Lightning368 Open at Cotswold Sailing Club

Lightnings at Cotswold © Andrew Young

Lightnings at Cotswold © Andrew Young

Ten Lightnings assembled on a grey day with occasional rain, a stiff, variable wind, sudden gusts and a very high wind-chill factor.

Adam Styles led from the first start and Caroline Key followed him to the finish. Chris Abela in third place was overtaken mid-race by Simon styles, who had worked up from fifth. Several capsized; one helm retired. A. Styles was 1st, Key 2nd, S.Styles 3r d, Abela 4th, Sue Thomas 5th and Carole Williams 6th.

Conditions had worsened as race two started, with A.Styles leading again from Key, then S.Styles and Abela. Capsizes in the lower half of the fleet brought minor changes in positions and two helms did not finish. A.Styles 1st, Key 2nd, S.Styles 3rd, Abela 4th, Williams 5th and Wayne Jenner 6th. Race three was sailed back-to-back. Only five finished, led again by A.Styles. There were few changes in position, only capsizes and retirements! A.Styles won, Williams 2nd, Key 3rd, Abela 4th and Lee Bratley 5th.

Overall Results:

1st A.Styles (Severn SC)
2nd C.Key (West Oxfordshire SC)
3rd S.Styles
4th C.Williams (Cotswold SC)
5th C.Abela (West Oxfordshire SC)
6th L.Bratley (Manor Park SC)