GJW Tipsy Icicle Week 6 – A brilliant easterly
Results now online.
The sixth weekend of the GJW Direct (GJW) sponsored Winter Season continued at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club on Sunday the 10th February. The predicted forecast of snow and very strong winds appeared to have put a few people off, and with some Laser/Topper squad training elsewhere, this resulted in only 49 boats taking to the water but they were greeted to a gusty force 3 – 4 straight down the Flash from the east bringing with it a big wind chill as well rain. There were 4 new entries this weekend taking the total number of boats that have taken part in the series so far to 145.
As usual our dedicated race teams for the day consisted of the series dedicated OD Peter Baldwin and assistants on the water along with our rescue crews who were kept busy throughout the day as the gusts increased during the second race. With the wind blowing straight down the Flash for the third weekend in a row it made laying the course easy for the AOD who used the lenght of the lake for the beat with plenty of off wind legs to keep everybody on their toes and the resue boats busy.
Again the eleven boat Asymetric fleet were first away and made do with a windward/leeward course. The fleet was keen and bunched on the start line which resulted in a single boat recall but no ‘guilty party’ going back. There was plenty of early tacking and dipping of transoms off the start which resulted in a colliision between Greg Booth (RS100/Port Dinorwic SC) and the big orange club rescue boat which has been renamed ‘Stealth’ Undetered Greg recovered from the tangle to finish fifth. It was the RS400s who took the top three places led home by Paul/Mike Allen (LLSC), Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (West Riding SC) and Dave Exley/Nigel Hall (LLSC) Completing the top five were Graeme/Izzie Bristow (RS Feva XL/LLSC)
Fifteen boats started in the Laser fleet which was dominated by Andy Stott (LLSC) who was followed home by Stuart Belfield (LLSC) and Graham Macwhirter (UKLA) third.
In the fourteen boat handicap fleet Ed Thomas (Phantom/Pilkington SC) rejoined the fleet after a few weekends away and won the first race followed home by Gareth Williams (Europe/LLSC) with Christian Day & Sophie Richards (LLSC/National 12) third.
After lunch and a well earned chance to rest and thaw out the second race of the day started at 2pm with the wind stable in direction and strength. In the Asymmetric fleet the continuing battle between the Allens and Exley/Hall continued and this time Exley/Hall came out on top with the Allens second and the incident free Greg Booth in his duck taped RS100 third.
Race 2 in the Laser fleet once again saw Stott sail a faultless race to take the win from Jack Hopkins (Delph SC) in second and Macwhirter steady again in third.
The handicap fleet saw a reversal in the top two with Gareth Williams taking the win and Ed Thomas second. Stuart Catteral (Supernova/Bolton SC) sailed to third with another Bolton boat, Mark/Sam Platt (GP14) in fourth.
In the Solo fleet (starting as part of the Handicap fleet start) only three boats took to the water. Paul Heath (LLSC) won both races with Steve Ferrington (West Kirby SC) second in both and Brian Sprague (Crosby) third.
The six boat Junior fleet (starting as part of the Handicap fleet start but now qualifying for fleet status) welcomed a new Topper sailor, Jack Staniland (Redesmere), to the fleet and he promptly went on to win both races from Michael Platt (Topper/Bolton SC) scoring a 2 & 4 and George Graham (Topper/Burwain SC) scoring a hard worked for and well deserved 2 & 3.
Once again it was another fantastic day at the club with close racing throughout the fleets. The club would once again like to say a big thank you to all the visitors and members for coming to the Club and
to everyone from the club who helped to run the day. See you all on 17th February 2013 for round seven of ten – visithttps://llsc.org.uk for the results.
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