Please select your home edition
Edition
GP Watercraft

Laser Open at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club

by Graham Tinsley 15 May 2017 09:31 BST 13 May 2017

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:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4Pts
1209014Graham TinsleyYorkshire Dales1‑2124
2200998Jack HopkinsDelph23‑816
3195197Andrew BrownBudworth312(DNC)6
4212459Garry KnottPennine44‑11311
5206890Patrick HamiltonBurwain6‑73413
6208938Mark WrigglesworthYorkshire Dales5‑66516
7166Graham MacWhirterUKLA854‑917
8202471Malcolm MarsdenBlackpool & Fleetwood7‑105820
9179898David GrahamYorkshire Dales‑17167730
1077682George GrahamBurwain(DNC)1512633
1125643Paul GrahamBurwain91410(DNC)33
12201853Dom BarnesPennine1012‑161133
13148939Neil AshurstYorkshire Dales12814(DNC)34
1467John HesterDovstone159‑191034
15192728Clive HarriesYorkshire Dales11‑1891535
16197932John SimmsYorkshire Dales‑1413131339
17205158James TulleyYorkshire Dales131117(DNC)41
18182556Glyn PurnellLeigh & Lowton19‑20151246
19134597Steve TulleyYorkshire Dales‑2117181651
20171876Bill PickupYorkshire Dales161920(DNC)55
21195987Zena MartinBolton23‑26211458
22177885Stephen RobertsS. Windemere‑2524221763
23179051Michael HargreavesYorkshire Dales‑2422231863
24173609Richard CLaytonYorkshireDales1821(DNC)DNC67
25185701Peter SlingsbyYorkshire Dales222324(DNC)69
26186080Charlie WarhhurstPennine2625(DNC)1970
27207113George PulmanDovestone20(DNC)DNCDNC76

Related Articles

Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 4
ILCA 6 & 7, Men's & Women's Formula Kite and 470 Mixed Teams Wrap Up The racing for the first 5 classes of the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta wrapped up with a twist in conditions and breeze just to mix it up for the competitors. Posted on 17 Jul
Strong start on LA waters for Australian Sailors
A valuable week of racing at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta Australia's top Olympic class sailors have wrapped up a valuable week of racing at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta in California, gaining firsthand experience at the future venue of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Posted on 17 Jul
Sail Canada Regional Championships Preview
More than 300 young Canadian sailors in action this weekend across the country More than 300 young Canadian sailors will be in action this weekend as Sail Canada will present its three regional championships: Sail East at St. Margaret Sailing Club, Sail Central at Hudson Yacht Club and Sail West at Gimli Yacht Club. Posted on 16 Jul
North ILCA UK circuit at Pennine
A great leveller between the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 Ten visitors spanning from Carsington to West Kirby joined sixteen club members for the Pennine Sailing Club ILCA open, which also formed part of the ILCA UK North Grand Prix series. Posted on 16 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 3
Mother Nature teases the competitors Mother Nature teased the competitors today and made them wait a bit, but she did not disappoint; the sun came out and a big westerly built to 18-20 knots! Posted on 15 Jul
Excellent Olympic Season Openers for GP Watercraft
Bermudan ILCA sailors enjoy a strong start to the season! The first two Olympic events of 2025 proved a very positive start to the season for GP Watercraft and their Bermudan ILCA sailors: Sebastian Kempe (ILCA 7) and Adriana Penruddocke (ILCA 6) who are both coached by Shaun Priestley of GP Watercraft. Posted on 15 Jul
Laserfest at Whitstable
Event attracts entries from as far as Yorkshire Laserfest, Whitstable Yacht Club's celebration of Laser/ILCA racing took place last weekend with a strong entry of 40 boats. Laserfest o attracted entries from as far as Yorkshire together with a range of more local clubs. Posted on 15 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 2
Classic Long Beach conditions return The weather conditions at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta shifted noticeably today, delivering the classic Long Beach breeze that many expect from this world-class venue. Posted on 14 Jul
ILCAs at Notts County
With complementary watermelon for after-racing hydration A lovely warm and sunny day greeted 26 ILCA sailors at Notts County Sailing Club on 12th of July 2025. The wind was from a steady light south east breeze with occasional 14 mph gusts. Posted on 14 Jul
2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta kicks off
The first week of the OCR includes five Olympic classes The highly anticipated 2025 Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta officially commenced on Saturday, 12 July, marking the beginning of Olympic campaigns since the venues were announced. Posted on 14 Jul