Results / Fat Face Racing Circuit Leigh & Lowton SC - 17/03/2007

Hilliar/Jagger win the opening circuit event of 2007 Despite the weekend forecast of gales and snow, 18 boats turned out for the opening event of the RS400 Fat Face circuit on 17/18th March and were greeted on Saturday by a fantastic 20-28 knots blowing straight down the lake. After a general recall the first race got underway, with Paul/Mike Allen showing great upwind speed to lead at the first mark from Jonny Sinclair. Paul Hilliar/Stu Jagger then took the lead on the first downwind and began a four lap tussle with the Allens, the lead changing hands several times. While these leading two pulled away, the fleet required strong nerves because the narrow lake meant that at least five gybes were required on each downwind! Eventually Hilliar/Jagger held on to win from the Allens, followed by Mark Greaves/Alan Woosey. For race two, Dave Exley got away to a storming start and led, closely followed by Mike Budd, the Allens and Hilliar/Jagger. While the boats behind him kept fighting with each other, Exley kept cool and never lost the lead. On the final downwind, the wind shifted and temporarily died, turning the leading pack inside out. The Allens and Budd lost out big time and Hilliar/Jagger came in second, ahead of Greaves/Woosey. In the third race, Hilliar/Jagger led early but fell into a hole downwind, to the profit of Budd, who, together with the Allens, built a substantial lead over the pack. Eventually the Allens got past Budd to win and then with 25 metres to go, a mistake over the finishing line allowed Hilliar/Jagger to sneak into second, in front of Budd. With Sunday�s combination of snow blizzards and gales, a wise decision was made to abandon racing, leaving Hilliar/Jagger as the winners from the Allens and Greaves/Woosey in third. The RS400 Fat Face racing circuit now moves on to Queen Mary S.C. on the 31st March/1st April. We look forward to more close and competitive racing.