Please select your home edition
Edition
North Sails Loft 57 Podcast

Masters Games - Slater off to a flying start on Day 1

by Yachting on 23 Apr 2017
Lasers return to Torbay after Day 1 of racing at the Masters Worlds 2017 Yachting New Zealand
Dan Slater, who competed in three Olympic Games, had a perfect start to the 2017 Masters Games with two first-placed finishes in today’s two races in the Laser fleet.

It has been more than four years since Slater finished top-level racing following the London Olympics and it’s fair to say he let standards slip.

“I was in pretty bad nick,” he admitted. “When I stopped Finn sailing I was still eating like a Finn sailor but doing no exercise. I hated the gym after London. Hated it. I had done 20-odd years and I just didn’t want to go. I have stepped foot in one twice. [The World Masters Games] was a good excuse to get back out there.

“I put in a pretty big effort to diet down and lost the best part of 7kg for the event but I’m still too big for a Laser by about 3-4kg. Today was fine but if we get light winds, I’m too heavy.

A variety of conditions are expected for the week’s racing and today saw a building 12-14 knot south-easterly and a fair bit of chop off Torbay in Auckland.

A combination of former Olympians, America’s Cup and round-the-world sailors, world champions and sailing enthusiasts are among the 237 competitors across the three classes: Weta, Laser and Laser Radial.

Multiple world champion Scott Leith also had a perfect day in the Laser Radial, picking up two wins to lead the men's masters category, as did Australian Mark Kennedy in the men's grand master fleet. Brent Gribble and Sarinan Gribble also claimed three wins and a second placing to lead the double-handed Weta class and Jon Bilger leads the single-handed Weta fleet after three wins and a 32nd UFD, which is presently his discard. Two-time Olympic medallist Rex Sellers was sitting in fifth overall.

Slater admits the competitive instincts are still as strong as ever.

“I'm racing guys who I fought it out for Olympic spots,” he said. “It’s still there. Well, it is in my mind. Your brain is telling you to do things you did in your 20s and 30s and the body doesn’t quite bend the same way and the quick reaction times aren’t quite the same.

“It’s a good excuse to get back in some reasonable shape and go sailing. In our fleet, everyone has been a national champion and world top 20 in their day so everyone knows how to sail a Laser pretty fast.

“I enjoy racing and enjoy racing against guys who are really good because that’s what I have done all my life. It’s also good for my business because I am the Laser dealer and I should go out and support the class I live off.”

A win this week would probably help business even more.

Provisional results after Day 1 of the sailing at the World Masters Games, Torbay, Auckland

Laser AM M Fleet: (category, results, total points)

1st - Dan Slater (NZL) Laser Men Apprentice Master 35-44 1.0 1.0 2.0
2nd - Matthew Blakey (NZL) Laser Men Apprentice Master 35-44 3.0 2.0 5.0
3rd - Rohan Lord (NZL) Laser Men Master 45- 54 2.0 4.0 6.0
4th - Anthony Merrington (AUS) Laser Men Apprentice Master 35-44 4.0 3.0 7.0
5th - Andrew Dellabarca (NZL) Laser Men Master 45- 54 5.0 7.0 12.0

Laser GM GGM GGGM Fleet:

1st - Tim Law (GBR) Laser Men Grand Master 55-64 1.0 2.0 3.0
2nd - Murray Thom (NZL) Laser Men Grand Master 55-64 8.0 1.0 9.0
3rd - Mark Oliver (NZL) Laser Men Grand Master 55-64 6.0 4.0 10.0
4th - Luke Carter (NZL) Laser Men Grand Master 55-64 4.0 6.0 10.0
5th - Nick Page (NZL) Laser Men Grand Master 55-64 7.0 5.0 12.0

Laser Radial AM M Fleet:

1st - Scott Leith (NZL) Laser Radial Men Master - 45-54 1.0 1.0 2.0
2nd - Phil Wild (NZL) Laser Radial Men App Master 35-44 2.0 4.0 6.0
3rd Adam Beashel (AUS) Laser Radial Men Master - 45-54 3.0 3.0 6.0
4th - Mark Orams (NZL) Laser Radial Men Master - 45-54 8.0 2.0 10.0
5th - Edmund Tam (NZL) Laser Radial Men Master - 45-54 4.0 6.0 10.0

Laser Radial GM GGM GGGM Fleet:

1st - Mark Kennedy (AUS) Laser Radial Men Grand Master 55-64 1.0 1.0 2.0
2nd - Rick Longbottom (AUS) Laser Radial Men Grand Master 55-64 5.0 3.0 8.0
3rd - Werner Hennig (NZL) Laser Radial Men Grand Master 55-64 4.0 5.0 9.0
4th - Terry Scutcher (GBR) Laser Radial Men Grand Master 55-64 10.0 2.0 12.0
5th - Robert Lowndes (AUS) Laser Radial Men Gt Gr Master 65-74 2.0 10.0 12.0

