Please select your home edition
Edition
Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst Yacht Tender 1456x180px TOP

2019 Barfoot & Thompson Laser Nationals Preview - Manly SC

by NZ Laser Association 3 Jan 2019 15:19 PST 4 January 2019

Entries are still open but with less than two weeks to go until racing gets underway at Manly Sailing Club in the 2019 Barfoot & Thompson Laser Nationals a large fleet is expected, with strong fields shaping up in all divisions.

In the Open Standards 2016 Olympic Bronze medallist and current World No 1 ranked San Meech must be the favourite but he will face challenges from several other NZ aspirants for the 2020 Olympic spot. These include Tom Saunders, also currently ranked in the World Sailing top 10, last years World Youth Champion Josh Armit, who has moved into the Standards for the first time this season after dominating the Radial in recent years and Wellingtonian George Gautrey.

Excellent Radial fleets at this seasons early regattas show that the Radial division is extremely strong and promises to be a close and interesting battle. Recent Sir Peter Blake Trophy winner and womens Olympic aspirant Olivia Christie will probably rank as favourite but is facing strong challenges from many directions including fellow womens Olympic hopeful Annabell Rennie Younger, top youth sailors including Luke Cashmore, Harrison Baker, Caleb Armit and Samantha Stock and multiple World Masters champion Scott Leith, who has again chosen to sail in the open division and keep the younger sailors honest.

In the Masters Standard a strong local contingent led by 2018 winner Andrew Dellabarca (M) and runner up in the recent Fiji Oceania Master Championship Dave Ridley (A) will be facing multiple international challenges. Top expat AusKiwis Matt Blakey (A) and ex Grand Masters World Champion Gavin Dagley (GM) are entered together with a couple of top US Masters sailors, Charlie Buckingham and Mike Matan, who have obviously decided summer racing at Manly is just too good an opportunity to miss!

In the Masters Radial 2018 champion Ed Tam is back to defend his title and is sure to be well prepared and hard to beat as usual. He is again expected to face challenges from several of last years top 5 including South Island Radial GM Hamish Atkinson and fellow top Masters Mike Knowsley and Werner Henig.

The contest will be preceded by a two day free coaching clinic open to all contest entries. With coaches including World No 1 Sam Meech and top womens sailor Olivia Christie its got to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to get the winning formula from the best Laser sailors in the world right now so get your contest entry in and get to Manly Thursday morning to be part of the coaching clinic.

Related Articles

Northern ILCA circuit at Rudyard Lake
Gritted teeth, hard hiking and several capsizes Rudyard Lake Sailing Club held the latest round of the Northern ILCA circuit with eleven ILCA sailors on Saturday 28th June. Posted on 3 Jul
An evening with the Scaramouche Sailing Trust
Sailing hasn't always been a sport for inner-city state schools like the Greig City Academy Sailing hasn't always been a sport for inner-city state schools like the Greig City Academy (GCA). But they've shown it can be accessible to everyone, with amazing results. Posted on 2 Jul
2025 EurILCA Master FRA at Carnac
A total of 63 Master sailors took part The 2025 EurILCA Master FRA concluded on Sunday in Carnac, France, after three days of competition, with all six scheduled races successfully completed. A total of 63 Master sailors took part in the event, which was organized by the Yacht Club de Carnac. Posted on 1 Jul
World Sailing announces split venues for LA28
The boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port World Sailing has said it welcomes the confirmation of sailing venues for the Olympic Games LA28 the boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port. Posted on 30 Jun
Bronze breakthrough for Liddell and Brown
Nacra 17 duo claim their first international podium at Kieler Woche Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown have claimed their first international podium in the Nacra 17 class, securing bronze at Kieler Woche, the third Sailing Grand Slam event of the season. Posted on 30 Jun
2025 International Classes Regatta preview
The ICR has earned a stellar reputation as an outstanding lead-up regatta for competitors The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) is proud to announce that the 2025 International Classes Regatta (ICR)—the Club's premier annual dinghy event—will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November 2025. Posted on 27 Jun
Sail Canada introduces Canadian Sailing Team
21 athletes were selected based on the Canadian Sailing Team Sport Canada Carding Criteria Sail Canada is pleased to announce the list of sailors who will be part of the 2025-2026 Canadian Sailing Team. Posted on 26 Jun
Aussies Break into Top 10 at Kieler Woche
Put to the test from light air to heavy breeze The first half of Kieler Woche has wrapped up in Germany, with Australian sailors putting themselves to the test in five Olympic classes. Kiel delivered a complete spectrum of conditions for athletes to sharpen their racing skills. Posted on 26 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 6
Double gold for France in Olympic classes Perfect sailing conditions marked the final of Kieler Woche in the Olympic skiff, dinghy, and surf classes: On Wednesday, June 25, the waters off Schilksee offered fresh to strong, challenging winds with flat waves. Posted on 25 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 5
Tuesday served as a warm-up for the hot finale of Kieler Woche Sophie Steinlein and Catherine Bartelheimer from Bavaria in the skiff, as well as Kiel native Fabian Wolf on the foiling windsurf board, will enter Wednesday's (June 25) medal races as leaders. Posted on 24 Jun
North Sails Loft 57 PodcastHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOM