NeilPryde Laser UK National Championships at Paignton Sailing Club - Day 3
by Eddie Mays, UKLA 7 Aug 2013 11:56 BST
3-9 August 2013
With virtually no wind first thing yesterday morning, an early decision by the Race Officers to postpone the first start by two hours until 13:00 gave everyone the chance to relax for the morning. As the Committee boats went out at mid-day the breeze was starting to build and by the time it came to set the courses there was a steady 8 – 10 kts of SSE'erly, which stayed all afternoon but there were changes in pressure across the width of the course making it important to get in phase with the pressure bands.
Unusually for the Standards their first start was subject to a General Recall, the first of the week. They got away fairly cleanly at the second attempt under black flag with only a handful of boats being caught OCS. Gustavo Lima was just ahead of the pack at the first mark and he then sailed away from the rest to win by a comfortable margin. He was followed home by Lorenzo Chiavarini, Cameron Douglas, Michael Beckett & Ben Cornish. In the afternoon race it was more of the same. Gustavo won, Luke Elliott, having been black flagged earlier, finished ahead of Jee-min Ha with Chiavarini and the younger Wetherell brother, Henry, filling out the top 5 spots.
With nearly half the qualifying series sailed the two main contenders in the Radials, John Booth & Jon Emmett, will not meet until the fleet splits into Gold & Silver for the last two days' racing. Emmett was first away in the Yellow Group but, uncharacteristically, had a poor start and first leg and was buried in the pack at the top mark. Good sailing over the remaining legs brought him up to 2nd but Scotland's Jamie Calder held on to win. Emmett was followed home by Matt Whitfield, Ireland's Ryan Glynn and Georgia Booth, whose poor run of form this week has belied her ability. John Booth continued his winning form in the Blue group start with St. Lucia's Stephanie Devaux-Lovell recording her second 2nd place ahead of Hamish Eckstein & Georgina Povall.
The second Yellow race of the day produced a surprise winner, Alistair Goodwin. Alistair had started well on Sunday with a pair of 3rds had a poor day on Monday with two black flags and so today's win made significant amends to his overall fortunes. Emmett again had to come from behind to finish 4th behind Ryan Glynn and Australia's Bradley Utting.
In the Blue start John Booth's air of invincibility slipped slightly as he could only finish 3rd. The race win went to Ben Elvin with Hamish 2nd and close behind John were Georgina Povall, with her second 4rh of the day, and Niall Houston. With seven races now completed there should be only one more race tomorrow to complete the full qualifying series. Then the Booth / Emmett contest will begin.
The Laser 4.7 fleet has so far been a Lithuanian benefit week, Romas Ovcinnikov has won all his races so far and he added another bullet to his tally in the first race. There were new faces behind him with Matthew Viney & Josh Haynes having their best results so far in 2nd & 3rd. However Romas's winning streak was at last broken when George Ford beat him to the line in the second race. Ross Banham consolidated his 2nd place overall by taking 3rd ahead of Jordan Giles & Fionn Conway.
The evening's main entertainment was the well-attended Curry & Quiz night at the club. In fact the evening could have filled the larger marquee on the Green. The Quiz winners were the Radial team of Kieran Graham & Simon Witherspoon who beat Stokes Bay's Bob Cudmore's team. Both teams received prizes from Harken UK. The winner of Monday night's new sail has been revealed as Radial helm Sam Whalley. There is another sail to be won at the NeilPryde Hog Roast evening on Thursday.
Racing continues until Friday with the full results to be found on the UK Laser Assn website, www.laser.org.uk
This year's championships are sponsored by NeilPryde, Harken UK & Nutshellaw (Solicitors).