Boat Measurements for Masters Worlds
For the Australian Championships at Sandringham in January out of 274 boats entered some 97 corrections where required at measurement. The most common issues were sail numbers and national codes (21), rudder angle (14), rudder or centreboard too thick (19).
It is likely that the boats presented for measurement for the World Masters in Geelong will have similar (or possibly worse) compliance.
Now is a good time to check your boat against the class rules. Sail number and national code (AUS) specifications are HERE . For the Worlds all boats have to have their AUS affixed in the right place and a correct full Laser number.
The specifications for centreboards and rudders are HERE We will have a rudder and centreboard gauge available at both the Metropolitan Championships Double Bay and the State Masters at Lake Jindabyne so sailors can check out their blade thickness and rudder angle.
It is a World Championship at Geelong and Laser is a strict one design class. Check your boat and expect no mercy at measurement and you won’t be disappointed.
New Laser Builder Arrangements
In November 2018, World Sailing approved its Olympic Equipment Strategy, which requires that any interested party who meets the necessary technical qualifications must be allowed to manufacture and sell Olympic equipment.
Seven manufacturers are now being offered provisional licenses to move forward in the builder application process. The manufacturers approved to move forward in the application process are:
- Devoti Sailing s.r.o. (Poland)
- Element 6 Evolution Co Ltd (Thailand)
- Nautivela srl (Italy)
- Ovington Boats Ltd (United Kingdom)
- Qindao Zou Inter Marine Co., Ltd (China)
- Rio tecna srl (Argentina)
- Zim Sailing (United States)
In addition in December 2019 ILCA offered UK based builder Laser Performance an agreement allowing them if they choose to be re-instated as a builder. The other two existing builders Performance Sailcraft Australia and Performance Sailcraft Japan remain as fully qualified builders.
Because the Laser trademark is held by other parties the boats and equipment from the new builders will be ILCA trade marked.
The builders won’t have designated territories so any builder can sell to anyone in the World if they choose. This open market should put downward pressure on price and eradicate pockets of Laser supply drought.
There is more information on this change and the new builder selection process on the ILCA web site HERE
Australian Laser Championships
The Australian Laser Championships were sailed between 3rd and 8th January at Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne with 264 competitors from 26 countries competing. The Nationals attracted many of the very best Laser sailors in the World so the standard of racing was very high.
The event is the first of a string of big Laser events including the Men’s Standard and Women’s and Men’s Radial World Championships at Sandringham in February and the Oceania and Australian and later World Laser Masters events in March at Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Victoria.
Conditions where quite variable and at times challenging as Port Phillip can be. Conditions ranged from bush fire smoke affected days with light and variable winds on two days to steady winds with ideal sailing conditions and then a testing 18-25 knot south-westerly day to conclude the series. Day 2 was blown out with a strong south-west front moving over the course at start time and blowing all day. Unusually there were no sea breeze days for the whole series. The conditions were a really good test and as is often the case the top sailors managed a string of consistent places with a sprinkling of brilliance.
11 of the schedule 12 races were completed.
In the Standard rigs Australian 2020 Olympic representative and World ranked number two Matt Wearn had the series won with a race to go. This was Matt’s 5th National title. Second was World ranked number three New Zealander Sam Meech followed by his countryman George Gautrey. Mathew finished just ahead of the Kiwi duo in the 2019 Laser Worlds in Sakaiminato, Japan in July. The 2019 Worlds event was won by the 2019 National Champion and 2016 Australian Rio Olympic gold medalist Tom Burton who did not contest the National Championship.
Eight of the top ten places in the 126 boat Radial event were filled by the very talented women sailors. These were headed by two Netherlands sailors Marit Bouwmeester and up and coming Maxime Jonker who went head to head with Marit winning by just four points after a bullet in the final race.
Brody Riley from Victoria was third – a great result leading up to the Men’s Radial Worlds on the same race track in February. Queenslander Mara Stransky won a cube for fifth and was the first Australian women. Mara, who was also the first Australian woman in the 2019 Nationals in Devonport, started this series with a bang with two bullets on day 1 and looking forward to the Radial Women’s Worlds in February her form is excellent.
The 79 boat 4.7 fleet was dominated by Team Singapore’s Jonathan Lio. Jonathon won 7 of the 11 races in all conditions to be comfortably ahead of fellow Team Singapore sailor Russell Yom. First Australian was third placed Toby Coote from WA and the first female was 2019 National 4.7 Champion Queenslander Kristen Wadley. Kristen was 7th in this event.
You can see all the results HERE and event photos HERE.
You can see write ups of the event on the Laser 2020 event web site HERE.
