Results / UK Winter Championships Leigh & Lowton SC - 16/03/2013

What a great weekend we have all had at the open meetings. Light and testing winds both Saturday and Sunday. 16 RS200’s and 15 RS400’s competed, from all over the country. Furthest travelled was Russell and June Collister from the Isle of Man and James and Anne Gardner form Hayling Island.

Entries also from Notts County and Scaling Dam. Thanks to everyone for making the effort to come along.

The sailing finished after the first race on Saturday due to the disappearing wind so we opened the bar early and watched the rugby. We had a delicious home cooked meal and pudding made by our renowned cooks Anne and Helen. You will not get better food at any other club in the country. The cakes are to die for. Later, Rob the DJ came along to entertain us playing all our requests so no one had any excuse not to dance. We partied on down to celebrate Paul’s umpteenth birthday.

Anyway, never mind the social what about the sailing results:- Hamish Gledhill and Simon Dowse stormed the first RS400 race in the light and shifty conditions. They were very pleased not to be beaten by any girls! They came 2nd overall. Birthday boy Paul Allen and little bruv Mike then won 2 races in a shifty light winds on Sunday on for his birthday treat ( we had to let him cos it was his birthday ), and then went on to win the event - happy birthday Paul what a great birthday present – not bad for 2 outrageous hung-over boys . Wayne and Deb Fletcher missed the first race due to being sickly but they stormed into 3rd place overall on Sunday. Chris Pickles and Matt Sharman, new to the 400 fleet came a very respectable 4th overall.

In the last race they were seen dead last and fought valiantly through the fleet up to 5th. All lady crew Louise Mckeand and Cathy Partington abandoned the rs200 fleet to sail with the big boys in the 400’s. Our claim to fame was getting to the first mark first in the second race. The pressure went straight to legs and turned them to jelly. We were attacked by multiple bogies from port and starboard at the second leeward mark but managed to finish an immensely pleasing 4th in that race ( peaked too early though – all downhill after that ! ). The rs200 fleet had very close and competitive racing. Rob and Becky Partridge won 2 races and won overall. Mike Saul and Meg Fletcher came a close second winning 2 races and Tony Taylor and Sarah Tyson won race 4 and came 3rd overall. Martin Smith and Barbara Smith not only came 4th but also won title of ‘dancing queen‘ for the most enthusiastic dancer. Thank you to our superb race team for the slick race turn over.

Thanks again to all the competitors for making the event so much fun.

Louise Mckeand