Final Laser qualifier

Andrew Commander reports on three races at Whitstable YC as Goodison takes victory

The final Laser Standard qualifier of the year took place at Whitstable YC on the north Kent coast. P.R.O. Ken Falcon thought that he was beginning to jinx events by turning up, as on Saturday morning there wasn’t a breath of wind. The competitors waited until 2pm before voting to come back tomorrow and try again.

Sunday dawned with 12-15 knots onshore breeze with all competitors eager to get 3 good races in. The tide running with the wind and very short sharp chop made for a course with relatively long beats and short downwind legs. The pin end for the first race was favoured with Andrew Commander and Hugh Styles winning the pin. Both crossed the fleet with Commander taking a comfortable lead from the rest of the chasing pack at the first windward mark. Commander was still leading after the 2 reaches but Mark Powell stormed down the second reach to be on Commanders tail and just ahead of the Youth, Giles Scott. A few shifts on the second beat allowed for some gains with Scott momentarily overtaking Powell, a shift back though and Powell was again in second. Commander held on to take the bullet from Powell and Scott.

The second race was underway after a general recall and the wise employment of the black flag. Again the pin end was favoured with Styles and Paul Goodison winning it and being able to cross the fleet. The 2 battled it out up the first beat but Goodison had the edge to be leading by the windward mark, while James Gray came across from the right hand side in clear air and good pace to be comfortably in third place. This remained unchanged until the finish with Goodison winning easily from Styles and Gray.

With only 3 races possible on Sunday due to the sailing instructions, the third and final race would decide who won the weekend. The wind had shifted slightly to the right which made the committee boat end now favoured at the start. Styles had the best lane out to the right hand side and was able to lead at the windward mark from the chasing pack of Goodison, Scott, Powell and Nick Thompson all very close together. By the second beat Goodison had stamped his authority on the fleet to take the lead, while everything was still up for grabs behind him. Goodison went on to take the bullet, while Scott had the best run to climb to second place with Thompson third.

Goodison won the weekend with 2 firsts, Commander’s fourth in the second race was enough to take second overall despite a black flag in the final race and won on countback from first youth Scott on equal points. Powell was fourth with 6 points, again on countback from Styles in fifth.