Please select your home edition
Edition

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.

www.laser.org.uk

Related Articles

ILCA Eastern GP Open at Waldringfield
A fleet of 35 sailors for the opening event of the circuit A fleet of 35 sailors descended on Waldringfield on 27th April for our ILCA Open, the opening event on the new ILCA Eastern GP circuit. Posted on 2 May
Matt Allen AM matches AOC funding
To support 2024 Olympic Podium Performing Sailors Matt Allen AM has once again demonstrated his unwavering support for sailing by generously matching the Australian Olympic Committee's Medal Incentive Funding (MIF) for Olympic champion Matt Wearn and Paris 2024 silver medallist Grae Morris. Posted on 2 May
Rooster Strengthens 2025 Season Partnerships
Commitment to supporting classes and clubs that promote participation, performance, and progression Rooster Sailing Ltd is proud to announce the continuation and expansion of several key partnerships for the 2025 season, along with the addition of a new collaboration with one of the UK's most iconic sailing clubs. Posted on 29 Apr
Nicholas Halliday makes history
With ILCA 7 victory at 2025 French Olympic Week - Hyères Hong Kong's Nicholas Halliday has made sailing history, clinching first place in the ILCA 7 fleet at the French Olympic Week - Hyères (SOF), and becoming Hong Kong's first ever Sailing Grand Slam (SGS) event winner. Posted on 28 Apr
Australia's next wave at French Olympic Week
Morris faced light and patchy breeze in the must-win medal showdown French Olympic Week in Hyères delivered everything from the roaring mistral winds that pushed physical limits to the patience-testing light airs that demanded calm and clarity. Posted on 27 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères overall
USA skiffs gold and silver as Italy and China top medal table The final day of the 56th edition of French Olympic Week saw Italy join China at the top of the medal table as they won a medal of every colour across the six Medal Races after China's exploits on Friday. Posted on 26 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 5
Israel deny China triple gold On a day of high pressure - in all senses - and drama in all the Medal series, team power and individual brilliance produced some of the closest board Finals in Hyères history. Posted on 25 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 4
Kiteboarders and windsurfers go for Friday gold as shifts play havoc with process On a day in which fortunes shifted as much as the winds, French Olympic Week will have its first Medal Races on Friday as the top 8 men and women kitesurfers and windsurfers battle it out for the podium. Posted on 24 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 3
Epic Mistral baptises the next Olympic generation "Epic", "Crazy", "Nothing like it" and many words too colourful to include in a family press release sprang from the excited Mistral-lashed lips and sometimes stunned faces of those Olympic classes last back to the boat park. Posted on 23 Apr
Papercourt ILCA Open
Thames Valley Grand Prix event On Sunday, April 13, 2025, Papercourt Sailing Club hosted the ILCA Open Meeting at Papercourt Lake, drawing a competitive fleet of ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 sailors from across the Thames Valley region. The event was part of the Thames Valley Grand Prix series. Posted on 23 Apr