Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Tipsy Icicle - Week 9
by Paul Heath 19 Mar 14:11 GMT
15 March 2020
The final weekend of our Tipsy Icicle series, and what looks like to be the last sail for some time, took place on Sunday in yet more breeze for the tired sailors.
Due to the well-documented problems, and events elsewhere, numbers were down but did not detract from the quality of the fleets as 43 boats went out in a westerly and gusty Force 4 breeze for two races which once again resulted in a fair few capsizes and retirements.
Handicap - 10 boats
Last week Phil Worth (Delph SC - Phantom) took the opportunity to go top of the leader board and there he stayed after scoring 1, 1 to finish the series in first place. Andy Flitcroft (Bolton SC - Supernova) returned but couldn't overhaul Phil as he recorded 2, 2 to take second place overall. Gareth Williams (LLSC _ RS Aero 7) came home in 3rd in both races but had not done enough to qualify while Louise McKeand/Nigel Hall (LLSC - Wayfarer) finished with a 4, 4 to finish third overall. The absent Alan Burton-Roberts and Alex Pilkington (LLSC _ Merlin Rocket) finished the series in fourth overall.
Lasers - 12 boats
Series leaders Oli Blackburn and George Graham were away at Weymouth for a Laser qualifier but had done more than enough to be uncatchable. The first race was a case of 'ladies first' as Charlotte Greenhalgh (RYA - Radial) and Charlie Fenson (Pennine SC - 4.7) took the first two places leaving the old blokes Stuart Belfield (Standard - LLSC) and Paul Heath (Standard - LLSC) in a dead heat for third. Race two saw Belfield and Heath battling it out at the front again and with an almost identical finish but Belfield took the win by 1 second with Fenson continuing her great late run of form with a third. Third overall was Heath and Belfield fourth.
Asymmetric - 9 boats
Yet another windward/leeward course for the Asymmetric fleet (we spoil them) Hamish Gledhill (WRSC) once again teamed up with Andy Dawson in the RS400 and did a disappearing act in both races to take the wins. Paul & Karen Brotherton (Glossop SC - RS200) returned and took second place in both races. Mark Dingsdale & Ness Evans (LLSC - RS400) scored a third in the first race while series winner Dave Exley opted to crew the RS400 for wife Caroline and came in third in the second race. Overall the winners were Dave Exley & Nigel Hall (LLSC - RS200), second Chris Pickles & Matt Sharman (Delph SC - RS400), third Hamish Gledhill & Simon Dowse and fourth Stuart Halman & Anna Walsh (LLSC - RS400)
Solos - 5 boats
At the start of the day there was one point between series leader Tom Welz (LLSC) and Nik James (LLSC) James didn't do his chances any good by missing the first race which Weltz went on to win. Stuart Van Den Hoek (LLSC) was second and Chris Helsby (LLSC) third. James did make the second race but had to settle for second place, and second overall in the series, as Weltz took another win and with it the series. Kim Cant (LLSC) was third and Helsby fourth but third overall. Fourth overall was club Commodore Dave Kelsall.
Juniors - 7 boats
After missing last weekend Jac Bailey (Port Dinorwic SC - RS Tera Sport) and Ffion Bailey (PDSC - RS Tera Pro) returned to take two first and two second respectively to finish the series first and second overall. Ben O'Brien (Elton SC - RS Tera Pro) was third in the first race and third overall in the series. Sam Ellis (Red Wharf Bay SC - Topper) third in the second race but unfortunately did not do enough to qualify. Fourth in the second race and overall in the series was John Bridgeman Jnr (LLSC - RS Tera Sport)
Regrettably, due to government advice, all activities at the club have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. A notice has been placed on our website and Facebook page and any further updates will be posted on these sites so please check back regularly.
Overall results: www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2020/Tipsy.htm