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ILCA Northern Championship 2026 at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club

by Gordon Riddell 1 Sep 06:09 BST 29 August 2026
ILCA Northerns at Leigh & Lowton during the club's regatta weekend on Pennington Flash © Martin Tubb

The Northern ILCA circuit's Grand Prix series returned to Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club for the Northern Championship, sailed as part of the club's regatta weekend on Pennington Flash. Light winds and the constant threat of rain made for tricky, tactical racing rather than survival conditions, with six races completed across the two days.

Race Officer Martin Tubb set courses down the length of the lake for both days, and with only one discard available across the six-race series there was little room for anyone to have a bad race. A fleet of 32 entries turned out, with the regulars boosted by younger sailors back from summer European campaigns, including Ava Harris-Scott and Billy Morris, both of Delph SC. A number of clubs were represented, including the strong youth fleet and circuit regulars from Delph SC.

Richard Marsh (Hollingworth SC) set the early pace on Saturday, winning the first two races outright, but a non-competing Sunday left the door open at the top. Ian Jones (Dovestone SC) was the model of consistency all weekend, finishing no worse than second in five of his six races and adding two bullets, including the final race, to take the overall win.

Behind him it was tight. Tim Keighley (West Riding SC) held on to second overall, but needed to be home on Saturday evening for his birthday celebrations. Home sailor Tom Keegan (LLSC) picked up a race win of his own in race three and closed the weekend in third, just half a point off Keighley. Billy Morris (Delph SC) rounded out the top four, with Paul Heath and Howard Green, both LLSC, completing a strong showing for the home club in fifth and sixth. The top group were in a class of their own, but it only took a slight mistake to tumble down the standings in the tricky conditions.

In the ILCA6 fleet, Benjamin Smallwood (Budworth SC) was the class of the field to take the ILCA6 prize, finishing seventh overall, while Molly Wilson (Filey SC) took the ILCA4 honours in a top-twenty finish.

ILCA Northerns at Leigh & Lowton during the club's regatta weekend on Pennington Flash - photo © Gordon Riddell
ILCA Northerns at Leigh & Lowton during the club's regatta weekend on Pennington Flash - photo © Gordon Riddell
Away from the racing, the regatta weekend's other prizes went a long way from home. Jacob Blakeway travelled up from Trimpley SC to take the furthest-travelled boat award, though the prize itself was collected by Carl Avery (Burton SC), who sailed both days of the event. The oldest boat on the water belonged to Thomas Walker of Nantwich & Borders SC. Tally prizes from circuit sponsor Performance Sailcraft Europe went to Richard Marsh, who took home a new vang, and Wendy Jones (Dovestone SC), who won a new buoyancy aid.

The Northern Grand Prix series continues at Scammonden Water Sailing Club on 6 September, before moving on to Winsford Flash on 19 September and Elton Sailing Club on 26 September, with the series finale at Dovestone Sailing Club on 11 October, where Performance Sailcraft Europe will once again provide the prize-giving kit.

Overall Results:

PosHelmClassSail NoClubPYR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1stIan JonesILCA7227315Dovestone SC11032221‑318
2ndTim KeighleyILCA7228757West Riding SC110355(DNC)21215
3rdTom KeeganILCA7193497LLSC110343134.5‑615.5
4thBilly MorrisILCA7227491Delph SC1103‑8454.52419.5
5thPaul HeathILCA7221314LLSC11036‑10476326
6thHoward GreenILCA7221325LLSC110313‑1464.57535.5
7thBenjamin SmallwoodILCA652Budworth SC11563118‑1210739
8thStuart BelfieldILCA7223673LLSC11039876‑11939
9thGordon RiddellILCA7220826Delph SC11031061089‑1243
10thAndy FoxILCA7226632LLSC110311711.513‑2115.558
11thHugh AttfieldILCA7223682Budworth SC110312‑161410141161
12thLilly BrownILCA6217775Delph SC115618‑19914121467
13thThomas WalkerILCA6132365Nantwich & Borders SC1156‑191211.5151515.569
14thRichard MarshILCA7182223Hollingworth SC1103113(DNC)DNCDNC71
15thCarl AveryILCA7197774Burton SC1103715132018‑2373
16thMolly WilsonILCA4227946Filey SC1218‑24182218131889
17thAva Harris‑ScottILCA6226644Delph SC1156(DNC)DNCDNC114.5889.5
18thAndy PriceILCA7194679LLSC11031723201922(DNC)101
19thBill BusbyILCA7180672LLSC110315915(DNC)DNCDNC105
20thWendy JonesILCA7213574Dovestone SC1103(DNC)DNCDNC161610108
21stFinley SmithILCA7212055Delph SC1103(DNC)DNCDNC91717109
22ndLochlyn GrantILCA4189464Delph SC1218‑232223232021109
23rdGethin William KellyILCA6219830Llyn Brenig1156(DNC)DNCDNC17819110
24thJacob BlakewayILCA6212904Trimpley SC1156142018(DNC)DNCDNC118
25thMalcolm MarsdenILCA7221320Blackpool & Fleetwood YC1103(DNC)DNCDNC211913119
26thJohn DevlinILCA7217504LLSC1103251316(DNC)DNCDNC120
27thSimon ThomsonILCA7200511Rudyard Lake SC1103162117(DNC)DNCDNC120
28thMalcolm MarsdenILCA6221320Blackpool & Fleetwood YC115620.51719(DNC)DNCDNC122.5
29thLeuen KellyILCA4219830Llyn Brenig1218(DNC)DNCDNC222420132
30thFelcity GardinerILCA6173550Rudyard Lake SC1156222521(DNC)DNCDNC134
31stOscar ThomsonILCA6177601Rudyard Lake SC115620.524(DNC)DNCDNCDNC143.5
32ndReuben LawrenceILCA7215908LLSC1103(DNC)DNCDNCDNF2322144

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