Laser Open at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

A grand total of 27 competitors arrived at YDSC on the 13th May for the 2017 Laser Open than forms part of the Laser Northern traveller series. They were greeted by a nice Force 4 westerly with some lively gusts.

The PRO Jonathan Lister got Race 1 underway first time with Andrew Brown, Jack Hopkins, Garry Knott and Graham MacWhirter winning the start but all made the mistake of taking the first port shift. This allowed Graham Tinsley, using a bit of local knowledge to hang on to the lay line and using the gusts under the dam wall, to hook inside them all for a 10 boat length lead at the windward mark. With a few individual gusts along the first reach he opened up a good lead not to be challenged again. Hopkins, Brown and Knott fought it out for the minor places, eventually finishing in that order.

Brown got to grips with a Laser again in race 2 after a winter in a RS200. He stormed the race despite being rolled by Tinsley off the start line. Brown got some good shifts up the first beat to recover and lead by a boat length at the windward mark. He was then first into the gusts and sped off and opened up a 100 yard lead in a matter of minutes. Tinsley reeled him in down the run and next beat before Brown used his team racing skills and speed offwind to re-build his lead and wasn't challenged again. Tinsley held off Hopkins for 2nd place with Knott coming in 4th place.

Over lunch the wind began to move to the South, weakening a little but still with some strong gusts. The windward mark was now under the dam and tower which lead to some interesting wind patterns. A little bit of local knowledge again helped Tinsley lead at the windward mark from Hopkins however, the 2nd leg was a dead run in a fairly light wind and this lead to a large pack forming behind. Tinsley and Hopkins managed to just stay ahead of the pack and Brown wriggled his way through along with Patrick Hamilton and Malcolm Marsden. The course proved hard to build any lead on, with strong gusts down the runs bringing the fleet back together. Some of the gusts were still very strong and Hopkins paid for his weaving down the 2nd last run, going for a swim and putting paid tohis 2nd place in the race. Brown had moved up and down the last 2 runs, with 2 large gusts managed to cut Tinsley's lead to a boat length. Tinsley just edging him out in the race to the line, Hamilton grabbed 3rd place, MacWhirter 4th, Marsden 5th, with Hopkins back in 8th.

All to play for in the last race where a win for Brown would give him the event. Unfortunately, the wind had clocked further South, straight over the clubhouse making it a much shorter course. Hopkins won the start and managed to get onto Port off the line and lay the windward mark. A win for him would give him 2nd overall. Brown was 2nd at the mark followed by Tinsley. The course offered little opportunity to overtake and therefore catch Hopkins. Tinsley stayed close to Brown to ensure he didn't threaten Hopkins lead which turned in his favour even more when Brown capsized on the next run handing the open to Tinsley and 2nd to Hopkins. Hopkins disappeared into the distance whilst Knott, Hamilton and George Graham in a radial fort it out for 2nd place along with Tinsley.

Overall a great day's racing for all.

Overall Results:

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