Noble Marine Laser Radial Autumn Qualifier at South Shields Sailing Club

by Hannah Snellgrove 22 Sep 2016 20:38 BST 17-18 September 2016

A contingent of 67 Laser Radial sailors made the trip to South Shields SC on the north-east coast last weekend for the first of three Autumn Noble Marine World and European Qualifiers.

Sunshine and light north-easterly winds greeted the competitors on the Saturday morning and three races were completed in sailing conditions made tricky with a huge rolling swell. Despite three further races being scheduled for the Sunday, a lack of wind and a democratic fleet vote meant that racing was abandoned and Saturday's result stood.

It was Swanage SC's Ben Whaley who led the pack round the windward mark in the first race having played the shifts in more pressure out on the right-hand side of the course. George Povall, from Hickling Broad, and Ali Young, fresh from Rio, chased Whaley down having used opportunities to get back from the lighter left-hand side. However, it was Lymington's Hannah Snellgrove who sailed around to the right of the bunch of three on the downwind leg to lead at the gate. Whaley committed to the right-hand side of the course again and this proved to be successful as he led around the windward mark for the second time and could not be caught. Young overhauled Snellgrove on the final downwind and they took second and third respectively.

The fairly slack tide at the first start had been building throughout the race and by the second start had kicked in with a vengeance. This held the fleet back from the line, but the slight left–right component caused some issues for boats queuing up to start at the Committee Boat end.

It was the boats that started a little further down the line, got away cleanly and managed to tack across to the right-hand side of the course who came out best. The leading group managed to extend away from the fleet and the ensuing tussle led to Young emerging victorious from Ellie Cumpsty in second, followed by Povall.

The third race proved to be a little different. While some of the leading group came in from the right, it was Snellgrove, having started near the pin and taken advantage of a left shift to get across on top of the fleet, who led around the top mark, with much of the fleet overstanding the starboard layline. Snellgrove held off the challenge from Young on the downwind, but it was Povall who got past both boats on the second upwind by pushing out to the right and building up a lead that could not be overcome. Young got past Snellgrove on the downwind and these boats took second and third.

Second in the final race meant Young took overall victory with Povall as runner up. A fifth for Whaley in race three was enough for him to take third overall from Snellgrove on count back.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1	206251	Ali YOUNG	2	1	2	3
2	207571	Georgina POVALL	4	3	1	4
3	208853	Ben WHALEY	1	15	5	6
4	209188	Hannah SNELLGROVE	3	8	3	6
5	206853	Ellie CUMPSTY	8	2	13	10
6	209133	George FORD	14	5	8	13
7	206490	Milo GILL‑TAYLOR	34	10	6	16
8	184951	Tom RENNY	43	9	7	16
9	210427	Daniel WHITELEY	9	7	27	16
10	207462	Jon EMMETT	18	13	4	17
11	207801	Arthur FRY	6	11	25	17
12	197716	Alice WOODINGS	7	33	12	19
13	209189	Anna STURROCK	33	4	16	20
14	207299	Matilda NICHOLLS	10	26	11	21
15	207615	Daisy COLLINGRIDGE	25	6	18	24
16	209453	Arthur BROWN	15	17	10	25
17	208712	Clementine THOMPSON	12	29	15	27
18	202436	Mila MONAGHAN	13	14	31	27
19	204914	Stephanie WINGEATT	27	23	9	32
20	203001	Georgia BOOTH	17	20	22	37
21	207093	Joseph DRAKE	11	28	28	39
22	210560	Jordan GILES	20	22	19	39
23	198902	Harris CARTWRIGHT	28	12	36	40
24	207802	Thomas PARKHURST	24	39	17	41
25	191316	Christopher JONES	40	21	20	41
26	158399	George GRAHAM	5	51	39	44
27	211256	Christine WOOD	23	25	21	44
28	182593	Ciaran RANDERIA	30	18	29	47
29	208325	Freya CUMPSTY	16	47	32	48
30	206876	Oliver BLACKBURN	38	16	33	49
31	204885	Chris WHITE	19	30	35	49
32	209977	Jake BOWHAY	56	24	26	50
33	201873	Dominic HALL	22	44	30	52
34	203310	Anya HAJI‑MICHAEL	36	19	34	53
35	210618	Will BEDFORD	35	31	23	54
36	208663	Ben ELVIN	47	41	14	55
37	197705	Molly SACKER	29	27	52	56
38	210001	Chloe BARR	21	36	46	57
39	200715	Daniel THOMPSON	26	32	44	58
40	210149	Charlie ELLSE	39	38	24	62
41	207703	Thomas BRINDLEY	31	35	47	66
42	208650	Henry BEARDSALL	58	34	38	72
43	206839	Eleanor POOLE	32	43	42	74
44	207986	Eleanor CRAIG	37	37	40	74
45	202447	Rhys WILLIAMS	41	DNF68	37	78
46	210000	Emma CRANE	44	40	41	81
47	206493	Theo PHILLIPS	48	42	49	90
48	195846	Peter OWEN	60	46	45	91
49	170196	Harry MYERS	42	50	54	92
50	201175	David SAUNDERS	51	52	43	94
51	198310	Ellie HUTCHINGS	46	48	48	94
52	209929	Thomas WOODINGS	45	53	55	98
53	204125	Douglas CALDER	49	55	51	100
54	208701	Iona DIXON	64	45	57	102
55	173610	Mark DONALD	54	49	61	103
56	205768	Deborah HUGHES	50	60	58	108
57	198951	Arthur CONNOLLY	63	59	50	109
58	201405	Franklin WRIGHT	57	56	53	109
59	134711	Paul MOUGHTIN‑LEAY	55	54	59	109
60	193524	David ROBERTSON	59	57	56	113
61	204537	Jago STRONG‑WRIGHT	62	58	60	118
62	211014	Iain DUNCAN	52	DNF	DNF	120
63	130818	Ollie HOLMES	53	NYF	DNF	121
64	198575	Molly TULETT	65	61	62	123
65	204717	Archie DODD	NYF	63	63	126
66	211013	Olly CARR	66	62	DNF	128
67	208659	Daniel WIGMORE	61	DNF	DNF	129