Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Tipsy Icicle Series 2017 – Day 9

Let's face it, it was horrible. Conditions this week were enough to put many off as a very light 4 knot, patchy, cold North Easterly breeze, and don't forget the incessant rain, greeted competitors for races 17 & 18 of the Tipsy Icicle series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club.

Lasers

The 8 boat Laser fleet got away first time and after a long drifting beat Howard Green (LLSC) was first round the windward mark followed by Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC) and Graham McWhirter (UKLA) On the long downwind run the fleet split and those to the right gained as that is where what little breeze there was filled in from. This saw Gary Knott (Ogston SC) sail under and around the others and into a lead he never lost in the two lap race. Green was down to second and managed to hold this to the finish while series leader Jack Hopkins (Delph SC) sailed from near back of the fleet into third.

Handicap/Solos

12 boats in this fleet and after a break last week series leaders Sam/Mark Platt (Bolton SC) were back and keen. In fact they were to keen and were scored OCS but still lead the series. Whittling down their lead was Martin Knott (Ribble SC) in his Phantom was took the win, and climbs to second in the series, while the Scorpion of Terry Flanagan/David Greenhalgh (Pennine SC) was second and the Phantom of Steve Dawson (LLSC) third.

Dave Fraser (Budworth SC) led the Solo fleet home. Steve Ferrington (WKSC) was second, and he is now up to second in the series behind series leader Brian Sprague (LLSC) who could only manage third in the race.

Asymmetric

Next away were the 11 boat Asymmetric fleet who sailed a windward/leeward course and saw three different class of boat in the top three. First home, by some distance and on handicap, was the RS400 of series leaders Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC) Junior crew Harvey Leigh/Archie Leckie (LLSC – RS Feva XL) choose to mix it with the 'big boys' and came home in second with the RS200 of Greg Marshall/Steph Gray (WLYC) third.

Juniors

Only 8 boats in the junior fleet this week and like the Asymmetric fleet there were three different class of boat in the top three. The RS Feva XL of Sian Talbot/Eloise Clapson-McBride (LLSC) was first home. Ben/Dan Latham (LLSC) in their 420 were second and the Topper of David Wallwork (Redesmere SC) third.

The second race of the day was started in similar conditions but 20 minutes in it vanished with the Race Officers anemometer registering zero. Rather than face another drifting beat a few helms made the decision to call it a day and those left afloat were glad to eventually see the 'race abandoned' flag raised and signalled.

Results to date can be found at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2017/Tipsy.htm?v=1