Laser Masters Worlds: Two World titles for Kiwi sailors - Day 6
by Sail-World NZ/ILCA 14 Sep 22:39 BST
15 September 2019
Dave Ridley, 2019 Laser Master World Championships - Port Zeland, The Netherlands, September 6, 2019 © Thom Touw
New Zealand's Dave Ridley has won the Standard Rig Apprentice Masters world championship staged at Port Zelande, the Netherlands. Scott Leith (NZL) won the Masters title in the Radial Rig in the same regatta.
Almost 400 entries contested the championships contested in several age group divisions, and further split by rig option.
Two races were completed on the final day, Day 6 - two for the Standards in the morning one for the Radials, then N over A in a dying easterly.
Ridley won his world championship after he finished equal on points with local sailor Eduardo Van Vianen (NED). Ridley had four race wind compared to Van Vianen's two race wins. Jared West (ESP) was third - a single point behind the first two sailors.
Competition was very tight between the three sailors from the start of the six day regatta.
Leith had three points of breathing space, ahead of the second placed competitor Anders Mattsson Anders (SWE), with Jean-Christophe Leydet (FRA)in third.
For full results and regatta website 2019-masters.laser-worlds.com
Day 5:
Another good day on the water with two races for all fleets. These were races 9 & 10 for the event, except for the Standard GM/GGM fleets, which are lagging by one race. The wind held steady out of the North at 10 knots, on average, but there were short-lived fluctuations to the left and right and definite differences in pressure. Big gains for those who took advantage of them, and losses for those who didn't.
The Radials were first on the water for the 1030 warning signal. In the Apprentice fleet, Jon Emmett (GBR) increased his lead with a pair of bullets. There's still a battle for second, with Georgia Chimona (GRE) leading Javier Tejedor (ESP) by only four points. In the Masters, Leith Scott (NZL), Anders Mattsson (SWE), and Leydet Jean-Christophe (FRA) lead the fleet, all with comfortable margins.
In the GM fleet, Gilles Coadou (FRA) & Kim Tan (NED) lead with a five point separation between them. Positions look stable in the GGM fleet, with Jeff Loosemore (AUS) leading Bill Symes (USA) & Henk Wittenberg (NED), but competition in the Legends fleet is tight, with only three points separating Kerry Waraker (AUS), Johan Van Rossem (CAN), and Kevin Phillips (AUS).
The Standards began racing in the early afternoon. At the end of the day, only one point each separated the three leaders in the Apprentice fleet - Eduardo Van Vianen (NED), Jared West (ESP), & Dave Ridley (NZL). Serge Kats (NED) has a strong lead in the Masters fleet (finishing 1st & 2nd today helped!), but only one point separates Adonis Bougiouris (GRE) and Brett Beyer (AUS), who are fighting for second.
This pattern holds for the GM & GGM fleets. Carlos Martinez (ESP) is safely leading the GM fleet, but there's a three-way tie for second place! Stefan Nordström (SWE), Gunni Pedersen Chr. (DEN), & Arne Nilsen Per (NOR) all have 57 points, and Tomas Nordqvist (SWE) is trailing that group by five points. In the GGMs, Wolfgang Gerz (GER) is in front, but only five points separate Peter Serwin (GBR) and Michael Hicks (GBR).
With consistent wind today, and only a few general recalls (but a good handful of UFD & BFD penalties!), sailors were off the water by 1630 to enjoy paella at the hospitality tent. Social events continue with a party this evening, and then a final day of racing before closing ceremonies tomorrow night.
Day 4:
A good day to race sailboats in Zeeland! A bit cloudy in the morning, with 8-10 knots out of the SW. The skies cleared in the afternoon and the wind built to the mid-teens. All fleets sailed the two races scheduled for the day and were off the water before 1700.
The Standard fleets were the first on the water today, and the competition remains tight. In the Apprentice fleet, Jared West (ESP) and Dave Ridley (NZL) are now tied for the lead, with Eduardo Van Vienen (NED) trailing by one point. Serge Kats (NED) has a healthy lead in the Masters fleet, after a pair of seconds today, as does Wolfgang Gerz in the GGM fleet. Scores in the GM fleet tightened up after the two leaders, Carlos Martinez (ESP) and Tomas Nordqvist (SWE), scored double-digits in the second race, putting Stefan Nordstrom (SWE) in a close third.
The Radial fleets began racing in the early afternoon. Most of these fleets have a clear leader - Jon Emmet (A, GBR), Gilles Coadou (GM, FRA), and Jeff Loosemore (GGM, AUS). In the Masters fleet, Scott Leith (NZL) is in front, but is closely followed by Anders Mattson (SWE), Peppu Marinelli, Leydet and Jean-Christophe (FRA). And in the Legends fleet, Kerry Waraker (AUS) is trailed by only one point by Johan Van Rossem (CAN), and by only five points by Kevin Phillips (AUS).
See the full listing of provisional results on the host website 2019-masters.laser-worlds.com.
Bottom line, the leader board is likely to change with the racing tomorrow, and the weather forecast looks good for sailing. Stay tuned to see how it turns out!