The Laser

Nigel Cherrie reflects on the popularity of this stalwart dinghy class

Still the biggest class at Hyeres...

Russell Coutts, Dean Barker and Paul Cayard have each raced one, and it is not an America's Cup yacht. At the Sydney Olympic Games, it was the only class to claim four gold medallists.

This is the boat that led the way in competitive one design racing for two decades and is still growing in popularity today. With over 174,000 now in existence spread over 122 countries, the chances are if you have sailed or raced a dinghy this will be the one.

In fact, one wonders if Canadian Bruce Kirby had any idea of the worldwide phenomenon he had created when he penned the lines of the Laser single-handed class over 30 years ago.

The Laser has not just survived the high performance revolution of the last decade through the explosion of visually more exciting and faster singlehanders, but has emerged stronger than ever. Imagine if the car you brought in the 1970s was still as popular and being sold in its original form today? Even the Mini has been updated.

You have to look at the Laser as the complete spectrum in order to understand why the class is so strong, explains Jeff Martin, Executive Secretary of the International Laser Class Association and its 16,000 members. Mum, dad, son or even grandad can race at the local club or in a regional, national and perhaps international championships in either the 4.7, Radial and full rig format in the same boat Ben Ainslie rewrote Olympic history with.

The beauty lies in its simplicity. No matter what version of the boat you sail, the hull and the four control lines (mainsheet, outhaul, cunningham and vang) always remain the same, all that is required is just a separate lower mast section and sail. For a few hundred pounds, the entire family has a hobbyhorse or competitive racing boat to suit their weight and ability.It has grown from nothing to the largest youth and adult class, adds Martin. That has shown in the Olympics and elsewhere in international sailing. By popular demand it fits the bill.

The numbers of entries for major championships worldwide are remarkable. In the Laser Radial, for the past two or three years there have been 35 countries competing at the world championship with upwards of 220 entries in the open and youth divisions. "We had the first Laser 4.7 European championship last year," says Martin and it is just starting to mirror the growth curve of the Radial. The 4.7 refers to the area of the sail that makes an ideal step up for Optimist sailors.

At the standard rig Laser World Championship, the numbers are capped as the event is used as a country qualifier for the Olympic Games but at the Mexico world championship prior to the Sydney Olympics there were fifty nations in attendance.

That was where Mr Laser, Robert Scheidt, won world title number four. Scheidt won the youth world title in 1992 and is still driven to succeed today. "Robert likes the class, the concept, the fact it is man on man," continues Martin. He knows the class well, but he still has to work harder each year. Coming from a geographically secluded country like Brazil, being able to find a competitive boat anywhere in the world must also be an attraction for the double Olympic medallist.

Scheidt's fifth world title came in Ireland last year and, unless young gun Paul Goodison can stop him, the Brazilian could win number six this year. In theory a total of eight world championships could be his before the Athens Olympic Games in 200. Surely that would make him the most decorated world sailing champion of all time? Even the great Glenn Bourke, who dominated the class in the early 90s only won three world titles.

Five-time World Champion, Robert Scheidt