Noble Marine UK Laser World & European Qualifier at Plymouth

Sponsored by Noble Marine

Forty-nine Standard Lasers arrived at the Mount Batten Centre in Plymouth on Saturday 11 October to a very light SW breeze. The weekend was the last of the three Autumn qualifiers and the results would set the national rankings for the winter until spring. As the fleet rigged up and prepared to go afloat the wind had begun to pick up, so that by the time the fleet reached the race course there was a relatively steady breeze of 10–16kts and some nice waves.

With a strong tide underneath us the Standard fleet had one general recall to give Ken the nod with the black flag for the rest of the day. Ben Cornish had a good start at the starboard end and played the shifts up the right with some mean pace to lead at the windward mark followed by Micky Beckett and Martin Evans. Places were changed down the two reaches, but Cornish maintained his lead to the leeward mark. Up the second beat the shift range had increased and there was a big right shift, as well as a drop in pressure, which made for some tight racing. Alex Mills Barton linked the pressure up well and led round the second windward mark followed by Elliot Hanson and Evans. With the downwind leg being offset it made it hard to overtake boats. The top three finished as they had rounded the windward mark. Henry Wetherell took 4th in front of Lorenzo Chiavarini.

Race two began with another general recall and a few boats were unlucky and got caught out including Beckett. When they got off it was Chiavarini who played the shifts perfectly and led at the windward mark followed by Mills Barton and Cornish. Nick Thompson had made a few places on the reach to jump to 3rd and the top three had built up a gap between themselves and the chasing pack. The wind had picked back up and steadied again, but there were still some subtle shifts to be had. Mills Barton led at the second windward mark, but lost it on the downwind again to Thompson and Chiavarini. The fleet had merged with the Radials on the last up wind and final lap so it was hard to know where the other boats were. The top three split from each other to reach lay lines and try and get some clear wind. At the top Thompson led followed by Mills Barton and Chiavarini. They finished in this order. Evans and Wetherell did the best from the chasing pack to finish 4th and 5th respectively.

In the final race of the day the start had been adjusted and there was starboard bias for the first time. Thompson and Mills Barton had good starts just down from the starboard end and, with a gradual left shift, led Hanson and the chasing group at the windward mark. The fleets joined again on the second lap. It was hard to find open wind again so boats were pushed towards the two sides. Everybody split different ways on the second beat and Beckett came out of the left to jump to 2nd behind Thompson. They finished in this order followed by Mills Barton, Hanson and Chiavarini.

Sunday started off much the same as day one with little to no breeze, but with no sun it was a lot colder. We had a short wait onshore to assure wind for racing. As soon as the wind had filled in enough to get to the race course the fleet was sent afloat. With the wind coming off the high hills on the land it was set to be a tricky day of racing with a big gust and shift range.

In race four Hanson and Evans made good use of their starts at the pin end to lead at the windward mark. The chasing pack was very tight and eight boats rounded within ten seconds of each other. Round the course there were several different battles going on. Thompson was having one with the jury boat which gave him a yellow flag on the top reach. Hanson and Evans swapped places up the second beat, but it was Hanson who made the best of the shifts to lead going onto the last run. It was close between the chasing pack and positions came down to the final shift. Evans followed Hanson closely. Beckett and James Grey did the best out of the pack to round 3rd and 4th with Mills Barton chasing behind. The battle for the race win continued all the way to the leeward mark. Evans played the run well to take the gun followed by Hanson, Beckett, Grey and Chiavarini who had a great final downwind.

Ken did a good job to get a fifth and final race in before the cut-off time. Points were close after the fourth race with five sailors able to take the overall win. The leaders once again came from good starts at the heavily biased pin end and then played the left-hand side. Jack Wetherell had earned himself a good lead at the windward mark after a perfect top third of the beat. Mills Barton led the chasing pack with Beckett, Hanson and Thompson close behind. Thompson had jumped up to 2nd place by the leeward mark with some good pace on the reaches and by windward mark two he had taken the lead from Wetherell. Hanson had made his way into the front pack up the second beat and was now fighting for the lead as well. At the end of the second lap it was clear we would have to hike up the third and final beat when we found the finish boat had moved to make for an upwind finish! This wasn't what anybody wanted at the end of a tough and tiring weekend! Thompson still had a small lead under his belt and went on to take the win, but there was a hard battle going on behind. Mills Barton managed to overhaul Wetherell within the last few hundred metres of the upwind leg and Hanson finished close behind. Beckett held his nerve again after his early BFD and took 5th.

It was a great weekend racing with some good breeze to finish off the autumn qualifiers. The next qualifiers will be early next year.

Overall Results: