Noble Marine UK Laser World & European Qualifier 2 at Pevensey Bay SC

Noble Marine UK Laser World & European Qualifier 2 at Pevensey Bay © Pevensey Bay SC

The slightly smaller fleet of 43 Standards that arrived at Pevensey Bay S.C. for the second Spring Series Qualifier included a number of Squad members who has spent the week training in Palma. It must have seemed like home to home for them as the steady 10 to 18 knot breeze over the weekend could only be compared to tropical in comparison to previous years.

With a tidal gradient and pin end bias line it was no surprise to see the three boats closest to the pin take an early lead on the fleet. Martin Evans, Nick Thompson & Elliot Hanson rounded the top mark with a slight lead. The fleet naturally condensed on the two reaches to set up for a close second lap. Hanson & Alex Mills-Barton took the right shift to lead around in that order with Thompson & Evans in pursuit. Mills-Barton sailed fast to narrowlt beat Thompson, with Evans also pulling back through to 3rd.

Race 2 and the wind had shifted right to give a significant starboard biased line. The front row extended and fought for position through the shifting breeze. Hanson took a slight lead at the windward mark, which he was then able to extend through to the finish. The minor positions were again fought out by Thompson, Evans & Mills-Barton. Despite a slight technical failure Mills-Barton sailed another good run to pull through to 2nd with Thompson and Evans just behind.

The final race of the day showed a similar pattern to the previous with a few small shifts up the first beat. Hanson, Jack Wetherell and Evans were neck and neck around the mark and along the first reach. Wetherell managed to take the lead on the bottom reach and defend to the finish of the 3-lap race. Local sailor Mills-Barton again sailed well to pull through to 2nd and lead overnight with Thompson 3rd.

Sunday offered a more unpredictable offshore breeze, with a building tidal gradient for the three scheduled races.

Thompson, Hanson and Evans were the first to tack and cross to get in phase with the large shifts in Race 1. Hanson linked into the next shift and pressure well to take a lead at the windward mark with Thompson 2nd & Michael Beckett 3rd. As the wind died the fleet condensed on the two reaches opening opportunities on the second beat. Beckett squeezed ahead on the last shift to lead onto the final run, with Thompson uncharacteristically capsizing. Beckett defended his lead to take the win with Hanson taking a yellow flag and slipping back to 5th on the reach to the finish. This opened the door again for Thompson & Lorenzo Chiavarini to take 2nd & 3rd respectively.

Race 2 and after a quick abandonment of the start due to the new WNW breeze coming through the race was soon under way again. Hanson had a slight lead around Mark 1, which he subsequently extended on the following reaches with Thompson & Chiavarini showing good pace to pull through to 2nd & 3rd. The second lap saw a single shift then a drag race to the finish and Chiavarini nailed both to take his first win comfortably. Hanson & Thompson sailed their own race to finish in that order, leaving it down to the wire for the final race.

With any one of Thompson, Mills Barton & Hanson able to take the win the stakes were high. All three lined up at the pin with Thompson & Hanson getting away cleanly to join Evans on the long tack port. From there on Thompson defended his lead hard with Hanson finding no way through to give game, set and match to Thompson and six different race winners over the weekend! Hanson sailed conservatively to take 2nd in the race and overall with Evans securing 3rd in race and 4th overall behind Mills-Barton.

The final Spring series Qualifier takes place next weekend at Highcliffe, where pressure will mount to see who can seal their places and grants.

Overall Results: (top five)

1st Nick Thompson, 11pts
2nd Elliot Hanson, 13pts
3rd Alex Mills-Barton, 16pts
4th Martin Evans, 20pts
5th Lorenzo Chiavarini, 21pts