First qualifier

The first UK Laser Radial National Ranking event will take place in Stokes bay over the coming weekend

The first of the Radial Qualifiers kicks off this weekend, and the hope is to get five out of five races completed (in a single discard series), but at the very least to get more races than the other Olympic classes who had their first event cancelled last month due to strong winds and freezing temperatures. There will be six events and the National Ranking is a rolling system counting the best four of the last six events. Each event is completely open, with the entry fee a modest £26. Grants are available for the top sailors to enter international regattas but there is also support for the Silver and Bronze fleet sailors (those not in RYA squads), further down the rankings.

As always, many new faces will be joining the fleet, as people move into the Radial from Junior classes, some no doubt will be at the front, others not so. There will be over 100 starters at Stokes Bay and due to the size of the fleet there may well be a split into Alpha and Beta fleets (based on past successes) at the Race officer’s discretion, the aim being to reduce the likelihood of general recalls which are no fun for anyone, although as always this is probably most dependant on the strength and direction of the current in relation to the wind.

For the seasoned campaigners it is a new start and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. Everyone has been working extremely hard: Laura Baldwin who is ISAF ranked number two in the World has not stopped since the World Championship in Brazil. First she flew to Australia to do their season, followed by a trip to Miami to train with World number one (and World and European champion) Paige Railey, and compete in the American regattas where she was joined by the UK’s number one ranked Radial sailor Andrea Brewster.

Lizzie Vickers who finished top Brit at both the Europeans and Worlds has certainly not been idle either, and along with Charlotte Dobson (runner up at the 2005 Nationals) has been training in Martinque with the French, whilst at home Alison Young and Penny Mountford have been receiving coaching, at Stokes Bay, perhaps hoping for the local advantage. There may of course be some other formidable female sailors joining the fleet, who were not in the Radial last year.

Although the season is only just beginning, no one wants to start with a bad regatta, and with the ISAF Worlds and the first test event for the Olympics this year, the top girls must already be thinking about who will get the single spot for the 2008 Olympics.