Laser SB3 Nationals at Hayling Island Sailing Club - Day 1

Plenty of incident on the first day of the Laser SB3 nationals at Hayling © Richard Langdon / www.oceanimages.co.uk

Lawrie Smith sinks on Day 1

The first day of the Laser SB3 National Championships at Hayling Island Sailing Club was a windy affair with plenty of drama. With 25+ knots of northerly breeze, sunshine and calm seas, the PRO set a 1-mile windward-leeward course in Hayling Bay.

The first race started after one general recall, with Mark Rushall, Russell Peters and Iain May filling the top 3 positions.

Race 2 started cleanly but saw the reigning national champion, Geoff Carveth, retiring with a broken gooseneck. Marshall King, who placed 2nd in the European Championships earlier this season, won the second race. Paul Lovering, with the Greenhalgh brothers crewing, came in 2nd, while Glenn Bourke found form finishing in 3rd. Carveth recovered quickly to start the final race of the day and post a 2nd place behind Russell Peters in Tacktick.

Following a collision soon after the start of race 3, Lawrie Smith’s boat sunk after sustaining serious damage to the bow. The boat has been recovered this evening, thanks to some nifty work by Hayling Rescue and his team hope to have the repairs completed in time for tomorrow’s racing.

Unsurprisingly it is Glenn Bourke in Musto who has taken the early lead in the championships overall having posted a consistent 6-3-4 today. With 3 days to go and conditions forecast to ease, consistency is likely to be the key to success.

Results after Day 1: