Saturday 23rd June

Leigh & Lowton Sailing Club

by Carmela Burgess (photos by Sue Atherton)

Despite the rather dire forecast, nine boats turned up for the one day open meeting. The predicted thunderstorms and heavy rains held off, and reasonable winds gave an exciting, and close, days racing. Although the Sunday’s event at Wigan had been cancelled, a few people stuck around and joined in with the club racing at Leigh. This was great opportunity for some training, and some switching between races gave everybody the chance to pick up tips from each other.

Race One

Ian and Geraldine Downs (4008) made a great start to lead the race off the line, but a long beat allowed Wayne Atherton and Steve Wroe (3383) to gain ground, and reach the windward mark first, followed by David and Michelle Raines (3740). Third around the mark was a face from the past, Eamon Cuthbert, who was borrowing Peter Cuthbert’s boat (3747) and crew, Steve Hope. Fourth round the mark were Ashley Southwell and Mark Atherton (3800). The rest of the lap saw no change in these places, but a hard fought battle for 5th took place
between Adrian and Helen Cripps (3824) and Ian and Geraldine Downs, with Adrian and Helen making the most of the spinnaker legs to ease ahead by the end of the first lap.

The second lap saw Wayne Atherton first to the windward mark again, but with David Raines pulling away from the boats behind and gaining fast. Some very steady spinnaker flying in a light wind by Michelle soon put David Raines level with Wayne Atherton on the first downwind leg, but some good mark rounding by Wayne prevented him from overtaking. Meanwhile, Eamon Cuthbert and Ashley Southwell were steadily gaining on the frontrunners.
A shortened course left all to play for in the last beat, and binoculars were needed in the OD box, as the first four boats crossed the line within a couple of seconds of each other!

Final results:

1st - Wayne Atherton & Steve Wroe, 3383
2nd - Ashley Southwell & Mark Atherton, 3800
3rd - David & Michelle Raines, 3740
4th - Eamon Cuthbert & Steve Hope, 3747
5th - Adrian & Helen Cripps, 3824
6th - Ian & Geraldine Downs, 4008
7th - David and Jean Reed, 3725

Race Two

With two more boats joining the second race, Wayne Atherton remained consistent, reaching the windward mark first again, but with Eamon Cuthbert and David Raines hot on his heels. The boats behind also stayed as a tight group, with Ashley Southwell eventually drawing ahead to reach the first mark in fourth place. Eamon Cuthbert and David Raines continued to gain on Wayne Atherton downwind, catching him during the leg, and creating a fight for first place that would last for much of the rest of the lap.

Meanwhile, behind the front group, places were constantly changing, with Helen and Adrian Cripps overtaking David and Jean Reed (3725) and then creeping up behind Ashley Southwell in fourth, and Brian and Sharon Worrall (3679) moving up to 7th. By the end of the lap, David Raines had pulled away from the front group, to finish the lap in first place, and behind, the boats were beginning to spread out.

By the windward mark on the second lap, David Raines was well ahead, and the main action was seen at the back of the fleet, where spinnaker problems had left Brian and Sharon Worrall fighting for 8th place with Ian and Geraldine Downs.

Race 2 results:

1st - David & Michelle Raines, 3740
2nd - Wayne Atherton & Steve Wroe, 3383
3rd - Eamon Cuthbert & Steve Hope, 3747
4th - Ashley Southwell & Mark Atherton, 3800
5th - Adrian & Helen Cripps, 3824
6th - David and Jean Reed, 3725
7th - Richard & Michael Smith, 3493
8th - Ian & Geraldine Downs, 4008
9th - Brian & Sharon Worrall, 3679

Race Three

With the points close, there was all to play for in the last race, and an early contest between Wayne Atherton and David Raines cleared the way to allow Eamon Cuthbert to reach the windward mark first, followed by Ashley Southwell, Adrian Cripps and Ian Downs.

As these four pulled away, Wayne Atherton and David Raines continued to fight it out, with David Raines eventually making use of a good gybe to move ahead. Once he had clean air, David Raines moved quickly up the water, overtaking Ian Downs, to finish the first lap in fourth.

By the windward mark on the second lap, David Raines had also put Adrian Cripps behind him. Wayne Atherton, meanwhile, had moved into 5th, where he was held for much of the lap, as Adrian Cripps determinedly defended his fourth place. Eamon Cuthbert continued to keep first place, with Ashley Southwell behind in second. A second place for David Raines would have secured him the championship, and it looked as though he might pull it off.

With Wayne Atherton unable to do anything about it, David Raines gained steadily on Ashley Southwell, but a shortened course cut short the attack, giving Eamon Cuthbert the race win, and leaving Wayne Atherton and Steve Wroe with the top spot overall.

Race 3 results:

1st - Eamon Cuthbert & Steve Hope, 3747
2nd - Ashley Southwell & Mark Atherton, 3800
3rd - David & Michelle Raines, 3740
4th - Wayne Atherton & Steve Wroe, 3383
5th - Adrian & Helen Cripps, 3824
6th - Ian & Geraldine Downs, 4008
7th - David and Jean Reed, 3725
8th - Richard & Michael Smith, 3493
9th - Brian & Sharon Worrall, 3679

Overall results: