Solo Open at Leigh-on-Sea Sailing Club

A rather grey and overcast day with little visibility greeted the six local boats and eleven visiting soloists to the Eastern Area series Open meeting this year to compete for the magnificent Mighty Oak Brewery Trophy.

After the usual bacon butties, coffee and tea and the briefing by Race Officer Steve Corbet the fleet set off to the offshore committee boat. The brisk wind was from the northeast from over the land was forecast. A trapezoid course was again set similar to the previous day's championship races.

In race1 a crowded port biased line saw Andy Richie (5369) get some good lefthand lifts and led around the 1st windward mark closely followed by Jamie Morgan (5923) and James Goodfellow (5938). The fleet streaked away on the first downwind leg. The dead run to the third mark being set fairly close the shore was full of holes and much bigger puffs again became very tactical and many places changed. At the leeward mark Morgan had taken the lead but relinquish it to Goodfellow on the shifty beat back to the top windward for the second lap. Morgan finished a close 2nd and Richie 3rd with Jarvis Simpson (5406) 4th. The newly crowned Vintage Champion Chris Brown (4200) followed in in 6th.

The NE wind eased a little for race 2 but no less settled. A short beat to the windward mark was led by Morgan. Vince Horey (5850) displayed great seamanship by capsizing by the mark as the wind shifted. Morgan had got away from the pack as they continued to change places in the variable wind. The close racing continued throughout with many place changes as the wind slightly lightened. The race was shortened to two laps and it was Goodfellow who finished in 2nd with Richie 3rd. Doug Latta (6000) pipped everyone to manage 4th.

The third and final race of the meeting started as the tide turned and the course was lengthened to suit the still breezy conditions. Brown showed the fleet the way to the windward mark. The fleet planed away over the flattest water effected by the offshore wind to the second mark. The dead runs were again very tactical and saw the first capsizes of the day similar to yesterday's event. Over the three lap course the first 8 boats were all neck and neck as the wind shifted back and forth. With great credit Morgan led the tiring fleet home followed by Goodfellow. Wells snatched 3nd place and Brown finishing in 4th place in one of the oldest boats in the fleet. There were a few DNF's but everyone enjoyed the racing and all returned to the shore smiling.

Being quite a late starting event the prize-giving was held promptly so that visitors could get away. In the open aired top floor with all socially distancing in place, Colin Walker, LSC Class Captain introduced Steve Hill the club Commodore who presented the prizes.

Steve himself a solo sailor, introduced himself and thanked all the visitors for making the effort to come to Leigh, in these times of uncertainty.

Andy Richie (Hykeham SC), Jamie Morgan (Rutland Water SC), Chris Brown (Grafham Water SC) all received a can of locally brewed beer for their efforts to get to the windward mark first.

The LSC overall prizes were won by in 5th place Brown (9 pts), 4th Wells (8pts), 3rd Richie (6pts), 2nd Goodfellow (3pts).

Jamie Morgan was the worthy winner of the Mighty Oak Brewery Trophy for 2021. He thanked the whole LSC team for their work in making it such a great event and looked forward to returning next year the defend his trophy.

Overall Results: