A first for Llandegfedd during the Wednesday evening handicap race
by Mark Williams 2 Aug 16:26 BST
30 July 2025
Wednesday evening handicap race at Llandegfedd © Dave Green
The Wednesday evening handicap race is always popular at Llandegfedd and this week was no exception but never before has a 49er joined in the fun! The seventeen boat fleet ranged in performance from Toppers to the 49er, with the 49er needing to complete two laps in the time the Topper completed one!
The race officer, Dave Green, chose a committee boat start to make the best of the wind and it was a great decision giving the fleet a superb evenings racing in a warm northerly breeze.
Rees Powell is a regular winner in his Laser but Rhys and his crew (another Rhys) are still getting to grips with the 49er and did very well to get around the course four times with only one capsize.
Elsewhere the two RS400s and an RS Vareo quickly broke away from the rest of the fleet enjoying some nice kite legs. However, the two Toppers, a Supernova and a Solo made good progress around the course keeping pressure on the faster boats.
Nigel Tinkler sailed his RS Vareo really well to take the win in the end despite a slow last lap in a reducing wind. Pete Vincent and Pete Cruickshank in their RS400 took second with Mark Williams in his Solo taking the last podium position.
Special mention for Rhys and Rhys for the fastest lap in the 49er, the only sub 10 minute lap of the night, and Daisy Dowdell for sailing really well to secure 5th place in her Topper.
Overall Results:
1st RS Vareo, Nigel Tinkler
2nd RS400, Pete Vincent and Pete Cruickshank
3rd Solo, Mark Williams
4th RS400, Bill and Myles Jackson
5th Topper, Daisy Dowdell
6th Topper, Joanne Harris
7th Supernova, Tim Halhead
8th Solo, Craig Franklin
9th Phantom, Greg Phillips
10th Laser Stratos, Neil and Gill Williams