Solo Open at Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club

Leigh-on-Sea Solo Open © Liz Noblet

Race 2 starts during the Leigh-on-Sea Solo Open © Liz Noblet

Vince Horey wins the Leigh-on-Sea Solo Open © Liz Noblet

The club fleet of eleven Solos were joined by nine visiting helms on a cloudy and fickle day.

The PRO Steve Corbet had to wait for some true wind before setting a course which never came. However, a zephyr appeared and off the biased pin end the fleet of twenty Solos slowly made their way to the first windward mark led by Jarvis Simpson. The leaders crept away on the challenging down wind legs and the remaining fleet spread out over the two laps and after many swaps of the lead Tim Lewis led home the fleet from Simpson and Jonny Wells.

The second race started in similar conditions and Vince Horey led around the ever-repositioned windward mark. He held onto the lead to win. The sea breeze kicked in just at the end of the race and the rest of the fleet were led home by Toby Smith and Alan Roberts in one of the oldest boats in the fleet.

The third and final became a deciding one and with the wind now settled and increasing the fleet got away from the committee boat end. Horey nailed the start and led around the windward mark. The newer boats dominated the race, but all the fleet were closely packed and there many position changes throughout the fleet. The family team of Toby and Simon Smith choose to both capsized at different points on the course making it a family affair. Again, Horey led home with Lewis second and Wells third.

Horey (King George SC) was the overall winner of the 'Mighty Oak Brewery' trophy for the second year. Lewis (RYA) was second with Wells (Essex YC) third. Additional prizes were presented thanks to Rooster Sailing. First Leigh boat and sub 4000 award went to Roberts.

Vince Horey thanked the Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club team for all their combined efforts to complete all the races given the sailing conditions.

Overall Results:

Vince Horey wins the Leigh-on-Sea Solo Open - photo © Liz Noblet