Noble Marine UK Laser World & European Qualifier 3 at Highcliffe SC

Noble Marine UK Laser Spring Qualifier at Highcliffe © Highcliffe Sailing Club

Only Nick Thompson was missing from the front runners in the 41 Standards that entered the third and final Spring Qualifier held at Highcliffe S.C. last weekend. On Saturday morning sailors were shown how fortunate they'd been over the past two weeks as they were presented with more typical conditions for this time of year. The forecast showed much colder conditions with a 15 to 19 knot forecast from the West.

Despite a slight timing mishap Race 1 was quickly fired off. Martin Evans & Elliot Hanson sailed towards the left hand side with much of the fleet choosing to be further right. Very little changed barring one or two large shifts at the top of the beat and Hanson led Evans around with Jack Wetherell just behind. Highcliffe didn't fail to disappoint in delivering some spectacular waves that the triangle / sausage course suits so well. Only small gains and losses were made throughout the whole race with no one making any huge mistakes. On the final run Evans sailed a shorter distance to take the lead, with Hanson maintaining second ahead of Wetherell.

Race 2 saw a more pin biased line with Wetherell and Hector Simpson banking the early gain. However half way up the beat it was Jack's younger brother, Henry, who took the lead on a right shift to lead around the windward mark. Hanson squeezed around in second with Jack just behind. Again despite having fun not a great deal changed on the following reaches. On the 2nd lap Jack took the lead on the last shift to the mark to round ahead of his brother. Alex Mills-Barton and Hanson were just behind in the drag race to the finish. Jack just held on to the lead to make it a Wetherell 1-2 with Hanson finishing 3rd.

The final race of the day saw the leaders emerge from the pin end again with Mills-Barton and Jack W. taking an early jump. Evans was close behind as again the boats powered off on the two reaches. There was very little change on the 2nd lap as Wetherell held on to his lead, with Mills-Barton 2nd & Evans clawing back from a slight slip to finish a solid 3rd.

Day 2 provided a more northerly breeze which led to a more unpredictable shifty day. Evans & Wetherell came across with the pin biased to lead round with Mills-Barton third. Evans defended well on the following lap and was able to take his 2nd win, whilst Mills-Barton managed to pull through to 2nd sailing the shifts well ahead of Wetherell. Going into the penultimate race the points at the top began to narrow with Evans and Wetherell just ahead.

Race 5 saw a very pin biased line followed by the biggest right shift of the day. The big rain clouds which blew down the course peppered the sailors intermittently with hail stones, sometimes the size of marbles which allowed the gradient wind to fall. Michael Beckett and Matt Reid made the most of the right shift to lead around the top mark with the chasing pack close behind. On the 2nd beat Reid sailed the shifts well to maintain his lead with Jack W. pulling through to 2nd & Evans 3rd. Unfortunately for Reid as he crossed the line to take his first win it transpired he was Black flagged, giving the win to Wetherell with Evans 2nd & 3rd going to Mills-Barton.

Although a 6th race was started it was quickly abandoned as a huge hail storm again passed through with gusts of up to 30 knots. This allowed the sailors an early exit home and Jack Wetherell his first qualifier win.

Highcliffe marked the end of the Qualifier Spring Series with places now decided for the International events. The next UK event to take place is the Eurosaf championship at WPNSA, Portland held in May. This is a good opportunity to experience some international competition on your doorstep. The Ladder results can be found at www.laser.org.uk/results

Overall Results:

1st Jack Wetherell
2nd Martin Evans
3rd Alex Mills-Barton
4th Elliot Hanson
5th Henry Wetherell