Laser 5000 Eurocup on Lake Garda
by Andy Mckee 8 Jul 2003 08:39 BST
2-5 July, 2003.
Classic conditions at the Laser 5000 Eurocup on Lake Garda © Nick Kirk / N D K Photography
Overcast conditions greeted the 15 teams on the first morning of the annual Laser 5000 pilgrimage to Lake Garda. But with the sun showing an appearance the fans turned on at the expected one o’clock. The conditions were a little variable, but team T&G showed a clean pair of heals to score a perfect 3 bullets for the day showing the fleet how to handle the tricky conditions.
Day two saw clear sunshine with a southerly gradient wind thrown in. A steady 29 knots of breeze at the clubhouse took its toll on the fleet with 8 retirements through the day. Jamie Shelton in West Country Watersports showed the rest how to cope with the extreme conditions with two firsts. The third race saw the conditions change with the wind dropping at the end of the race, T&G held first place, but several boats missed the time limit.
Day three saw a single race sailed in a light northerly. The Ponsford brothers took the honours on the line. Leaving it all to play for on the final day.
The final day saw a return to classic Garda conditions with a sunny force 4. T&G took the first race, but it was all blown open when the Mckee’s took the second, with T&G not finishing after a capsize on the line. The final race saw T&G show that they were the form boat with a clear victory to take overall honours from yet another classic trip to the Italian Lakes.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm | Crew | Club | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 5272 | T&G | Mark Emmett | Johnny Backhouse | RYA | 12 |
| 2nd | 5115 | Hyde Sails | Mark Ponsford | Ollie onsford | Felpham S.C | 15 |
| 3rd | 5307 | West Country Watersports | Jamie Shelton | Graham White | Restronget S.C | 18 |
| 4th | 5306 | Team Shed | Niccos Farrer | Critos Groscurth | F.S.C | 36 |
| 5th | 5291 | Fat and Ginger | Andy McKee | Alex McKee | Grafham Water | 41 |