The best way to stay in touch with this and all the Laser 2020 events is with the Laser2020 app which you can get free on the AppStore HERE or PlayStore HERE.
Matt Wearn leading the pack in the Standards at 2020 Nationals
Another Bethwaite Record Set
A nice piece on 7th January by Luke Parker from Double Bay Sailing Club caught our eye. Luke reported;
A few lucky members were present for the most wonderful of surprises last night when Mark Bethwaite set a club record which is unlikely to be beaten.
Showing his trademark speed off the line, commitment and determination, Mark announced his engagement to the wonderful Jill Blaufelder at 6.50pm and they were married by 6.54pm!!!!
A 4 minute engagement is a target to aspire for.
To be honest, I’ve had first tacks off the start line that have taken longer.
Along with all the well wishers present, all at DBSC wish Mr & Mrs B a long and happy life together.
Never too Old to Sail a Laser
It’s Arnold Metcalf’s 90th birthday on the 12th December. He’s absolutely amazing, and is still regularly sailing his Laser at Lane Cove 12ft SSC.
The club are planning to celebrate with a short tribute and slide show on Saturday 14th December. Following the 6pm presentation there will be a BBQ.
Any past or present Laser sailors that may know Arnold are welcome to come and join the fun.
Photo right of Arnold Lasering on the Lane Cove River.
Maybe we need a new age division Grand Legend for Arnold.
NB Sailsports State Championships Georges River
Photo by Jon West – Campbell Patton Standard Rig Laser State Champion
98 Lasers competed in the NB Sailsports NSW & ACT State Championships at Georges River Sailing Club over the weekend of 9-10 November.
The six scheduled races were completed in nice SE breezes ranging between 8 and 14 knots.
The small but competitive fleet of 4.7′s had some great racing with the ultimate winner Ethan Lozevski from Woollahra SC and Dobroyd AC. Second was Xavier McLachlan from RSYS and Double Bay SC and third a visitor from Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron Hamish Cowell. First female was fourth placed Olivia Williams from RPAYC.
The Radial fleet of 52 saw some very tight racing and lots of black flag starts. The winner by just two points was Jack Littlechild from RSYS, DBSC and RANSA. Second was Daniel Costandi RSYS, DBSC and GRSC and third was Sofiane Karim a visitor from Société des Régates d’Antibes - Côte d’Azur France. First female was fifth place Marlena Berzins from RSYS and DBSC.
The convincing winner in the Standards was Campbell Patton from DBSC. Campbell won five of the six races and dropped his worst place 2nd. Second was Gavin Blake also from DBSC followed by a strong supporter of our events Victorian Steve Gunther from Port Melbourne YC. Behind Campbell there was very close racing with just six points between 2nd and 6th place.
The full results for the event are:
There are lots of photos of the event by Jon West HERE.
The smiling Radial winners – Photo by Jon West
NSW & ACT Laser Annual General Meeting 10th November
The NSW & ACT Laser Association AGM was held at the State Championship venue Georges River Sailing Club at 9.00am on Sunday 10th November 2019.
The minutes of the meeting and Chairman’s Report are HERE.
Congratulations to the newly elected executive of the Association who are listed in the minutes and on this web site on the Contacts tab.
State Championships Georges River – 9th and 10th November
The NSW & ACT Laser States are 9th and 10th November at Georges River Sailing Club.
This is always a hotly contested event with over 100 sailors competing. This year on the open waters of Botany Bay it will be a cracker.
This year’s event will be a great lead up to the incredible series of Laser National, Regional and Worlds in Victoria early in 2020. These events are listed on our Events Page HERE. All the information about them is on the Laser 2020 web site HERE or from the Laser 2020 app (Android and iOS).
Another lead up event is the Victorian States (Open and Masters) 23 & 24 November at the Worlds venue Sandringham YC – full details are HERE.
For the NSW & ACT States the Notice of Race is HERE and you can enter online HERE or at Georges River SC on Saturday until 11.30am.
Sailing Instructions for the event are HERE.
Coast Championships Gosford SC
Photo by Jane Humphris above shows some of the close racing in the Radials
71 Lasers competed in the Coast Championships at Gosford Sailing Club over the weekend 12-13 October.
The winds tested both the sailors and the race officials however in the end five of the scheduled six races were completed with some great tight racing in all three fleets.
In the 4.7′s Xavier RSYS sailors Xavier McLachlan and Kane Sablatnig finished level on 8 points with Xavier winning on a count back. Olivia Williams from RPAYC was not far behind in third.
It was almost as close in the Radials with Otto Henry from WSC beating Jordon Makin from Belmont 16′s by just one point. Daniel Costandi from RSYS and GRSC was third.
