UK Laser National Championships - Winners decided

by UK Laser Class Association on 1 Aug 2009 Two wins on the final day of the UK Laser National Championships were enough to give Jon Emmett (Weir Wood) the Radial Title.

Steve Cockerill (Stokes Bay) had gone into the day with a seven point lead but with a full schedule of races completed the second discard came into force and with Cockerill only managing a 7, 5 score it was enough to swing the balance in Emmett’s favour. Steve did pick up the Masters’ title as compensation. Richard Talbot (third) won the University Trophy, Richard Keates (fourth) secured the Youth title. Another youth sailor, John Currie, was 5th just ahead of the Junior Champion Jack Wetherell (sixth) who had in the early races been challenging Emmett and Cockerill. Ann Keates finished as top Lady in a very respectable 14th place.

A win and third place in the final two races was enough to ensure that Dan Holman (Torpoint Mosquito) took the Standard title. Dan had sailed very consistently all week and thoroughly deserved his victory. James Green (Beer) rounded off the week with two second places. He was also second overall counting all his results in the top 10. Very Good! Local helm Paul Procter was the top Master in fifth place and James Spencer (Mudeford) was the top Youth sailor in seventh place.

In the Laser 4.7 class Will Harris won his sixth race in the morning and couldn’t be beaten overall. So he had the luxury of an early bath and packing his boat up before the mad rush. The final gun sounded in the ears of Jamie Diamond (Warsash) and this helped him to third place overall behind James Parker-Mowbray (Frampton-on-Severn) but one point ahead of Ross Williams (Grafham Water).

In the Radial Silver Fleet Jamie Watts had a good day with a third & second and this was too much for the other contenders. Richard Majors and David Williams (both Grafham Water) had a bad result and this kept them well behind the leader. The winning guns went to Harry Houlding (Restroguet) and Billy Miness (Emsworth Slipper). Both these young sailors have been doing well in their local Grand Prix series and it isd good to see that they are taking that success into the National arena. Finally the Radial Bronze title went to Christopher Wheeler from Leigh and Lowton. He won two of the last four races and opened up a reasonable gap above Grafham Water’s Luke Barlow. Behind these two Jon Evans (Royal Victoria) and Max Williams (Starcross) were tied on the same number of points. Third place went to Jon on countback.

The UK Laser Association would like to thank everyone at Paignton S.C. who helped to provide such a great championship. Also thanks must go to Ken Falcon (now Hon. Sailing Sec.) for being P.R.O. for the week and Dot Beadsworth and her shore team for their hard work.

The full results can be found on the UK Laser website, www.laser.org.uk.