Laser 2 Nationals at Saundersfoot Sailing Club

New Laser II national champions Graeme Bristow and Bryan Mobbs were beaten only once on their way to this year’s title. In an impressive demonstration of speed and boat-handling, the Budworth pair had seven firsts to count at the end of the series, hosted by Saundersfoot Sailing Club over a long weekend June 22-24.

Two races were held on day one in a testing Force 4-5. Bristow and Mobbs wasted no time in stamping their authority on the fleet, winning both races, though only after overcoming determined opposition from Nigel Skudder and Keith Hills, Chris Foster and Tony Wright, Noel Butler and Stephen Campion from Ireland, and Terry Palmer and Caroline Cooper.

During the afternoon, the 39-boat fleet not only had to contend with increasingly awkward waves but also with huge numbers of jellyfish the size of dustbins, each capable of stopping a Laser II at full pelt and catapulting the crew past the shroud, and beyond. Indeed, by the end of the weekend everyone had a jellyfish tale to tell; for instance, Jon Chapman put the cause of his poor speed in race three down to the 2ft tentacle he later peeled off his rudder, while Graeme Bristow started to tack, hit a jellyfish and capsized instead.

Sunday dawned sunny and a little less breezy, starting at around Force 2 and building steadily to the top end of Force 3, providing perfect conditions to enable all four scheduled races to be completed. The first of the day, was won by Martin and Sian Joesbury, who led from start to finish and were the only pair to beat Bristow and Mobbs all weekend.

By the end of day two, the leading boat overall was comfortably clear of the pack but the battle for second was well and truly on. Among the contenders were Butler and Campion, Skudder and Hills, Alex Taylor and Sam Lones and the Joesburys, though the points situation was difficult to work out given that three discards would come in to play if all 10 races were completed.

So, with everything to play for, the fleet set out on Monday morning in a similar wind for the final four races. Bristow and Mobbs clinched the title with another convincing win in the first race, repeated the result in the second one just for luck, then sailed ashore, leaving the rest to battle it out.

Their departure seemed to lead to even more intense competition than before with the main protagonists snapping at each other’s heels in varying combinations. Several others did their best to intervene, including Jon Chapman and Gary Howland, Kevin Gerald and Wendy Martin, Terry Palmer and Caroline Cooper, and John Goldsborough and Ben Paddick. Crucial places were won and lost at first mark roundings, congested at the end of short beats, and on tight reaches when snap decisions had to be taken on when – or whether - to fly spinnakers.

After the closest of contests, Irishmen Noel Butler and Stephen Campion clinched second overall with Nigel Skudder and Keith Hills third.

Overall Results: