Revett Winter Series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club - Day 6
by Paul Heath 17 Dec 2014 20:21 GMT
14 December 2014
Sunday 14th December saw the final two races of the six week long 2014 Revett winter series at Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club, Pennington Flash. With the midweek forecast looking like a repeat of the 'fresh to frightening' breeze of last weekend it may explain the low turnout in the fleets but overall there have been a total of 113 boats enter the series. In the end the wind strength was nowhere near as forecast and the 49 boats launched in overcast conditions with a gusty southerly force 3 and all fleets sailing around the club marks.
As usual the 10 boat Laser fleet were first away and it was 'old' Greg Marshall (West Lancs. YC) putting in his first appearance in the Revett series, who showed he still had it as he stormed away to take the win and keeping at bay second and third placed youth sailors Oliver Davenport (Redesmere SC) and Oliver Blackburn (LLSC)
The 12 boat Asymmetric fleet went off next and it was the RS400 of Caroline Exley/Jude Allen (LLSC) that made the early running in what was extremely close racing at the front. Eventually they were overhauled by series leaders Paul/Mike Allen (LLSC - RS400) and it was these two who took the top two positions while the RS200 of Martin/Cathy Joesbury (LLSC) came home in third on corrected time.
Next away were the 18 boats that started under the handicap fleet flag (this included 10 junior boats the results of which will be abstracted at the end of the series and separate prizes awarded) From day one the series leaders have been the X1 crew of Alex Morrlson/Steve White (LLSC) but they were on race duty today and so close was it at the top that their nearest rivals, Steve Blackburn (LLSC – Streaker) and Gareth Williams (LLSC – RS Aero 7), had a chance to overhaul them if their results went the right way. Blackburn was up for the challenge and sailed a great race to take the win on corrected time. Williams chances were dealt a blow as he could only finish third as the Albacore of Mike Banner/Mark Atherton (LLSC) came home in second.
In this junior fleet Matt Leckie & crew (LLSC – RS Feva XL) took the bullet from Lorcan Knowles (LLSC – Topper) in second and Joe Baker (Royal Windermere YC – Topper) in third.
The top two overall places in series in the Solo fleet were not in doubt before the 9 boat fleet went afloat. The top two helms, Innes Armstrong and Patrick Hamilton, were missing due to the annual Christmas party at Burwain the previous evening and their alcohol intake would not allow them to drive down to Leigh the next day. It was Andy Tunnicliffe (Royal Windermere YC) who took the win from Graeme Bristow (LLSC) in second and Brian Sprague (LLSC) third.
After lunch the breeze was as before but began to drop slightly as rain began to fall.
In the Lasers Greg Marshall continued where he left off and took the win with Davenport once again in second. Charlotte Greenhalgh (LLSC) made up the top three in her radial rig. In the series overall it was Mark Lunn (LLSC) who took first place from Mike Baldwin (LLSC) second and Paul Graham (Burwain SC) third.
In the Asymmetries it was the same one two finishing order as in the previous race with Martin/Liam Parker (LLSC – RS400) coming home in third. In the series overall it was a convincing win for the Allen brothers but they were pushed hard at times by Team Exley/Allen who finished up second while Greg Booth (Port Dinorwic SC – RS100 10.2) was third.
Still all to play for in the handicap fleet and this time it was Williams who took the race win from Banner/Atherton in second and Blackburn third. When the dust settled it was found that Steve Blackburn had managed to knock the X1 team from their perch and into second place. Blackburn was the series winner with 12 points, Morrisons/White second with 14 points and Williams third with 15 points.
In the junior fleet it was series leader Olivia Cuthbert (LLSC – Optimist) who took the race win and with it the series. Lorcan Knowles was once again second and Joe Baker third and this was how they finished in the series overall.
Lastly the Solos and it was the same top three in this race as in the first race. In the series overall Armstrong and Hamilton had the top two positions sewn up and Brian Sprague (LLSC) sailed a consistent series to finish in third.
As the Revett series comes to an end we now have a short break to catch our breath before Leigh & Lowton sailing club storms into 2015 with its New Years Day pursuit race (Optimist start time 12.40pm) followed by the largest inland dinghy winter open series in the UK, the Crewsaver sponsored Tipsy Icicle Series which last year attracted over 180 boats onto the water and this starts on Sunday 4th January.
Full details, including how to enter the pursuit race and the Crewsaver Tipsy Icicle Series plus full SI's and NOR, can be found via the LLSC Webcollect page: webcollect.org.uk/llsc/event/llsc-winter-sailing-2014-2015-new-years-day-guy-fawkes
The results of the 2014 Revett series can be found via: www.llsc.org.uk/1/LLSC/Results/2014/Revett.htm