Brett Beyer WSC convincingly won the Standards from Jan Scholten RPAYC and Avalon SC with Luke Parker DBSC in third.
The full results for series are HERE.
Some.photos from the event by Jane Humphris are HERE
Change Metropolitan Championship Date to 1-2 February 2020
We have to change the dates for our Metropolitan Championships at Double Bay Sailing Club from 29 February – 1 March 2020 to 1-2 February due to SailGP’s late arrangement to run their Sydney leg on 28-29 February 2020.
SailGP recently gained approval from RMS to close the Harbour on their race days and despite RMS having approved our event and date almost a year ago we have to move to accommodate the (not so well organised) multi-million dollar event.
Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks to Double Bay Sailing Club for their making the change which itself had to fit around the busy Harbour schedule at the time including the RANSA regatta and the 18 footer’s JJ Giltinan Worlds.
Coast Championships Gosford 12-13 October
Jordan Makin Radial Winner at Coasts Gosford 2017
With a big year coming up for Laser sailing our NSW & ACT events kick off on 12-13 October with the Coast Championships Regatta at Gosford Sailing Club. The Notice of Race for this event is HERE , The Sailing Instructions are HERE and you can enter HERE.
Our State Championships are at Georges River Sailing Club 9-10 November. The NoR for this event is HERE and you can enter HERE.
These events along with the State Masters at Lake Jinbabyne Sailing Club 8-9 February will be great preparation for the Australian, Regional and World Championships coming up in Victoria in 2020. Dates, venues and web links for all the events are on the Events Page of this site.
Don’t forget to enter in any or all the Laser events anywhere in the World you need to renew your district membership (it runs from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020). Our membership fee ($20 for sailors under 21 and $40 above 21) goes mostly towards the International and Australian Laser Class Associations and the more members we have in Australia the more places we are allocated in the limited entry World championship events. You can renew or join online HERE.
2019 Women’s Regatta DBSC a Great Success
The Women’s Laser Regatta last weekend hosted by Double Bay Sailing Club was again a great success and was fully subscribed.
Eminent coaches included Karyn Gojnich, a triple Olympian; Krystal Weir, a double Olympian, and Katie Spithill were joined by DBSC’s Marlena Berzins and Charlotte Alexander. Louise Davis, an experienced International Race Officer from Brisbane, flew in to preside as Race Officer.
The two-day event comprised yoga each morning; an on and off the water coaching clinic; debrief and Q&A; dinner at DBSC; racing all Sunday and the prize giving.
Well done the top organising team of Clare Alexander, Christine Patton, and Christine Linhart at DBSC and to all the participants.
There is a great post on the event by Di Pearson on the DBSC web site HERE.
For full results of the regatta please click HERE. Check out the international coverage HERE and HERE.
Jon West has a web site with some terrific photos of the event HERE.
Laser Retained for 2024 Paris (Marseilles) Olympics
After much ado the World Sailing Council last month approved the International Laser Class Association’s bid to be retained as equipment for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with 30 voting in favour, 0 against.
There is more information on the ILCA’s web site HERE.
Part of the new arrangements leading to the Laser’s Olympic retention will see some new class builders appointed – all following the strict one design principles of the past.
More information on this is in an ILCA post HERE.
NSW Youth Championships 5-7 October
Entry numbers for the NSW Youth Championships proudly presented by the Central Coast Council is building to be another great regatta at Point Wolstoncroft with many clubs organising accommodation on site.
For all the latest information on the regatta please visit AS website
New add-ons at the NSW Youths are;
Race Official Seminar 4 October @ 7pm in the Lakeview Building at Point W
With Peter Merritt – Chair of the Nationals Racing Rules and Officials Committee presenting on the latest trends from WS, scenarios and Q & A. No need to register for this event it’s free to all interested in Race Management.
She Sails – Race Officials Course 6 Oct 12:30 – 15:30 hrs at Point W
This course for women who have a keen interest in sailing and want to participate in another facet of the sport. Those who may be interested in becoming a Race Officer include parents who may have limited experience with sailing and want to contribute to the sport. Limited spots available.
RSYS Youth Camp
RSYS has invited all Laser Youth sailors to a 2.5 day camp starting Monday Sept 30 1200 - Wednesday Oct 2 1630.
This will be a great opportunity to hang out with your friends at RSYS and have a great time on the water.
Its a great chance to get a final tune up and last little bit of practice from some great coaches in Mike Leigh, Marlena Berzins and Oskar Hansen depending on numbers.
Any questions contact Locky
You can register HERE.
