Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Tipsy Icicle - Week 4
by Martin Tubb 30 Jan 2018 18:20 GMT
28 January 2018
What a difference a week makes. After the blizzard conditions last week, sailors were met by a positively balmy 12 degrees, and this encouraged the regulars and some new faces out onto the water.
The first race of the day was held in a 10 to 14 knot South Westerly, with plenty of gusts to keep all 73 boats on their toes and several capsizes during the start sequence added to the excitement.
In the Laser fleet, Greg Marshall took his second win of the series, with Gary Knott building on last week's results to take second, pushing Jack Hopkins down to third.
The relatively long reaching course suited the 29er of Sam Cooper/Simon Hall, and they took the win in the Asymmetric fleet. Paul/Jude Allen were second, but incurred a penalty after not looking where they were going, and Chris Pickles/Mark Lunn completed the top 3. In the handicap fleet, newcomer Ian Hopwood took the win in his OK, with the ever consistent Steve Blackburn (Streaker) second. Chris Massey (RS300) showed great boat handling skills to take 3rd.
Innes Armstrong led the Solo fleet, who started with the handicap fleet, ahead of Philip Barnes and David Tunnicliffe.
Newcomers Kevin and Liam Farrell from Llandudo lead the Junior fleet in their Feva, with the local Toppers of Leah Fidling and Noé Peckham rounding out the top 3.
The second race of the day, after the usual great lunch from the galley, was in similar conditions with the wind shifting more westerly.
Jack Hopkins led the laser fleet to win the race and currently tops the standings with Graham McWhirter and Gary Knott showing great consistency to complete the top 3.
Once again Cooper/Hall led the Asymmetric, fleet, with the Allens in second and Bill Kenyon/Ben Swinson third.
Andy Flitcroft (Supernova) showed great off-wind speed to take first place in the Handicap fleet, with Andy Couch(Finn) pushing Steve Blackburn into third. The finishing order was unchanged in the Solo fleet, with Armstrong taking his second win of the day.
Amongst the juniors it was time for the Leigh and Lowton Toppers to shine, with Leah Fidling, Thomas Fielding-Link and Noé Peckham taking the top 3 places, with John Bridgeman (Tera) on their tails.
With just over half the series still to go, there is still time to qualify, so why not come and join us.