Harken Laser Nationals at the WPNSA - Overall
by Eddie Mays / UKLA 11 Sep 2011 09:53 BST
27 August - 2 September 2011
The Harken sponsored UK Laser Championships attracted a total entry of 302 boats to the National Sailing Academy at Portland, Dorset, venue for the 2012 Sailing Olympics, during the last week of August.
Although some of the British Olympic squad were missing, there were entries from ten other countries, including Australia, the U.A.E. and St. Lucia in the West Indies. There were three Olympians entered; Rutger van Schaardenburg (2008 Dutch Standard), Nathalie Brugger (2008 Swiss Radial) and Evi van Acker (2008 Belgian Radial) and it was the continental challengers that were too strong for the home sailors.
In a week of varying conditions, when only one day was lost to calm, the Dutch team dominated the Standard fleet, occupying the first four places with van Schaardenburg taking the overall Open title. Youth sailor Jack Wetherell finished in 6th place behind Switzerland's Christan Steiger to take the UK title.
In the Radial fleet, the first four days were spent in a qualifying series with the final two days sailed in Gold & Silver divisions. The Belgians sent a very strong team and it was their sailor Jeroen Belis who narrowly defeated the Czech lady Veronika Fenclova to the Open title. Jon Emmett finished top of the UK team in 4th place overall to secure his 5th National title. The final series was slightly spoilt by the withdrawl from the event of Evi van Acker through illness, she had finished the qualifying series in 2nd place.
The smallest rig, the Laser 4.7, is sailed by the youngest group and is normally the preserve of the British youngsters. However, this year a Belgian lad and a girl from St. Lucia took part and they also proved to be too much for the home team. Benjamin Wempe counted seven wins and a 3rd in his scorecard and Stephanie Devaux-Lovell had a win, four 2nd places and a 3rd to beat Britain's Matt Whitfield to 2nd overall. Matt's consolation was to win the final race of the regatta and secure the National title.
Apart from the disappointment of the British sailors for not winning everything, it was a very good week's regatta at a wonderful venue. A fitting way to celebrate 40 years of Laser sailing.
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