Laser Champions crowned with a bit of Star Power.

by Jane Moffat on 5 Jan 2014 TV sports presenter Sandy Roberts added some star power to the presentation of the 2014 Australian Laser Championships.

The outcome for the Radial and Standard fleet were really forgone conclusions with Australian Sailing Team Member Matthew Wearn (WA) taking the Standard title and double World Men’s Champion Tristan Brown (WA) taking the overall Radial title.

However on the 4.7 fleet it was tight racing right up to the very end with Hamish Wiltshire (NT) overhauling Jack Graves (VIC) to take the title. Going into the final day in the lead, Graves placed 18 and 15 in the final two races to slip to second place finishing on 34 points eight point behind Wiltshire. The pair are competing in the OAMPS Australian Youth Championships starting next week, Graves will be out to turn the tables.

McCrae sailor Brody Riley placed third overall in the Laser 4.7 achieving his goal of a podium finish for the championship.
Charlotte Llewelyn (VIC) was another young sailor who achieved their goal placing top Australian female in the 4.7 fleet finishing 13 overall.

The light and shifty conditions favoured two female Japanese sailors Manami Doi finishing sixth overall in the Radial fleet and first female; and Natsumi Ando first female and 11 overall in the 4.7 fleet.

Krystal Weir (VIC) had a mixed regatta finishing ninth overall and first Australian female. Weir was impressed with the level of competition and commented 'there will be some hot competition in the near future looking at the sailors coming through'.

Weir along with Wearn and Brown presented the prizes to the younger sailors, a treat for those winners shaking the hand of an Olympian, a World Champion and an Australian Sailing Team Member.

Thanks go to the Wilson brothers and Peter Merritt as race officers for managing the championship, along with the huge volunteer team at McCrae.

Congratulations to all the winners and good luck to those participating in the 2014 OAMPS Australian Youth Championships next week.