Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club

Tom Gillard wins the Guy Fawkes Pursuit

Results. The North West’s premier winter club, Leigh and Lowton, hosted the GJW Guy Fawkes Pursuit on Sunday 4th November 2012.  The 3 hour race was open to all monohulls from an Optimist to a Flying Fifteen (and any other of the larger dinghies as long as it’s less than 21′ overall hull length) and started at 12.40pm with the Optimists.

The galley was open from 10am and throughout the day for bacon butties and other hot meals and later the bar was open after the race for the competitors to socialise and celebrate. The finish gun was bang on 3.30pm.  Visitors were welcomed from 12 different clubs and were encouraged to leave their boats and compete in the Revett Series starting Sunday 11th November 2012.   In total 65 boats started the race.

The racing was dominated by 5 boats in the main and there wasn’t a spinnaker in sight all day at the front.  Tom Gillard, Sheffield Viking/Streaker, led from the moment he passed the slower boats to the finish of the race.  He did however have Michael Sims, Carsington/Solo (fresh from winning the Inlands 2 weeks ago), in the rear view mirror for 120 minutes.  Tom’s lead varied from 3 minutes to 1.5 minutes with 20 minutes to go depending on which part of the Flash you were on.  Chris Parker & Katie Ross, West Lancs/Graduate, were never far behind Sims and Chris Gillard, Sheffield Viking/Solo, was never far behind Parker & Ross.  The last of the front bunch was Mike Banner & Brandon Woods, Winsford Flash/Albacore, who were a couple of minutes further behind.

The first Leigh & Lowton boat was the RS200 of the Louise McKeand & Cathy Partington (LLSC, Commodore) finishing in 7th.  The first Junior was Olivia Cuthbert from Leigh & Lowton in her Optimist in 15th place.

To top off the day it was great to see one of our local Paralympic sailors, Niki Birrell, return to the Club to show off his bronze medal, get into a RS200 and chat and share his experience of London 2012 with many of the competitors.

All in all a great day was had by all both on and off the water.

Overall results:

  1. Tom Gillard, Sheffield Viking SC, Streaker
  2. Michael Sims, Carsington SC, Solo
  3. Chris Parker & Katie Ross, West Lancs YC, Graduate
  4. Chris Gillard, Sheffield Viking SC, Solo
  5. Mike Banner & Brandon Woods, Winsford Flash SC, Albacore
  6. Tony Taylor & Sarah Tyson, Budworth SC, RS200
  7. Louise McKeand & Cathy Partington, Leigh & Lowton SC, RS200
  8. Ian Hopwood, Nantwich & Border Counties SC, Solo
  9. Dave Southwell & Ross Southwell, Leigh & Lowton SC, Miracle
  10. Geoff Thomas & Kay Tickle, Leigh & Lowton SC, GP14