Noble Marine Laser Autumn Qualifier at South Shields Sailing Club

by Sam Whaley 23 Sep 2016 09:13 BST 17-18 September 2016

On the weekend of 17–18 September, 33 Laser Standards made their way up to South Shields SC for the first Autumn Noble Marine World and European Qualifier. Upon arrival, sailors were greeted with a chilly 15knt breeze. However, it started immediately to steadily decrease until by start time there was a consistent 6–9knts. With spring tides and big leftover swell, it was certain to be an interesting day's sailing.

Race 1 got underway and, with a pin bias line, it was Elliot Hanson who quickly tacked over and crossed most of the fleet. However, it was Whaley, who had started at the starboard end and headed into more favourable tide on the right, who rounded the windward mark first with a healthy lead. He was followed by Hanson in second and Alistair Goodwin in third. The following reach downwind was made interesting by large skewed waves and tide taking you downwind. Up the next beat, Whaley and Hanson had a good battle with Hanson emerging on top with metres to go before the final windward mark. Hanson won the race, closely followed by Whaley and Goodwin in second and third.

In Race 2, more people had clocked onto the right-hand track and it was Hanson and Jamie Calder who managed to execute their plans successfully to lead first and second around the windward mark. With Hanson and Calder out in front, Joe Mullan and Whaley had a battle around the course for third and fourth respectively with Mullan taking third place.

After a short postponement, with the wind shifting progressively right, Race 3 got underway. Once again, Hanson made the best use of his speed to round the windward mark first, with Jack Cookson rounding second and Jack Wetherell in third. The standings stayed the same even as the wind died down towards the end of the race and the fleet headed ashore ready for the next day's racing.

Unfortunately, Sunday dawned with very little wind both in the forecast and on the water. After hanging around for a few hours with still no wind, the infamous Ken vote came out and the racing was abandoned for the day.

Elliot Hanson took the overall win while Sam Whaley's consistency earned him second place. Third place overall and first Youth was Jamie Calder, while Jack Cookson finished fourth and Jack Wetherell fifth.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1	209134	Elliot HANSON	Redesmere SC	1	1	1	2
2	209493	Sam WHALEY	Swanage SC	2	5	4	6
3	195779	Jamie CALDER	Loch Tummel SC / Royal Forth YC	5	2	5	7
4	206918	Jack COOKSON	WPNSA	6	8	2	8
5	201481	Jack WETHERELL	Beaver SC	8	6	3	9
6	210532	Jack AITKEN	Rncyc	4	7	6	10
7	209409	Joseph MULLAN	GWSC	13	3	8	11
8	210020	Alistair GOODWIN	Wpnsa & Haversham	3	12	9	12
9	210880	Matt WHITFIELD	Penarth YC	9	4	11	13
10	208375	Jake FARREN‑PRICE	Royal Lymington Yc/spinnaker	7	9	18	16
11	209914	Dugal WILSON	Loch Venachar	14	15	7	21
12	209087	Hamish ECKSTEIN	Dabchicks West Mersea	15	10	12	22
13	209913	Calum ROSIE	Helensburgh S.c.	26	11	13	24
14	208680	Joe WOODLEY	Burghfield	12	16	14	26
15	208189	Thomas SCOTT	Brightlingsea SC	18	23	10	28
16	209487	Oliver DAVENPORT	Redesmere SC	20	13	15	28
17	202458	Harry GOZZETT	Dabchicks SC	10	24	19	29
18	209425	Tom FENEMORE	Rlymyc & Earlswood Lakes Sailing Club	11	22	24	33
19	310631	Benjamin‑timothy FLOWER	Tobermory YC	25	14	20	34
20	204975	Haydn GRIFFITHS	South Sheilds Sc. Leigh And Lowton. Sc	17	33	17	34
21	202453	Andrew McGOWAN	Dundee University	16	20	26	36
22	200998	Jack HOPKINS	Delph SC	21	27	16	37
23	209413	Lewis SMITH	Royal Forth Yacht Club	27	17	22	39
24	209960	Daniel JONES	Tata Steel SC	28	19	23	42
25	210611	Iain MCLAUGHLAN	Largs	22	21	21	42
26	176814	Robby BOYD	Lymington Town SC & Royal Lymington SC	31	18	25	43
27	203966	Simon WEATHERSPOON	South Shields SC	19	29	28	47
28	168091	George COLES	Carsington	23	25	29	48
29	206183	Ian FITZGERALD	Port Edgar YC	24	26	27	50
30	199273	Alistair HIGGINS	Dalgety Bay SC	30	28	32	58
31	198574	Robbie LAWSON	East Lothian	29	31	30	59
32	203967	Angus LAWSON	East Lothian YC	32	30	31	61
33	25643	Paul GRAHAM	Burwain SC	33	32	33	65