Laser Open at Weir Wood Sailing Club
by David Giles 2 May 2012 07:20 BST
28 April 2012
Simon Barrington wins the Weir Wood Laser Open © Oliver Bush
Weir Wood held its annual Laser Open on Saturday 28th April. The North Easterly wind started the day at about 10 knots but steadily increased to 20 knots plus by the afternoon with a peak gust of 31 knots being recorded.
Race Officers Martin Pascoe and Peter Mears started first race punctually with a slight bias to the pin end of the start line. Quickest away was Steve McQueen from Itchenor Sailing club but he was pressed by David Binding and David Giles both from Weir Wood. Both these two took the lead for a spell but McQueen fought back to take the winners gun with Field from Chipstead sneaking through at the end to take second.
Race two again saw a slight port hand bias but soon after the start a large starboard shift help those who started at the committee boat establish a commanding lead. The two that most gained from the shift were McQueen and Bedell from Queen Mary Sailing Club. They established a large lead whilst battling it out amongst themselves. In the end McQueen came out on top giving him his second bullet of the day.
During lunch the wind steadily built and the fleet were greeted by white caps and rain squalls as they arrived at the start area for the three back to back races. It was a closely fought affair at the first buoy but soon after Graham Lund from Alderburgh sailing club broke well clear and was never challenged again.
With the wind increasing steadily race 4 saw heavy wind specialist Simon Barrington from Weir Wood Sailing club start to dominate. Giles held an early lead closely followed by Barrington and Lund. On the final upwind leg Barrington powered through into the lead with Lund taking over second approaching the windward buoy. Despite some rock and rolling in the squalls downwind this remained the finishing order.
The final race saw Giles establish an early lead but again Barrington was close behind and started to narrow the gap particularly upwind. These two fought it out until the final upwind leg when Barrington broke clear and by the end finished with a healthy lead from Giles and Lund who had closed up towards the end of the race.
Overall Results:
1st Simon Barrington
2nd Graham Lund
3rd David Giles
1st Radial, Simon David
1st 4.7, David Haw