Please select your home edition
Edition
Melges 15

SW Laser Grand Prix and Masters event at Beer Sailing Club

by David Stockton 10 Jun 2015 11:51 BST 7 June 2015

The fifth event of the South West Laser Grande Prix at Beer was held alongside a category B masters qualifier on Sunday 7th June. The forecast for the event was not good and a number of potential competitors did not travel.

Twenty one sailors competed and the first race started in a force 3 North-westerly across 3-4 knots of tide. The boats on the right-hand side of the course benefitted from a 20 degree shift half way up the first beat, the wind slowly died leaving the pack at the front with nothing and the chasing boats catching up quickly in a steady breeze.

In the Standard fleet Alastair Ley from Wier Wood took the win closely followed by Robert Dyer and Ben Flower. In the Radials Greg Bartlett was the first to cross the line in front of Steve Smith and Mark Stitson.

After waiting for half an hour for the sea breeze to overpower the gradient wind, it settled in a south westerly direction for the second and third races.

The fleet split at the start of the second race, with those keeping out of the tide on the right hand side also benefitting from a bend in the wind giving them a commanding lead at the first mark. In the Standard fleet Dave Stockton and Paul Scullion had their own race at the front of the fleet with Dave taking line honours, further back after many place changes James Green took third. Hilary Thomas won the radial race closely followed by Neil Dunkley and Roger Williams.

With the tide having turned for the start of the third race the left hand side of the course was looking more favourable and those who started on the left were also blessed with a good shift for the first half of the beat. Paul Scullion rounded first with Dave Stockton in close attendance and the following pack not far behind. Greg Bartlett had a great first beat in his Radial and rounded the first mark in the top five boats.

Scullion and Stockton pulled away from the fleet due to lots of luffing and shouting going on behind them. The right hand side paid on the second beat with those going left loosing huge distances, this stretched out the fleet but did not change the positions at the front of the fleet. Paul Scullion won in the Standard fleet followed by Stockton and Pete Sherwin. Greg won in the Radials with Neil in second place again with Steve Smith in third.

Thanks must go to Geoffrey Adkin and his team for setting good courses in the prevailing conditions and of course for all members of Beer Sailing Club who helped on the day.

Standard rig results:

1st Paul Scullion – Restronguet
2nd Dave Stockton – Wimbleball
3rd Rob Dyer – Restronguet

Radial rig results:

1st Greg Bartlett – Starcross
2nd Neil Dunkley – Looe
3rd Steve Smith – Chew Valley

Related Articles

2025 International Classes Regatta preview
The ICR has earned a stellar reputation as an outstanding lead-up regatta for competitors The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) is proud to announce that the 2025 International Classes Regatta (ICR)—the Club's premier annual dinghy event—will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November 2025. Posted today at 7:10 am
Sail Canada introduces Canadian Sailing Team
21 athletes were selected based on the Canadian Sailing Team Sport Canada Carding Criteria Sail Canada is pleased to announce the list of sailors who will be part of the 2025-2026 Canadian Sailing Team. Posted on 26 Jun
Aussies Break into Top 10 at Kieler Woche
Put to the test from light air to heavy breeze The first half of Kieler Woche has wrapped up in Germany, with Australian sailors putting themselves to the test in five Olympic classes. Kiel delivered a complete spectrum of conditions for athletes to sharpen their racing skills. Posted on 26 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 6
Double gold for France in Olympic classes Perfect sailing conditions marked the final of Kieler Woche in the Olympic skiff, dinghy, and surf classes: On Wednesday, June 25, the waters off Schilksee offered fresh to strong, challenging winds with flat waves. Posted on 25 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 5
Tuesday served as a warm-up for the hot finale of Kieler Woche Sophie Steinlein and Catherine Bartelheimer from Bavaria in the skiff, as well as Kiel native Fabian Wolf on the foiling windsurf board, will enter Wednesday's (June 25) medal races as leaders. Posted on 24 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 3
A Tough Test for Athletes and Equipment Fresh to strong south-westerly winds with stormy squalls pushed participants to their limits on Monday at Kieler Woche. Posted on 23 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 2
The Olympic skiffs sorted themselves into gold and silver fleets after four daily races Subtropical sailing conditions with a light but sufficient breeze delighted the athletes on Sunday (June 22) on the second regatta day of Kieler Woche. Posted on 22 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 1
German frontrunners in the 49er and 49er FX classes Fantastic summer weather with light but quite variable winds meant a reduced sailing program for more than 2000 participants at the start of Kieler Woche on Saturday (21 June). Posted on 22 Jun
Australian Sailors ready to tackle Kiel Week
The third event within the five event Sailing Grand Slam Australia's Olympic class sailors are set to tackle Kiel Week, the third event within the five event Sailing Grand Slam, held in the north of Germany. Posted on 21 Jun
2025 Suzuki ILCA Master Europeans overall
Jon Emmett and Orlando Gledhill are crowned champions at Hayling island The 2025 Suzuki ILCA Master European Championships concluded today in Hayling Island, Great Britain, after five days of competition and nine races held for both fleets. A strong wind was expected, but conditions turned out to be lighter than forecast. Posted on 20 Jun