Please select your home edition
Edition
Ocean Safety 2023 - New Identity - LEADERBOARD

2021 Catalyst Laser Nationals - Day 1

by 2021 NZ Laser Nationals 22 Jan 2021 07:00 GMT
George Gautrey (NZL) - Day 2, World Laser Championship, Sakaiminato, Japan July 2019 © Junichi Hirai / Bulkhead Magazine Japan

The 2021 Catalyst Laser Nationals got underway at Worser Bay BC today, with an excellent fleet of 95 Laser and Radial sailors completing 3 races in 3 separate divisions; Standard (including Masters), Radial and Radial Masters.

All the fancy weather websites predicted a calm morning with a nice light northerly breeze developing in the afternoon. It sort of worked out, the morning was calm, and the locals called the 20 knot northerly that came in at lunchtime champagne sailing but most of the rest of the fleet called the 3 races in a solid Wellington northerly very hard work. The breeze was quite gusty and shifty, clocking more to the north as the afternoon progressed. With an outgoing tide and shifts off the land most beats favoured the shore side of the course, while the messy waves proved tricky for most on the runs.

In the Standards, where the Open and Masters sailed as a combined fleet, the standout performance was Sam Meech, our 2021 Olympic rep, who got off the start line cleanly every race and dictated from there to win all 3 races. Local club icon George Gautrey, also a member of the NZL squad, chased Sam hard all day but in the end had to settle for a string of 2nd ‘s. While those 2 stood out there were great battles behind them with Luke Deegan, Luke Cashmore, Eroni Leilua (who will represent Samoa at the Tokyo Olympics) and leading Master Andrew Dellabarca trading the minor placing all day. Tim Pitcaithly from Nelson is the leading Apprentice while local GM Owen Anderson had a strong day to lead the Grand Masters is spite of managing a quick downwind dip in the 3rd race.

In the Radial fleet youth Thomas Mulcahy had an exceptional day to lead by 2 points overall from last years youth champion Caleb Armit. To complete the leading trio Manly’s Matthew Rist is not far back in 3rd. In the Women’s it could not be closer with Annabelle Rennie Younger and Olivia Christie tied on points in 6th and 7th overall. Greta Pilkington is the leading youth girl in 11th overall.

In the Radial, Apprentice Phil Wild leads overall, but only by a single point from leading Women’s Master Jenny Armstrong, who got off to a fantastic start with a bullet in the first race of the day and showed great consistency with a second and a third in the other 2 races. Pete Thomas leads the GM’s while John Pitman is the leading GGM.

While the weather sites tried to lull us all with light wind predictions today tomorrow is a different story, with 30 knots forecast, so we will hope that they end up erring in the opposite direction tomorrow and that conditions allow racing as scheduled.

Related Articles

Northern ILCA circuit at Rudyard Lake
Gritted teeth, hard hiking and several capsizes Rudyard Lake Sailing Club held the latest round of the Northern ILCA circuit with eleven ILCA sailors on Saturday 28th June. Posted on 3 Jul
An evening with the Scaramouche Sailing Trust
Sailing hasn't always been a sport for inner-city state schools like the Greig City Academy Sailing hasn't always been a sport for inner-city state schools like the Greig City Academy (GCA). But they've shown it can be accessible to everyone, with amazing results. Posted on 2 Jul
2025 EurILCA Master FRA at Carnac
A total of 63 Master sailors took part The 2025 EurILCA Master FRA concluded on Sunday in Carnac, France, after three days of competition, with all six scheduled races successfully completed. A total of 63 Master sailors took part in the event, which was organized by the Yacht Club de Carnac. Posted on 1 Jul
World Sailing announces split venues for LA28
The boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port World Sailing has said it welcomes the confirmation of sailing venues for the Olympic Games LA28 the boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port. Posted on 30 Jun
Bronze breakthrough for Liddell and Brown
Nacra 17 duo claim their first international podium at Kieler Woche Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown have claimed their first international podium in the Nacra 17 class, securing bronze at Kieler Woche, the third Sailing Grand Slam event of the season. Posted on 30 Jun
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 on 27 Jun
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