After a week of gales, snow and ice a perfect day transpired on Sunday 4th March for the next installment of Leigh & Lowton’s Tipsy Icicle Series. Jetties and slips had been de-iced ready for launching the ribs and committee boat, while weather damage to certain parts of the jetties did not impede access to the water. All that effort was rewarded with a classic day’s racing, an East to ESE oscillating wind in the 8-9 knot range, with gusts...

Blue skies and a great forecast brought 60 competitors out for the 8th week of the Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club on Sunday 25th February. The wind didn’t disappoint with 10-14 knots, gusting 18, ENE to SE in the first race and a little less and steadier in the second. The first race clocked all the way round to ENE on the start to make the first beat port-sided but then swung all the way to...

A game of snakes and ladders unfolded on a bright winter’s day at the Tipsy Icicle Series, the UK’s biggest dinghy winter series – the 7th week’s racing on Sunday 18th February. The wind turned in a patchy SSE 4-6 knots, gusting 10, for Race 13 of the series and a little less for the following race. Competitors were constantly looking over their shoulders for pressure and nothing was being taken for granted in the shifting winds. 60 boats on...

The re-introduction of the winter workshops this year are proving popular with 40-50 members turning up for both the first two session.  The first session was a refresher on rules, an entertaining presentation from RYA Judges Carol & Jon Haines with a quiz to boot.  The follow up session was on Racing Tactics by Richard Catchpole with the opportunity to put ideas into action during the Icicle Series. Next sessions are lined up: Wednesday 7th March 7.30pm – Open Meeting...

After a couple of lighter weeks, competitors were taking the heavy forecast with a pinch of salt. However, as events unfolded on the water, the forecasters were proved correct and for most of the competitors this became a duathlon of sailing and swimming. Competitors launched in 15 knots in relatively benign if cold conditions. However, by the time the Lasers got underway, gust of 25 knots were streaking down the Flash with building waves making it an uncomfortable ride on...

Tipsy Icicle Week 5 – Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club A tricky, shifty, fickle 4-9 knot northerly gave the race officer Mike Baldwin some headaches in the 5th weekend of the Tipsy Icicle at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club on Sunday 4th February. A reduced entry from the junior fleet was evident due to a squad weekend but the Asymmetric fleet was bolstered by RS200’s on their training weekend, although lacking some regulars due to some hard partying the night...

Another forecast of decent breeze and the promise of an excellent lunch brought 71 boats and 88 competitors out for the second week of the Tipsy Icicle series on Sunday 14th January. Unfortunately, the 8-12 knot breeze was from the SE which always brings its challenges for the Race Committee, more so when you get a 20-degree permanent shift a minute into the first start sequence!! The race committee of Peter Baldwin and team set the best course achievable in...

Tipsy Icicle Week 1 – Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club After a great junior regatta on Saturday in near perfect conditions, competitors were disappointed on Sunday to come down to see a fickle Northerly ghosting across the lake for the first Sunday of the Tipsy Icicle Series on 8th January. But at 11.00 the “Lake Garda” effect kicked in and the promised 8 knots kicked in from the East and the breeze carried on building to a 12 knot average...

40 competitors made up a strong field at the Leigh & Lowton annual Junior Winter Regatta.  It was a day for cold feet and lots of hot chocolate!!  A cracking day’s racing was held in a near perfect North Easterly F2-3 wind, but the day was biting cold and a number of the sailors were struggling to keep warm. With 29ers through to Optimists the fleet was diverse and of a high quality with many zone and national squad sailors present.  The...