Goodison victory at Laser World and European Qualifier at WPNSA

by James Gray on 19 Oct 2010 Laser World and European Qualifier and Weymouth and Portland Academy.

A sunny Weymouth with a brisk 12 to 20 knots breeze from the NNE greeted the forty four Laser standards who made the trip for the second Autumn World and European Qualifier. Following a brief set back at the Hayling Worlds earlier in the summer, Goodison returned having had a short layoff with a bang winning all five races on the weekend. Pressure bands dominated the racecourse with the sailors jostling for optimum positioning amongst the fleet for when the new breeze and shift came in.

In race one, James Gray led at the windward mark and managed to pull into the lead on the top reach. The fleet headed for the orange mark which ended up not being gybe mark, and Goodison managed to get on the inside of Gray. Goodison took first whilst Gray held off a late challenge from the chasing back to seal second. Martin Evans took third, Nick Thompson fourth and Stuart Godwin fifth.

Goodison sealed victory in Race two. Once leading the fleet, Goodison relied on his boat speed and freedom of tactical options to edge further in front and put the race out of sight. Thompson returned to the top of the fleet taking second ahead of Stuart Godwin in third, Eifion Mon fourth, and Alex Mills-Barton completing the top five places.

Race three say big gains and losses made on the downwind legs. The fleet jostled for position, trying to select the correct side of the run to catch the new pressure. Goodison sailed away from the fleet whilst Mon and Thompson battled hard for second place. Goodison took the win, Mon second, Thompson third, Godwin fourth. Martin Evans finished fifth having consistently made large gains on the middle-left hand side second upwind legs.

Sunday threatened with a very light forecast but sailing got underway in a chilly 8-14 knot breeze from the NW. The offshore winds provided testing sailing conditions with differences in pressure between gust and lulls of five knots. Get it wrong and there was potential to make huge losses!

Goodison took race four, pulling clear of the fleet on the downwind legs. Mon held off a late charge from Thompson talking second and third respectively. Godwin finished fourth ahead of Rob Holmes. Holmes put together some good downwind legs, edging clear of a chasing pack of six boats, gaining the advantage at the leeward mark.

Race five saw a dying breeze which made the conditions even more predictable. The race was eventually shortened at the second windward mark. Youth sailor Andy Brown sailed a dominant first beat, leading from and Mills-Barton at the windward mark. Brown was later overhauled by Goodison who went to win the race and take a clean sweep. The final beat proved very difficult as the sailors battled to anticipate where the new pressure which had become very unpredictable would fill in from. Mills-Barton took second; securing a top five place overall. Godwin took third having sailed a consistent regatta. Brown sailed a brilliant race, showing he could mix it with the best, holding on for fourth just ahead of Thompson who was hot on his heels.

In the end consistency proved the winner in the tough conditions experienced in Weymouth
bay.

Results
1st Paul Goodison 4 pts
2nd Nick Thompson 12 pts
3rd Stuart Godwin 14 pts
4th Eifion Mon 16 pts
5th Alex Mills-Barton 22 pts

For full results, please click http://www.kbsuk.com/laser/events/index.asp?EventID=16!here.

For more information, please go to: www.laser.org.uk