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Laser Standard Spring Qualifier 1 at Stokes Bay Sailing Club
13-14 March 2010By James Gray, UKLA 16 Mar 2010 08:19
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“Old School leads the charge”
Seventy-nine Laser standards took part in the season opening World and European qualifier of 2010 at Stokes Bay Sailing Club. Light winds and string tides greeted the sailors on Saturday. PRO Ken Falcon was forced to abandon racing following a long wait to see if the conditions would improve. Average wind speeds between 10 and 15 knots from the West greeted the sailors on Sunday. The tide was building during the time on the water, running towards Southampton, pushing the sailors upwind. Three races were scheduled with one discard to take towards the final series score.
Race 1:
Following 3 general recalls, 2 under black flag, the fleet got underway. The leaders emerged from the middle left of the course, spending long amounts of time on port take as they used the tide to lift them towards the windward mark. Nick Thompson, fresh back from victory at the Miami OCR World Cup event, rounded the windward mark first. Martin Evans, Alex Mills Barton, James Gray and Rob Godwin were in pursuit. Thompsons speed advantage on the reaching legs saw him open up a huge lead over the fleet. Evans, Gray, and Mills-Barton battled up the 2nd beat and the remaining downwind legs. Evans doing the job to hold his position. Thompson secured victory, Evans 2nd, Mills-Barton 3rd, Gray 4th, and Stephen Powell (recently back out of retirement) completing the top 5.
Race 2:
The tide had now strengthened meaning that it was highly likely for the sailors to over stand the port layline if they ventured too far left on the upwind legs. The fleet again got underway following 2 general recall starts under black flag. The fleet jostled for position towards the biased pin end of the start line, with the aim of tacking onto port as early as possible. Mark Powell led at the windward mark from Eifion Mon and James Gray who had gained from the tidal lift and favourable pressure on the left hand side of the course. Powell, who had been black flagged in race one, opened up a lead on the first reaching legs, only to be closed down by Mon on the 2nd beat and final run. Whilst the first 2 battled, a four way battle for 3rd was commencing between Gray, Rob Godwin, Stuart Godwin, and Stephen Powell. The breeze died on the final downwind leg. Powell held off the challenge of Mon, the pair taking first and second respectively. Gray took 3rd holding off a late charge from Stuart Godwin who took 4th, ahead of Stephen Powell who sailed a solid final run taking 5th.
Race 3:
The tide had started to slacken prior to the start. Within the last 2 minutes before the gun the wind had shifted left, making the pin end the line favourable. The race got underway first time with the leaders having tacked at the pin end and crossed the fleet, playing the shifts and pressure on the left middle left hand side of the course. With all to play for in the final race, Mark Powell led at the windward mark closely followed by Max Holloway, Alex Mills-Barton, Stuart Godwin, and Rob Godwin. Powell sailed a consistent race, coping with the pressure of his early black flag in race one, to take victory and the event. Holloway who had made life difficult for Powell finished 2nd, Rob Godwin 3rd, Alex Mills-Barton 3rd, and Stuart Godwin 5th.
Overall Results:
1st Mark Powell, 2 pts
2nd Alex Mills-Barton, 7 pts
3rd James Gray, 7 pts
4th Eifion Mon, 8 pts
5th Nick Thompson, 9 pts
Thanks to Stokes Bay Sailing Club for hosting the event and to all the volunteers for their efforts over the weekend. The next stop for the World & European Qualifiers is at Plymouth on the 20/21 March.
More Information:
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