Laser Open at Harlow (Blackwater) Sailing Club

17 Lasers competed in the 2004 Laser Open Meeting at Harlow (Blackwater) Sailing Club over the weekend of 19th and 20th June. In very unstable wind conditions over the whole weekend, excellent racing was enjoyed throughout the fleet.

On Saturday the wind was generally from the Northwest but the strength varied between force 2 and force 6! Similar conditions continued into Sunday with the added ingredient of the direction shifting anywhere between Northwest and Southwest. The courses all included good-sized triangles in the Blackwater estuary except for the final race, which was sailed within Lawling Creek.

On Saturday Paul Weedon and Martin Tarling of Maylandsea Bay Sailing Club dominated the racing. Paul won the first race , but was over the line at the start of the second and had to restart. Martin seized his chance and managed to hold off Paul’s determined effort to catch up the lost time. Martin Cockersole and Lawrence Maudsley, both from the home Club, took third place in the two races on Saturday. At the end of the day Paul Weedon and Martin Tarling were lying in joint first place and Martin Cockersole in third.

Sunday developed a similar pattern although Paul Weedon made no mistakes this time, comprehensively winning both races. He was followed home in the first race by B Sargent of Maylandsea Bay SC, with Martin Tarling in third. Martin Cockersole was the one to make mistakes this time, being over the line at the start. Having re-started he managed to pull up to fourth place, but Lawrence Maudsley powered past him in strong gusty wind on the last leg to relegate him to fifth.

At the start of the last race, the overall series winner and second place were not in doubt and the fight was on for third fourth and fifth. Whoever finished ahead between Martin Cockersole and Lawrence Maudsley would get the third slot and the two of them were neck and neck until Martin failed to give Lawrence enough room to gybe at buoy 5 and a minor collision took place. After doing his penalty turn Martin was out of the reckoning. Peter Carless of Up River Yacht Club turned in his best performace of the weekend, finishing second in this race. He therefore tied on 12 points overall with Martin Cockersole, but took fourth place as a result of a better ‘discard’.

Overall Results:

Three Radial Lasers competed for a separate prize, which was won by Paul Mander of Maylandsea Bay Sailing Club in Laser 85436.