ILCA 4 Masters National Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club
by Christi Brasher 6 Jul 2023 18:48 AEST
30 June - 2 July 2023
A major highlight of the 2023 ILCA Master Nationals was the introduction of the ILCA4 category. The UKLA (UK Laser Association) aimed to encourage lighter masters sailors to participate in a high-level event using ILCA4 boats, emphasising the inclusive nature of the sport. This weekend provided the perfect opportunity for smaller sailors to showcase their skills in this new category, much to the admiration of ILCA6 and ILCA7 sailors.
While weather conditions prevented any racing on Friday, Saturday brought a steady westerly wind at 25 knots, creating ideal surfing conditions on the sea. Despite a few capsizes, Sarah Harding and Christi Brasher from Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club fiercely competed in three physically demanding races.
Remarkably, most competitors in the combined fleets still had enough energy left to attend the evening dinner and prize draw. The generosity of UKLA's sponsors was exemplified by Ovington Boats, who contributed two sails and two rudder blades for the draw. However, the most exciting moment came from Wildwind Holidays, offering a draw for a free holiday at Vassiliki, an incredible sailing destination in Greece. The fortunate winner was Marshal King, a newcomer to the Masters but a seasoned sports boat sailor, who selflessly donated his prize to Ellie Ratusniak, our exceptional class secretary.
Sunday's forecast appeared more promising, with all three sailors taking to the water. The first race witnessed a close competition, with Ann Brand capitalising on her coastal experience to navigate the tides more effectively than the two lake sailors. Unfortunately, Christi capsized during the downwind section while searching for the leeward mark. Nevertheless, all three sailors displayed composure and crossed the finish line in a relatively tight match race. The wind intensified during the second race, featuring several stronger gusts. Sarah demonstrated excellent sailing skills and impressive boat speed, particularly on the downwind legs, leading the fleet at the leeward mark. However, Christi maintained her composure and gained speed upwind, eventually reaching the windward mark in the lead. The last race proved to be the highlight of the entire event, with the wind picking up even further to approximately 25 knots from the west-southwest.
Ultimately, Christi Brasher emerged as the victor, claiming the top prize, closely followed by Sarah Harding. The races were highly competitive, and the sailors exhibited a positive and encouraging attitude, all concluding their races with smiles and a sense of pride upon returning to shore. The ILCA4 boat undoubtedly proved its competitiveness, particularly in the challenging conditions faced throughout the weekend. Hopefully, future events will see more sailors competing in the ILCA4 category.
What can one say about the race management and the onshore teams ? Perfect - yes... UKLA and its members will remember this Masters Nationals as one of the very best, thanks you one and all. A special shout out to the Race Officer, Mark Woods.
Last but certainly not least, the sponsors. This year we have an incredibly strong group all supporting the events throughout the year. At one of the most joyous prize-givings I can remember more than 30 individual prizes were given out - thank you:
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | Cat | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 200998 | Christi Brasher | Chew valley lake sailing club | GM | ‑1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2nd | 160649 | Sarah Harding | Chew Valley Lake SC | GM | ‑2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 3rd | 182638 | Ann Brand | | GM | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 3 | 3 | DNC | 18 |