Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club Tipsy Icicle Series 2017 – Day 2

A delayed start to the Tipsy Icicle series due to fog and lack of wind last week but no such problems this Sunday as we were blessed with a bright but chilly day and lots of wind as the Tipsy Icicle series started in earnest.

The first race of the day saw the fleets launch in a north westerly 12 knots of breeze which picked up as the race progressed with gusts of 21 knot recorded. A few were hesitant but eventually we had 60 boats on the water although some left it a bit too late to take the plunge and were late for their respective starts.

The race team, led by Peter 7 Judith Baldwin, set a testing course with a long beat and fast reaching legs. There were plenty of retirements due to numerous capsizes, gear failure, fatigue or, as two Laser helms found out, deciding to follow the wrong boat.

Lasers

First away was the 15 boat Laser fleet. At the windward mark Jack Hopkins (Delph SC) rounded first followed by Graham McWhirter (UKLA) and Paul Heath (LLSC) Hopkins then went on to pull away from the rest of the fleet to take a large lead and, after 4 laps, the race win. Behind him there was incredibly close racing between a breakaway group which, as well as Heath and MacWhirter, included Patrick Hamilton (Burwain SC), George Graham (Burwain SC) and Gary Knott (Ogston SC) Heath was holding second place until his kicker unravelled as he rounded the leeward mark. He sailed through the upwind gate then decided to retire and headed for the clubhouse. Behind him MacWhirter and Graham saw Heath heading home, thought he had been finished so followed him only realising their mistake when ashore. In the end Hamilton took second and young Knott third.

Handicap

The first race saw the top 4 places taken by GP14s and Streakers. Sam/Mark Platt (Bolton SC) made the best of the long downwind legs in their GP14 to take the race win while Steve Blackburn (WLYC) and Graeme Bristow (LLSC) had a 'race within a race' as they battled it out in their Streakers with Bristow coming out on top to take second and Blackburn third. Hugh/Ellie Devereaux (Budworth SC) rounded off the top four.

Solo

Martin Honnor (Ogston SC) found the conditions to his liking as he stormed off into an early lead which he held to the end to take the win. Behind him Brian Sprague (LLSC) and Tony Sampson (SCYC) were having a great battle which Sampson won to take second and Sprague third.

Asymmetric

A windward/leeward course for the Asymmetrics on a windy day always makes for a great spectacle and the RS400s made the most of the conditions to take the top four places.

It's normally great to be at the front of the fleet as you round the windward mark and set yourself for a long downwind blast but not, as Paul/Jude Allen (LLSC – RS400) found out, if you have several RS400s directly behind you preventing you from gybing and getting to the now favoured and windier side of the course.

Dave Exley/Nigel Hall (LLSC – RS400) rounded farther back and took an unhindered early gybe which got them in the breeze and allowed them to sail around those in front of them and into a lead. After politely asking those behind him if he could gybe, and being allowed to do so, the Allens gave chase but couldn't quite catch Exley/Hall and had to settle for second. Hamish Gledhill/Simon Dowse (WRSC) and Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC) had a duel which ended when Catchpole/Coop managed to sneak inside them at the final leeward mark rounding to take third from them.

Juniors

Conditions were tough, and sometimes scary out on the water so a big 'well done' to all the juniors who went afloat and gave it a go.

As Jamie Rastrick/Maddie Bristow (LLSC) and Eddie/Kevin Farrell (Llandudno SC) flew upwind and blasted downwind on three sail reaches it looked like it was going to be a RS Feva XL '1 & 2' however Marcus Howard (LLSC) in his Topper mastered the conditions and came home to take the win on handicap from Rastrick/Bristow, the Farrells in third and Tom Brindley (LLSC) in his Laser Radial finishing fourth.

After a much needed rest and refuelling courtesy of Ann & Helen in the famous Leigh & Lowton galley a reduced fleet took to the water. The wind was from the same direction but with a slight reduction in strength as we launched in 10 knots with gusts of 15 knots.

Lasers

The same three boats as in the first race rounded windward mark in the same order but this time Haydn Griffiths (LLSC) and Oli Blackburn (LLSC – Radial) were just behind. Hopkins once again got bored with the company and sailed off into the distance to take another win. As the race progressed Griffiths and MacWhirter both capsized and inverted putting them out of the running. In the big breeze Blackburn powered up the beats and into second place but on the last lap it dropped and so close was the competition Graham, Heath and Hamilton were able to pass him and these positions were held until the end.

Handicap

The GP14s took the top two spots in this one with the Platts taking another win and the Devereuxs an improved second. Jeff Robinson (Bolton SC - Supernova) managed to stay upright in this one and sailed well to take third while Blackburn was fourth.

Solo

It was the same top three in this race with Honnor again taking the win but this time Sprague got the better of Sampson to take second.

Asymmetric

Again, the same top four in this fleet but in a slightly different order. Exley/Hall took another win but Catchpole/Coop went one better to finish second, likewise Gledhill/Dowse to finish third while the Allens had to settle for fourth.

Juniors

Howard didn't start this race and both Feva XLs had a ball as they revelled in the conditions as they once again sailed away from the rest of the fleet to take the top two places with Rastrick/Bristow again pipping the Farrells. Brindley was third and Lewis Coop (LLSC) who missed the first race, was fourth.

The Tipsy Icicle series runs every Sunday up to and including the 19th March. You can enter on the day at the reception desk.

Full results at www.llsc.org.uk/LLSC/Results/2017/Tipsy.htm?v=1