Laser 4.7 World Championship at Medemblik, Holland

Almost 400 Laser 4.7 sailors from around the World competed in the 2015 World Championships. 28 GBR sailors qualified for the racing in Medemblik. Consistent with the International Laser pathway, the Boys and Girls raced on separate courses.

In Britain sailors are encouraged to move from the 4.7 into the Radial earlier than in many countries, with the World Championship racing open to sailors aged up to 18, Team GBR was a very young group of sailors, Flo Nicholls only recently turning 12 was the youngest competitor.

With challenging varied conditions for the qualifying stages of the regatta there was little room for error by the 257 Boys, split into 4 fleets, and the 127 girls split into 2 fleets. Results from the first 5 qualifying races then saw the Sailors split into fixed fleets for the Finals.

The girls had 4 sailors qualifying for the Gold Fleet, and it was 13 year old Matilda Nicholls who came out on top at the end of the week for the GBR sailors, placing 9th in the Under 16s and 33rd overall. Scotland's Anna Sturrock was always in close contention.

Milo Gill-Taylor was highest placed Boy finishing 23rd Under 16 and 80th overall. Royal Burnham's Arthur Brown and Royal Southern's Ben Childerley were also close on points.

One or two of the stronger GBR sailors were disappointed with their results and there followed some debate in the GBR ranks surrounding the fact that this was the first time most of the sailors had raced Lasers in waves, the UKLA 4.7 circuit is usually focussed on inland venues to help reduce distances driven to events. Whilst a difficult debate, it was overwhelmingly felt the GBR sailors were struggling to learn important wave-sailing skills by not racing on the sea enough during the year, it is hoped the next 12 months will bring some variation to the normal inland circuit. There was also encouragement for GBR to be back on the Laser Europa Cup schedule once again for Radials and 4.7s and there is every indication it may return to British shores in 2016.

There is a significant surge in 4.7 sailors in the UK once again. Sailors keen to join the Fleet should look at the UKLA website or the Facebook Group "GBR Laser 4.7".

GBR Sailors' Results:

www.laserworlds2015.com