Rooster Laser South Coast Grand Prix at Spinnaker Sailing Club
by Keith McQuillin 19 May 19:00 BST
18 May 2019
In zephyr conditions, Spinnaker hosted the second of the Rooster South Coast Grand Prix events for Laser Standard and Radial on 18th May.
The predicted 2 kts for the whole day kept away most of the sailors, but those who made the trip were rewarded with just enough wind that lasted just long enough to run one meaningful race. A single start was run for both fleets and the familiar Spinnaker unpredictability provided a challenge especially for Richard Bradshaw (Weir Wood) - caught on the wrong side of the shift.
In the Standards, Simon Radford (Bosham) and Peter May (Spinnaker) had the best starts and jostled for the lead. This was a battle that persisted for the whole race. Several times, Robert Marshall (Spinnaker) bridged the gap to these two only to find himself in a hole and drop back. Simon was able to keep Peter behind to the finish for a win.
In the Radials, Keith McQuillin (RAFSA/Spinnaker) had the best start, but was beaten to the first mark by Rhys Jones (Cardiff YC). A course error allowed Keith to regain the lead but he was pressed for the rest of the race by Rhys. Keith was able to hold on for the win.