trio of Malcolm Waddington, Kim Cant and Brian Sprague who finished in that order.
Next away, and welcoming 2 new entries to the series, were the 9 boats in the Asymmetric fleet who this weekend had to sail 'around the cans' Keeping up their good form it was the RS400 of Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (West Riding SC) who led from the off but they were closely followed by the other RS400 of Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC) These two pulled away from the rest of the fleet and on corrected time took the top two places. Behind them Greg Booth (RS100 10.2 – Port Dinorwic SC) came home in third and Gareth Williams/Jen Turner (RS200 – LLSC) sailed well to top the battle of the RS200's to finish fourth.
Last away was the 19 boat junior fleet of which 13 were new entries mainly from the previous days IOCA training some of whom had travelled from as far afield as Kielder Water SC and Loch Venachar SC. Series contender Drew Gibbons (Optimist – Redesmere) continued from where he left off last week and took the win which takes him to the top of the series leader board. Second home was fellow Optimist sailor Luke Stewart (Kielder Water SC) Just like the handicap fleet there was a dead heat for third and fourth as there was no separating the Toppers of Lorcan Knowles (LLSC) and Sian Talbot (LLSC) while George Graham (Burwain SC) came home in fifth.
To date in the Crewsaver Tipsy Icicle series we have had 99 boats on the water and crossing the start line. It is the largest dinghy winter series in the country and runs until the 15th March so there is still time to qualify. Start time is midday and full details on how to enter are on the club website and this can be done via webcollect or on the day at the reception desk.
Don't forget that full details, reports, updates and photographs can be viewed on our website and Facebook page so follow us for the latest up to date news of what happening at Leigh & Lowton sailing club.
Full results and photos can be found at www.llsc.org.uk/1/LLSC/Results/2015/Tipsy.htm
www.llsc.org.uk