Weta Double Handed Fleet:

1st - Brent Gribble and Sarinan Gribble (NZL) Weta Dbl Mixed Master 45-54 ­(2.0) 1.0 1.0 1.0 3.0
2nd - Tony Sadler and Beryl Morris (AUS) Weta Dbl Mixed Gt Gr Master ­65­-74 1.0 2.0 2.0 (3.0) 5.0
3rd - Terry McDell and Kim McDell (NZL) Weta Dbl Mens Gt Gr Master ­65-­74 (3.0) 3.0 3.0 2.0 8.0
4th - Michael Lanigan and Sheryl Lanigan (NZL) Weta Dbl Mixed Gt Gr Master ­65­-74 4.0 (7.0) 5.0 4.0 13.0
5th - Simon Boys and Marjorie Boys (NZL) Weta Dbl Mixed Grand Master ­55­-64 (7.0) 6.0 4.0 5.0 15.0

Weta Single Handed Fleet:

1st - Jon Bilger (NZL) Weta Sgl Men Master ­45­-54 1.0 1.0 (32.0 UFD) 1.0 3.0
2nd - Martin Cross (AUS) Weta Sgl Men Grand Master ­55-­64 (3.0) 2.0 1.0 3.0 6.0
3rd - Roderick Waterhouse (AUS) Weta Sgl Men Grand Master ­55-­64 (7.0) 6.0 2.0 2.0 10.0
4th David Kennett (NZL) Weta Sgl Men Master ­45-­54 2.0 (7.0) 4.0 4.0 10.0
5th Rex Sellers (NZL) Weta Sgl Men Gt Gr Master ­65-­74 5.0 3.0 3.0 (9.0) 11.0
Excess CatamaransB&G Zeus SR AUSAllen Dynamic 40 Footer

Related Articles

Double Double
And the rest of the line is not toil and trouble, but quadruple, then another double… On the eve of the 100th Fastnet that has attracted some 464 entries, I heard of one entry in this record fleet that seemed so very apt. Not only because it includes the Commodore of the RORC, but because it combines two Brits and two Aussies.
Posted today at 10:00 pm International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda overall
Malcesine crowns France's Enzo Balanger as the new World Champion The 2025 Moth World Championship has officially come to an end on the waters of Lake Garda, closing a week of exceptional technical and sporting level hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine from July 6 to 13.
Posted today at 4:51 pm Dutch Water Week preview
The youngest city in the Netherlands will celebrate sport, fun, and innovation From Olympic champions to first-time paddleboarders—everyone is welcome on and around the water during Dutch Water Week 2025 in Almere. From Palma de Mallorca, passing by Hyerès and Kiel to Los Angeles, now to the Weerwater in the heart of Almere.
Posted today at 1:36 pm La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec
34 Sailors in Pursuit of Sailing's Holy Grail Unattainable, timeless, uncompromising, iconic—superlatives abound when describing La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, an event organized by OC Sport Pen Duick. And all the sailors who've taken part in this legendary race over the years would certainly agree.
Posted today at 9:44 am Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 8
Super Finals Saturday sees Daida Moreno produce buzzer beater The penultimate day of the 2025 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup saw final results gained in three categories; Women's, U21 Boy's and U18 Boy's and all three divisions required Super Finals to determine the eventual winners.
Posted on 12 Jul International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 5
A day to remember on Lake Garda with waves and strong gusts A day to remember on Lake Garda for the fifth and penultimate day of the 2025 Moth World Championship, hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine from 6 to 13 July.
Posted on 12 Jul Jazz Turner Makes History in Project FEAR
Jazz credits Allen for providing cutting-edge sheeting systems, as well as expert advice Project FEAR, an extraordinary solo sailing voyage by Jazz Turner, has concluded successfully: she became the first disabled person – and specifically the first wheelchair user – to sail non-stop and unassisted around the UK and Ireland.
Posted on 12 Jul 18th Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona overall
Some of the most celebrated gems of classic yachting in the waters off Barcelona The sails have now been lowered on the 18th edition of the Puig Vela Clàssica, which this week brought together some of the most celebrated gems of classic yachting in the waters off Barcelona.
Posted on 12 Jul Dylan Fletcher previews Portsmouth
Fletcher says SailGP's Portsmouth debut offers the team the chance to 'right the wrongs'. With just a week to go until SailGP's return to Great Britain, we sit down with Emirates GBR driver Dylan Fletcher to discuss the opportunities and pressures of a home event.
Posted on 12 Jul Australian sailors take to Olympic waters
Regatta serves as an important test, not just for sailors, but also for organisers The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta is set to get begin, marking the first major combined event on the waters of the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Posted on 12 Jul
This site and its contents are Copyright © 2025 Sail-World Sail-World Australia and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved. Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph contact the photographer directly.
If you have any questions about advertising or editorial then please contact our team. If you encounter any technical issues then please email techsupport@sail-world.com
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy