SW Laser Grand Prix and Masters event at Beer Sailing Club

The fifth event of the South West Laser Grande Prix at Beer was held alongside a category B masters qualifier on Sunday 7th June. The forecast for the event was not good and a number of potential competitors did not travel.

Twenty one sailors competed and the first race started in a force 3 North-westerly across 3-4 knots of tide. The boats on the right-hand side of the course benefitted from a 20 degree shift half way up the first beat, the wind slowly died leaving the pack at the front with nothing and the chasing boats catching up quickly in a steady breeze.

In the Standard fleet Alastair Ley from Wier Wood took the win closely followed by Robert Dyer and Ben Flower. In the Radials Greg Bartlett was the first to cross the line in front of Steve Smith and Mark Stitson.

After waiting for half an hour for the sea breeze to overpower the gradient wind, it settled in a south westerly direction for the second and third races.

The fleet split at the start of the second race, with those keeping out of the tide on the right hand side also benefitting from a bend in the wind giving them a commanding lead at the first mark. In the Standard fleet Dave Stockton and Paul Scullion had their own race at the front of the fleet with Dave taking line honours, further back after many place changes James Green took third. Hilary Thomas won the radial race closely followed by Neil Dunkley and Roger Williams.

With the tide having turned for the start of the third race the left hand side of the course was looking more favourable and those who started on the left were also blessed with a good shift for the first half of the beat. Paul Scullion rounded first with Dave Stockton in close attendance and the following pack not far behind. Greg Bartlett had a great first beat in his Radial and rounded the first mark in the top five boats.

Scullion and Stockton pulled away from the fleet due to lots of luffing and shouting going on behind them. The right hand side paid on the second beat with those going left loosing huge distances, this stretched out the fleet but did not change the positions at the front of the fleet. Paul Scullion won in the Standard fleet followed by Stockton and Pete Sherwin. Greg won in the Radials with Neil in second place again with Steve Smith in third.

Thanks must go to Geoffrey Adkin and his team for setting good courses in the prevailing conditions and of course for all members of Beer Sailing Club who helped on the day.

Standard rig results:

1st Paul Scullion – Restronguet
2nd Dave Stockton – Wimbleball
3rd Rob Dyer – Restronguet

Radial rig results:

1st Greg Bartlett – Starcross
2nd Neil Dunkley – Looe
3rd Steve Smith – Chew Valley