CLUBS & CLASSES
Spectacular day signs off Tipsy
It was a breezy finale for the Marlow Tipsy Icicle Series at Leigh & Lowton SC as competitors focused on keeping their masts above water while coping with large windshifts and gusts. In the Laser fleet, Garry Knott (Pennine) was in control once again, having the luxury of discarding some first places in his series victory. Second overall was Patrick Hamilton (Burwain) ahead of local Howard Green. In the Handicap fleet, Supernova sailor Mark Platt (Bolton) and Steve Blackburn (LLSC) in his Streaker were in contention for the title, with Platt taking the series by two points, and Andy Flitcroft (Bolton), also in a Supernova, claiming third overall.
The Asymmetric fleet had spectacular racing and in the final race Dave Exley/Nigel Hall (LLSC) showed why they deserved the series win, grinding down the lead of Chris Pickles/Mark Lunn (Delph/LLSC) to take them on the final lap. The latter finished the series second overall with Richard Catchpole/Gary Coop (LLSC) third, an RS400 top three.
In the Solos, Geoff Edwards (Budworth), coming late to the series, dominated the final day with three bullets, but club mate Phil Barnes had already wrapped up the series. Second and third were Steve Ferrington (West Kirby) and local Nik James respectively.
'Lucky socks' decide RS400 winter title
An epic RS400 Rope4Boats and Rooster Winter Championship at Leigh & Lowton SC saw a 26-strong fleet battling it out to the last capsize. The opening five races, over the event's first two days, were shared between different crews, meaning that as day three dawned, in winds gusting F6, any one of the top three were able to win the event. Things were looking good for Hamish Gledhill and Simon Dowse (West Riding) until they capsized in front of the clubhouse during an aborted gybe and Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman (Bassenthwaite) blasted past, apparently to victory. But by the leeward mark, six boats were upside down and the race was abandoned. This handed overall victory to Gledhill/Dowse ahead of Pickles/Sharman in second and locals Richard Catchpole and Gary Coop in third. Gledhill later graciously acknowledged the win was mostly down to the fact that he was wearing his lucky socks!
Hamble River SC Junior Warming Pan
The first event for the younger members of Hamble River SC in the club’s centenary year was the Junior Warming Pan.
There were 16 boats on the water with 18 sailors from Hamble, Warsash, the Royal Southern and Weston sailing clubs, with three races in front of the club on ‘the lagoon’ as it is known by the club's cadet sailors.
