BUDWORTH Sailing Club 2006

Leigh & Lowton Juniors went travelling -
What An Eventful Event at Budworth!

Well, it was a Bank Holiday so what do you expect!
Cold Dark & Damp - thats what we awoke to, didn't stop a fantastic 42 junior sailors from gathering at Budworth, 10 Juniors each from Leigh & Lowton and Redesmere sailing clubs, with 8 from Winsford & a couple from Elton & Wigan boosted the home fleet. This fleet size was also boosted on the strength of the weather forecast which was for a sunny afternoon & a breeze that was going to reduce. The white horses that greeted the fleet at the briefing did not deter any of the entrants & that first launch for the 11 oclock start was the most active on the pontoon. Parents were swapping advice to the nervous youngsters & a couple got a little too close to the waters edge to prevent the inevitable. John Murphys fully clothed dive into the cold water was a sight to behold, such poise & grace - he managed to borrow some overtrousers & spare jumper from the reporter then went home to get changed. John wasn't alone as yet another adult laser support crew member was witnessed trying the water. The first capsize of the day was performed to our own Gideon, approx 15ft (thats 5m to the juniors) off the pontoon - he got plenty of advice on righting his Topper.

So the racing got underway, a long beat up the length of the mere & a gentle run back down - easy really! - until you add the Force 4/5 winds and rather chilly temperatures, a weather station within 10 miles recorded gusts of 35mph during that 1st race, and average windspeed of 18mph. The first beat tired the sailors out & the gentle run turned into a foray of death rolls which kept the rescue crews very busy and the parents onshore very entertained. The Lasers didn't have it all their own way this time, perhaps because of the wind strength & perhaps because there were some Topper squad members stretching their legs - that winter training really shows. Andrew (NWJTT Organiser, Rescue Cox, Laser Sail Valeter) Millington was stationed at the windward mark, he saw the carnage that followed the squalls at first hand, quite often the kids were lifted off their upturned dingies & returned to shore so that other rescues could be performed, all the rescue crews performed a slick operation in difficult circumstances. Andy wasn't witnessed catching a sneaky sail in a Topper at this event, no doubt he will again before the season is out!! The second race saw frustration at the start - John had arrived back (we were all expecting him to be in the Chelsea shirt this time) when Daisy returned after being told she was over the line, this made her more determined to do well in the last race & she did. Sophie hoisted her 4.7 rig for the day but sailed off a Radial PY rating and appeared very much in control whilst those around her seemed to struggle with the conditions, even arriving at the first mark ahead of the whole fleet in the 3rd race - well done Sophie!. Pipping Sophie in the final results was Katlyn Green, 6th overall, a personal best of 4th in the 2nd race was the climax of a great days sailing, there were other impressive results from both Daisy & Laura, making 4 Leigh & Lowton girls in the top 10. The other Leigh sailors were Gideon, Andrew Green, Alice, Andrew Price & Sarah - they all had tales to tell about their adventures


The Optimist Starts were a little less frantic than the main handicap fleet, all 6 helms were behind the line so the black flag was in no danger of being used. The weather conditions started to take their toll of the smaller sailors & after the mainsheet of Rachel Wilcock came undone (the reporter discovered who tied the knot but would prefer to keep this information private - he knows who he is) Lucy Yeates was the sole finisher in the first race. Lucy's excitement came towards the end of the run in the 2nd race, she was close to cartwheeling her Optimist as a classic nose dive saw her capsize, it must have been cold out there as she quickly managed to right herself & then found out just how much water an Optimist holds, she headed to shore which left Rachel to take the win. The deciding race was held in winds that had not moderated, Rachel & Lucy had a cracking race which Rachel won, Lucy was wishing that the wind had moderated as forecast - maybe next year.

The sun came out & wind moderated just in time to pack away the boats!!! - the prizegiving was held & thankfully Lucy did not choose the Master Blaster Water Squirter thing - no she chose a blow up armchair - & promptly spent all the journey home trying to blow it up, failing miserably due to its vast size!!! The highlight of the ceremony was seeing the kids proudly showing off their "Juniors On Tour" Polo Shirts for the first time.
And what did the reporter learn from the day? - that an Optimist mast does not reach the bottom of the Mere but a Topper mast does (though the mud is not as smelly as the Flash), there was a local Chandler & sponsor amongst the onlookers, he admitted to carrying spare burgees & blank invoices, just in case!!

Next event - Leigh & Lowton 13th May

Series Results so far - Leigh & Lowton Juniors in top 3 places & lead the Optimist fleet

NEW - GALLERY

PETER CULL PHOTOGRAPHY

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