Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Revett Series - Day 3
by Paul Heath 2 Dec 2016 21:45 GMT
27 November 2016
As the competitors arrived at Pennington Flash for week 3 of the Revett Series it looked like it was going to be 3 straight weekends in a row that those who wanted to venture out were going to be drifting around the Flash as there was not a breath of wind on the water and the forecast was that it would stay that way.
It was a big surprise to all that with 30 minutes to go before the scheduled start time a light breeze began to fill in and eventually, when it settled in the North Easterly direction, it was blowing a good Force 3 for the Laser start.
Lasers
The Force 3 breeze gave the 10 boat Laser fleet approx. 30 seconds worth of hiking before it dropped off and became an on/off Force 1 with occasional moments of nothing. Working the first beat well and rounding the windward mark first was Oliver Blackburn (LLSC – Laser Radial) closely followed by Howard Green (LLSC) and Paul Heath (LLSC)
At this point things took a turn for the worse for Blackburn as he didn't know the course and asked Green and Heath. Green didn't know it and Heath thought he knew it but got it wrong and sailed them towards the wrong mark. After that it was all downhill as what little breeze there was switched off.
Ty Burrows (LLSC) took the lead which he held for just over a lap before Stuart Belfield (LLSC) overhauled him to take the win while Green recovered to take third.
Handicap
In the 7 boat handicap fleet Graeme Bristow (LLSC – Streaker) worked his boat well to eventually take first place on handicap from Martin Knott (LLSC – Phantom) with Mark Cuthbert (LLSC) in his Supernova in third.
Asymmetric
Biggest fleet of the day was the Asymmetric fleet with 15 boats containing 10 RS400s. Jostling for a good start position in the light winds resulted one of the series early leaders, Mike Allen (Bala SC – Devoti D1) being called OCS. The fleet once again sailed a windward/leeward course and after a drifter of a first beat the first boats around the windward mark were the RS400s of Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC), Dave Exley/Nigel Hall (LLSC) Richard Catchpole/Gary Cope (LLSC) and Paul/Jude Allen (LLSC).
In the frustratingly light wind it was very tight at the front end as the lead swapped hands. Exley/Hall found a bit more breeze to get in front of the pack and stayed there until the finish. In the end only 10 seconds separated second boat from fourth as Catchpole/Coop slipped past Gledhill/Dowse into second with the Allens finishing fourth.
Mention should go to Chris Williams/Martin Spencer (LLSC – RS400) who nailed the start and were looking good for a top end result until they realized late on that they had forgotten to put their bung in the back of the boat... ooops
Solo
In the 10 boat fleet Malcolm Waddington (LLSC) did his series a world of good by taking the win from series leader Brian Sprague (LLSC) Third home was Owen Griffiths (LLSC)
Junior
Lorcan Knowles (LLSC – Topper) carried on doing what he does best as he took his fourth straight win of the series. Brandon Banner (LLSC – Topper) took his fourth straight second place while behind them new to the series Noah Peckham (LLSC - Topper) came home in third.
After lunch, and with many a prayer said to Boreas, the fleets launched again in similar drifting like conditions which did not get any better as the afternoon wore on.
Laser
Leading all the way throughout this race was Haydn Griffiths (LLSC) but he was almost caught and passed at the last mark by the 'on fire' Green who had to settle for second. Belfield continued his good form to finish third.
Handicap
A reversal of fortunes for the top two in this race as Knott took the win from Bristow while Cuthbert claimed another third.
Asymmetric
Exley/Hall sailed to the front to take the lead and another win. Behind them there was a battle between Gledhill/Dowse, Catchpole/Coop, the Allens and Bill Kenyon/Mark Lunn (Budworth SC - RS400) At the finish Kenyon/Lunn sailed well to take second place with Gledhill/Dowse third, the Allens fourth and Catchpole/Coop fifth.
Solo
Series leader Sprague had to settle for another second place as this time he was beaten by Stuart Van Den Hoek (LLSC) with Waddington slipping down to finish third.
Junior
Knowles once again took the win but he and Banner were split by the Laser Radial of Tom Brindley (Redesmere SC)
The Revett series runs until the 11th December and, after a short break, we are back sailing with the New Years Day pursuit race which is then followed by the start of the Tipsy Icicle series which runs through to the 19th March.
Entry to these events, and further information on them, can be made/viewed at https://webcollect.org.uk/llsc/event/winter-2016-2017
Revett results to date at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2016/Revett.htm