Laser 4.7 Youth Nationals at the Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy

Laser 4.7 Youth Nationals at Weymouth © Keith Videlo

What does it take to sail a Laser 4.7? Loads of patience! This year waiting on shore for the wind to drop...or arrive... has been an essential skill.

The Youth Nationals followed the same pattern as all the other ladder events this year. Two days were lost to either too much wind or fog.

This year was the first time the Laser 4.7s had been invited to join all the other youth classes at the Youth Nationals and hopefully the first of many. The fact that the event did not clash with the 4.7 Europeans was helpful.

The format for the event was registration and equipment checks on Saturday and Sunday and racing Monday to Thursday. Monday dawned to a strong easterly breeze. All the classes were kept on shore, eventually sending the Laser standard and Radial classes out into the harbour to test the breeze. After one race they were all sent in and racing was cancelled for the day.

Tuesday was a complete contrast, very light breeze and a real concern that it was not raceable. Wind increased enough by lunchtime to allow all classes to launch and racing start.

Laser 4.7s racing was held inside the harbour along with Kite Foiling and Bic Techno, on different courses. The first race was held in 6 to 7 knot breeze and saw Scott Forbes in the boy's fleet and Lizzie Beardsall (girls) start as they meant to continue by winning their respective fleets.

After three races and decreasing breeze the fleet returned a shore. Leading the boys fleet was Scott Forbes, Michael Crosbie (from Royal Cork Y.C. Ireland) and Drew Gibbons. In the girl's the top three were Lizzie Beardsall, Alice Snook and Coco Barrett.

On Wednesday we were greeted by a gentle easterly breeze around 8 to 10 knots, but unfortunately fog had set in for the day making visibility appalling. The forecast was for it to be gone by 9am, but it didn't disappear until after 8pm!

Finally on the last day, Thursday we had wind and no fog allowing all four scheduled races to be sailed. With a more consistent breeze the racing was close making consistence the key to doing well. In the end the Scott Forbes won the boy's fleet followed by Drew Gibbons and Michael Crosbie.

In the girl's fleet Lizzie Beardsall won with Coco Barrett second and Alice Snook third. The Laser class would like to thank the RYA for inviting them to the Youth Nationals, Musto as the main sponsor and SailingFast chandlery for their continued support of the 4.7 fleet.

Overall Results: