Dinghy Winter Series at Lymington Town Sailing Club - Overall
by Nigel Walbank 14 Dec 2021 13:05 GMT
David and Vicky Lenz win the final race in Class 2 during the Lymington Town Dinghy Winter Series © LTSC
Last Sunday was the final race of LTSCs dinghy winter series and was the seventh of the nine scheduled races to be completed. In all 77 different teams took part within the three handicap classes racing.
In a contrast to the predominately gusty northerly breezes that had prevailed for the earlier races of the series, competitors were rewarded with mild temperatures and a steady 10 knot breeze from the south west. All three class starts were hotly contested by the competitors before they completed three rounds of courses set in the western Solent.
In Class 1 the trapeze skiffs soon stretched their legs to blast round the course. Ben Cooper's RS700 led the fleet home both on the water and on handicap. Second place went to Brian and David Earl's Javelin whilst another RS700 with Richard Keeting on the wire slotted in third. This gave the overall series to Richard, with Kevin Podger and Heather Chipperfield in a RS400 second, and Geoff Havers with Abby Keightley-Hanson on the wire of an Osprey in third.
In the Class 2 David and Vicky Lenz in their Merlin Rocket nailed the start and led from start to finish. They also won the race on handicap but this was only good enough to give them fourth place in the overall series. On the day, Ryan and Hannah Buchanan were second in their Scorpion, and Mark Barwell and Lou Johnson third in their brand new Merlin. In the overall series a Scorpion with Neville Herbert helming and Karl Thornton crewing took first place from the Taser of Richard Russell and Sylvia Weger, and the Contender of Duncan Ward.
The Class 3 start was hotly contested, particularly amongst the eight Solos that were out, with several boats forced to take penalties. As the race progressed Neville Herbert, who had popped up in a RS Aero 7, led narrowly down the first run from David Ellis, Aero 5, and Paul Davis in his Solo. Ellis went on to win the race and also the series, Herbert came second in the race whilst Davis finished third but claimed second place in the series. Another Solo with Nick Simmons on the helm claimed third spot overall.
See full results at www.ltsc.co.uk/dinghy-results