Laser South East Grand Prix at Bough Beech Sailing Club

by Peter Winbourne 1 Apr 2018 09:38 BST 25 March 2017

Eighteen helms (eleven Standard, six Radial, and one 4.7) arrived early at our beautiful club on this still and murky morning. Their intent was warming to the heart. The BBSC Open has been held at the end of March for as long as most of us can remember; none of us had memories of it that did not include gales and busy safety boat crews. For once, the forecasts, at least those from a few days before, had suggested we might see ideal sailing conditions, but what we got was very light airs with winds coming mainly from the north-east, never more than force 1, and for most of the day quite a bit less than that. Huge credit must go, then, to those who, undeterred, not only glided forth for the first race, but stayed for the three races that conditions allowed and a determined race team delivered.

Of course, sailing in light airs requires great skill, control, patience, and surprising grace. These qualities were displayed in abundance by Elliott Marks (Bough Beech) whose first place in all Radial races is ample proof; and displayed to an only slightly lesser extent by Dave Goddard (Weir Wood) who was second in the third Standard race, but first in the other two. Great credit, too, goes to Alex Head (Downs SC) for his three first places in the 4.7 (and none to be lost by noting that his was the only 4.7...).

In the Radials, Elliott Marks and Tulloch Priest (Bough Beech) enjoyed a rivalry as fierce as conditions would allow over races 1 and 2. Elliott's superb consistency, Tulloch's slippage to 5th place in race 3, and Peter Howe's determination (a great grand master taking second place in race 3) produced an atmosphere which, whilst not exactly exciting, could hold the interest of the determined observer.

In the Standards, Dave Goddard was denied a perfect three firsts by the almost flat calm that descended during the third race, that and the skill and experience of Lee Goodey (Broadstairs) and Rob Cage (Thames) who won that decider.

This event was the first in the 2018 SE Grand Prix and we look forward to seeing how the helms competing here will feature in the Grand Prix results. Next year's BBSC event will also be part of the SEGP, but it won't be the first: in the hope of better sailing weather, it's been moved to May (May 4th). We can't guarantee the weather, of course, but we can guarantee lovely countryside in full spring, the same high level of organisation and efficiency and a very warm welcome to all those who come along.

Standard Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Category	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1st	207090	David Goddard	Master	Weir Wood SC	1	1	2	4
2nd	204653	Lee Goodey	Master	Broadstairs SC	2	4	3	9
3rd	213641	Rob Cage	Grand Master	Thames SC	8	2	1	11
4th	203324	P Carter	Grand Master	Bewl Valley SC	3	6	4	13
5th	155889	Robert Howe		Bough Beech SC	9	3	5	17
6th	207753	Martin Dennant	Master	Bewl Valley SC	6	7	6	19
7th	204036	James Maynard	Master	Bough Beech SC	7	5	DNC	26
8th	197693	Sergio Messini	Grand Master	Bough Beech SC	4	RET	DNC	29
9th	185722	George Beck		Papercourt SC	5	DNC	DNC	33
10th	201647	Jonathan Costley	Great Grand Master	Bough Beech SC	11	8	DNC	33
11th	203593	Peter Winbourne	Great Grand Master	Bough Beech SC	10	RET	DNC	35

Radial Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Category	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1st	201959	Elliot Marks		Bough Beech SC	1	1	1	3
2nd	212531	Tulloch Priest	Apprentice Master	Bough Beech SC	2	2	5	9
3rd	200520	Lewis Humphries		Pevensey Bay SC	3	3	4	10
4th	165630	Connie Hill	Youth	Bough Beech SC	4	4	3	11
5th	179801	Peter Howe	Great Grand Master	Bough Beech SC	5	6	2	13
6th	200307	Darius Sadowski		Bough Beech SC	OCS	5	6	18

4.7 Results:

1st, 204965, Alex Head, Downs SC