Sailingfast ILCA Grand Prix at Bowmoor Sailing Club

The Sailingfast Bowmoor ILCA Grand Prix Open Meeting, which counts towards both the Wessex and Thames Valley regions, sailed on Saturday March 23rd, attracted 15 entrants. They were greeted with a very blustery 20 knot + westerly with some, quite brutal at times, gusts consistently over 30 knots.

The first race saw Peter Edal of King George get away at the start and comfortably lead for the whole race. Neil Crosby from the home club was last off the line, having infringed and done turns, but pulled himself up through the fleet and caught fellow Bowmoor sailor Richard Lymposs on the line for second with Richard third.

After lunch, two more back-to-back races were held in the unrelenting conditions which took their toll on the fleet.

In the second race, Peter led at the windward mark followed by Neil with Andrew McLeish in his ILCA 6 in close attendance. Peter capsized on the second beat leaving Neil in the lead, followed by Andrew and Richard. A gear failure finished Neil's race and meeting allowing Richard to take over the lead. Richard's last lap capsize allowed Peter Edal, who had been steadily working his way back through the fleet, to overtake and hold it to the line with a win that secured the meeting, with Andrew staying in third.

In the last race, Peter returned the favour with a last lap capsize to give Richard the win followed by Colin Carver in his ILCA 6.

So, the final result was Peter Edal first and Richard Lymposs second. Andrew McLeish just pipped Colin Carver for third overall and first ILCA 6. Thames Valley GP regional co-ordinator Andrew Hill-Smith was fifth overall and third ILCA 7 and Toby Owen from Whitefriars was sixth overall, third ILCA 6 and first youth. Daniel Sadler was first ILCA 4.

Overall Results: