Keerati (THA) and Romzi (MAL) scoop Laser honours in Pattaya

by Peter Cummins on 15 Mar 2010 Thai Laser national champion, Keerati Bualong reigned supreme in the Laser Standard Rig, while Malaysian sailor Muhamad Mohd Romzi did likewise in the Smaller Laser Radial Rig, in the concurrent championships sailed off the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in South Pattaya this week.

As the winds returned and the 2010 Asia Pacific Laser and Laser Masters Championships finished off the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in South Pattaya, the last day’s racing resembled what one sailor called a “roller-coaster” ride: the Monsoon blew in at around 20 knots and huge waves had the fleet “rocking and rolling”. “It was superb,” Hans Luther noted.

Consistent Sattahip sailor Keerati Bualong, consolidating his recent win as Laser Champion of Thailand and a first placing in the 2009 Laser Radial Youth World Championships in Japan, was unassailable as the first of the 31-strong fleet
in the Laser Standard Rig Division. Keerati finished with five first placings and three seconds for a total of 11 penalty points, in the eight races counted out of the 10 sailed.

But he had to fight hard to keep in front of neighbour, Malaysian Hairudin Harrithammry (20) in second, ahead of a strong team of compatriots, Mod Afendy Khairulnizam (22) and Nik Azizam Nik Ashraf Qaedi, (29), third and fourth, respectively..

Equally-consistent Aussie sailor, Colin Dibb (32) was fifth, well ahead of Thai Veerasit Puangnak (53), sixth.

Royal Varuna sailor Gareth Owen (68) was seventh, ahead of Aussie Stefan Kurys-romer (74).

In the 43-entry fleet of the slightly smaller Laser Radial Rig which suited some of the “older sailors” - again the Malaysians were in the vanguard: Muhamad Mohd Romzi, with seven first placings and a third, in the eight races counted out of 10 sailed, accumulated 10 penalty points, easily beating sailors from four other countries, comprising the first 10 placings.

Following the Malaysian, at the end of the racing, were, in order: Natthawut Paenyaem (THA, 16 points), Keith Wilkiins (GBR, 36), ), Nattawut Vongrak (THA, 43), Peter Seidenberg (USA, 48), Tada Momoko (JPN – and first female, 55 points), Richard Major (GBR, 69), Michael Kinnear (GBR, 77), Amirah Hamid Nur (MAL – second female, 79), and Chanyim Kamolwas (THA and first Thai female).

There were several other categories decided simultaneously: Open, (age 35 – 44); Masters (45 – 54), Grand Masters (55 plus). There is even a Great Grand Masters category for men and women – though not too many women opt for this age group!

Briefly, Japans’s Tada Momoko was first lady in the Radial Open, Jennie King (GBR) and Marijke Whitcraft (THA) were the leading ladies in the Radial Women’s Masters, Aussie Colin Dibb won the Open Standard Rig Masters, while GBR's Keith Wilkins was the Great Grand Master in the Open Radial, with Hilary Thomas (also GBR) bravely asserting her rank among the “old boys”, to finish 10th in that division.

The Laser, sailed in some 100 countries world-wide, was the brain-child of a former yachting journalist, Canadian Bruce Kirby, launched in 1971. What a transformation from a yachting correspondent to a designer of probably the world’s most popular dinghy. I feel there is some hope for me, yet!!

Now that the highly successful 2010 Asia Pacific Laser and Laser Masters Championships are over, the Royal Varuna Yacht Club is gearing up for the 2010 World Laser 4.7 Youth Championship. This will be contested from 31 March to 8 April when some 120 young (under 18 year-old ) sailors from 25 countries will join host country sailors for the event.