UKLA Laser Masters Nationals and World Qualifiers - Overall

Prizewinners at the UKLA Laser Masters Nationals 2014 © Julian Elwood

Day 2

It was with great relief that everyone found the Welsh flag fluttering in the wind on Sunday morning but the forecast was for the wind to go through 180 degrees during the day and PRO Mike Butterfield wisely took the fleet well out to sea to allow the course to be swung. The competitors were eager to get going which was evident in the clean starts to race four in both the Standard and Radial fleet.

David Binding from Weir Wood, who was competing in the Grand Masters age category, started the day well with a win chased hard by (Dalgety Bay) and Orlando Gledhill (Queen Mary). Alan Davis recorded another 4th and now led by 3 points from Baillie. O'Gorman produced a brilliant recovery on the 2nd beat to get back to 10th from mid fleet and keep his hopes alive. In the radial fleet Keith Wilkins (Chelmarsh) carried on the form that took him to second place in the radial fleet on Friday with a win in the fourth race followed by Kevin Pearson (Thames).

The wind was now extremely changeable and the next race saw the wind start to swing in a big way. Those who recognized the progressive shift and sailed out to the right of the beat led at the windward mark with anyone that tacked onto starboard too early down the fleet. The race committee quickly moved the windward mark to give a beat on lap 2 but the wind kept swinging and Denzil May (Mounts Bay), in his first Masters series, got it right on both beats to take the gun with Rupert Bedell (Queen Mary) in second. In the radials Steve Smith (Chew Valley) scored a first with Ian Jones using superb boat handling to tack onto port and just cross two boats taking second place right on the line.

The wind had now moved from the south all the way round to the north east and was both very gusty and shifty coming now that it was coming off the land. During the first beat sailors on both sides of the course looked to be leading in the 5th race but Matt Howard found the best shift to approach the windward mark from the left and led the standards throughout from northern lake sailor Graham McWhirter. Despite an 8th and 9th Davis still had a one point lead from Bailie and Howard but the gap had closed so much that O'Gorman, May, Bedell and Peter Sherwin (Chew Valley) were within 7 points of the lead and could still win overall. In the radial fleet Jones reasserted his dominance with a win that made overall victory safe and Richard Major (Grafham) took second.

The final race those playing shifts in more wind on the right led at mark one. Mac Courts (Stokes Bay) led with a group of 8 boats very close behind. On the second reach Courts and May held their nerve to go low and built a lead over the chasing pack. On another tense, shifty beat May coolly took the lead followed by Peter Malcolm (Largo Bay) and Courts and this was the finishing order. O'Gorman had been in the leading group at windward mark and wriggled as hard as he could but could only get to 6th. Howard got to 9th, only 3 points off the lead but was Black Flagged and all the others contenders were stuck in traffic.

Overall results

As a result of his excellent 1,7,1 finish Denzil May become the Apprentice Master and overall winner of the standard fleet with two points to spare over Alan Davis.

Ian Jones won again in the Radials and has completed a grand slam – World, European and National Champion within a year. Steve Smith took second in the final race and Sue Ritchie's third place made her the first Lady.

Standard - Grand Masters:
1. Peter Sherwin, Chew Valley Lake, 7th overall
2. David Binding, Weir Wood, 8th overall

Standard - Masters:
1. Alan Davis, Oxford SC, 2nd overall
2. Ian Baillie, Dalgety Bay SC, 4th overall

Standard - Apprentice Masters:
1. Denzil May, Mounts Bay SC, 1st overall
2. Roger O'Gorman, 3rd overall

Radial - Great Grand Masters:
1. Keith Wilkins, Chelmarsh SC, 2nd overall
2. Kevin Pearson, Thames SC, 5th overall

Radial - Grand Masters:
1. Richard Major, Grafham Water SC, 4th overall
2. Max Hunt, Whitstable, 7th overall

Radial - Masters:
1. Ian Jones, Dovestone, 1st overall
2. James Carter, Lancing, 8th overall

Full results can be found at www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk