Phoenix Marine Laser Masters at Teign Corinthian Yacht Club
by Heather Davies 4 Jun 2007 10:51 BST
2-3 June 2007
The first of the 5 event series was hosted by Teign Corinthian Yacht Club in Teignmouth, Devon over the weekend of 2-3 June. 40 boats made the journey to Teignmouth including boats from Essex and Manchester.
The racing started on Saturday in an ideal bright and sunny 12 knot wind. Race 1 got underway at the first attempt sailing a triangle sausage format, with Paul Procter from Paignton first to round the windward mark. Procter held on to his lead and posted the first win of the day, followed by Sergio Messina from Chipstead and Ian Gregory from Frensham Pond.
Starting race 2 seemed to be a problem for a number of the sailors. Following a general recall, the race team brought out the black flag, which was treated as a challenge, producing yet another recall. At the third attempt the fleet got away cleanly with Procter leading from start to finish. Second place went to Paul Nicholson from RAFSA, third place to Richard Pratt from Rutland.
Race 3 again saw Procter first to the windward mark in a shorter, one lap race. At the leeward mark Procter had been overtaken and was in 3rd place, but luck was on his side on the beat to the finish. The 2 boats ahead of him had forgotten it was a one lap race, and proceeded up the beat towards the windward mark completely missing the finish line. When the finish gun went giving Procter his third win of the day, the 2 competitors who missed the line were heard to shout ‘oh dear, dear’ – or something like that…!! Second place went to Gregory and third to Nicholson.
At the end of the day Procter had a commanding lead, Gregory was second overall and Nicholson third.
The forecast for Sunday was changing by the minute, but the consistent trend was for the wind to be very light. The race team posted an AP, without much real hope of getting any races underway. No more racing took place and the prize giving took place at 12.30.
As a newcomer to the Laser Masters circuit, Procter won overall and threatened to appear at other masters events this year, much to the groans from the rest of the fleet. Perhaps his win had something to do with the fact that he had only travelled 5 miles to get to Teignmouth, but did admit that he had not sailed from Teignmouth before.
The next round of the series will be at Grafham on 16-17 June.
Overall Results:
1st Lady, Jennie King (Bowmoor)
1st Radial, Bill Watson (Blithfield)
2nd Radial, Bob Cudmore (Stokes Bay)
1st Great Grand Master, Ninian Eadie (Datchet)
2nd Great Grand Master, Barrie Watson (Hykeham)
1st Grand Master, Phil King (Oxford)
2nd Grand Master, David Binding (Weir Wood)
3rd Grand Master, Mike Kinnear (Starcross)
1st Master, Paul Nicholson (RAFSA)
2nd Master, Patrick Hamilton (Burwain)
3rd Master, Sergio Messina (Chipstead)
1st Apprentice, Paul Procter (Paignton)
2nd Apprentice, Ian Gregory (Frensham Pond)
3rd Apprentice, Richard Pratt (Rutland)