The annual Junior Winter Regatta slotted in between 2 gales

Download results for all fleets > The annual Junior Winter Regatta at Leigh & Lowton SC took place on the 4th January, slotted in between 2 gales.  56 competitors arrived expecting a brisk day’s racing with 9 knots gusting 22 knots from SW forecast.  Unfortunately they were to be disappointed, as a 2-3 knot breeze greeted them on their arrival and coming from the East.

One race was held early in the day, with the race shortened in the fading Easterly.  The competitors broke for lunch, expecting the forecast South-Westerly to fill in, but to no avail, as the wind stubbornly refused to cooperate and racing had to be abondoned for the day.

In the U19 handicap, the 29er of Lucy Yeates and Jamie Catchpole got off to a flying start and were never headed on the water.  However, with the Laser Radial pack following in their wake led by Oliver Davenport and Haydn Griffiths it was never going to be an easy ride on handicap.  Only a few seconds separated them but the 29er took the honours.  A great mix of Fevas, Cadets, Teras, Mirror and RS300 made this the most diverse fleet in the event’s history.

The Toppers were dominated from the outset by Sam Platt, who took out a huge lead on the first beat.  The others made some distance up during the race but Sam held on to the end, with Sam Cooper and James Hollis in 2nd and 3rd.  The Optimists had a good tustle all the way round and caught half the Topper fleet up in the light winds.  Drew Gibbons held his nerve to finish in 1st, with local boats Harvey Leigh and Olivia Cuthbert close behind.

U19 Handicap

1st – Lucy Yeates and Jamie Catchpole – 29er – LLSC

2nd – Oliver Davenport – Laser Radial – Redesmere

3rd – Haydn Griffiths – Laser Radial – LLSC

Topper Fleet

1st – Sam Platt – Bolton SC

2nd – Sam Cooper – West Lancs YC

3rd – James Hollis – Bartley SC

Optimist Fleet

1st – Drew Gibbons – Redesmere

2nd – Harvey Leigh – LLSC

3rd – Olivia Cuthbert – LLSC