ILCA NSW & ACT

71 boats competed in the NSW & ACT Laser Championships sailed from Canberra Yacht Cub over the weekend.

RO Andrew McLachlan Presents to Radial Winner Jordan Makin

The event was is two parts Saturday when there was arguably too much breeze and Sunday when there was none.

Four races we completed for 4.7′s and Radials and three for Standard rigs on Saturday. With winds stronger than predicted – gusting to 30 knots – there were lots of oops moments and some broken gear.

On Sunday with everyone rigged and ready to roll the breeze would not play ball. Never raising above 5 knots and constantly changing in direction it gave RO Andrew McLachlan little choice and racing was called off without, as they say, troubling the scorer.

The winner of the Standard rig event was Steve Gunther from Port Melbourne Yacht Club. He won from Jeff Loosemore (MHASC/GRSC) and Canberra local Bruce Paine who was the previous winner in 2012 when the event was last held in Canberra. In the Radials Jordan Makin from Belmont 16 ft Skiff Club won from Maddie O’Shea and Zac West both from DBSC and RSYS.

It was as close as it can be in the 4.7′s with Brooke Wilson (RSYS/DBSC) and Daniel Costandi (RSYS/GRSC/DBSC) finishing on even points and places and Brooke winning on a count back. Third was Evie Saunders (RSYS/MYC/DBSC).

The final results are HERE.

The NSW & ACT Laser State Championships will be held on Lake Burley Griffin from the Canberra Yacht Club 24th and 25th November 2018.

CYC is a fabulous club and we have been promised good sailing conditions so this is an event not to be missed.

This  is a cube event for open and youth divisions. Masters cubes will be awarded at the States at South Lakes ASC 2-3rd March 2019.

The Notice of Race for the event is HERE. Sailing Instructions are HERE.

Online entries ($60 and $30 for sailors under 21) can be placed HERE.

Following racing on Saturday competitors, family, and friends are welcome to stay on and socialise with drinks and dinner on the lakeside patio and grass of Canberra Yacht Club. Beer, wine and soft drinks can be purchased from the bar of the Club. Next door, boxed dinner of fish and chips, salads and snacks can be purchased from the Snapper on the Lake shop.  No bookings required.

The AGM of the NSW & ACT Laser Association will be held at the Camberra Yacht Club on Sunday 25th November at 9.00am. The agenda for the meeting is HERE.

83 boats competed in the NB Sailsports Coast Championships from Vaucluse Yacht Club over the weekend.

There was a strong contingent from the Harbour Clubs notably Double Bay Sailing Club and Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club.

Saturday saw a nice building Harbour NE’er which finished at 20 knots. As expected there was a lot of traffic including ferries on the race track on Saturday. Race Officer Rob Lowndes set the course dominantly in the eastern channel which kept the Manly Ferries using the western channel out of our way. The strong run out tide saw quite a few general recalls and the dreaded black flag had quite and airing. There were quite a few BFD’s and UFD’s on the score sheet.

Sunday saw an early morning southerly change which was still at 25 knots at the 11.00am start time. The rather cold and windy conditions provided good if testing conditions for Laser racing and had the added advantage, with the exception of the ferries, of our having the Harbour to our selves. The southerly did moderate slowly in the early afternoon however the scheduled three, three lap 45 minute races were completed in good time.

The star of the 4.7′s was Brooke Wilson DBSC/RSYS who finished with four bullets and two seconds. Daniel Costandi DBSC/RSYS/GRSC was second and had two wins with Evie Saunders DBSC/RSYS/MYC third.

The Radials saw an incredibly close finish with Zac West DBSC/RSYS despite having three heat wins in the end finishing only one point ahead of Mark Louis DBSC/RSYS/CYC and Otto Henry WSC. Mark was second ahead of Otto again by a single point in a tie break. Top Master sailor was Jeff Loosemore who is a GGM and finished 4th overall in the Radials including a win the last race.

The 41 boat Standard Rig Fleet was dominated by AST member Finn Alexander DBSC. Finn had a black flag in Race 1 but went on to win the next five. Second was current World Masters Champion Brett Beyer WSC who finished second to Finn in Races 2 to 6 and won Race 1. Oscar Hansen RSYS/MHAYC/DBSC was a clear third.

The full series results are HERE.

Thanks to Vaucluse Yacht Club for their great work in hosting this event. It is a great club in a beautiful location providing access to a truly iconic sailing race course.

The NSW  & ACT Coast Championship is coming up on  this weekend 27-28 October at Vaucluse Yacht Club.

This event will provide great sailing on Sydney Harbour. We will have sign on/off via SMS so sailors who enter online can conveniently deploy from their own club or from locations around the Harbour as well as from VYC.

The Notice of Race with all the details is HERE and you can enter online HERE.

Sailing Instructions for the event are HERE.

Information from VYC’s Robert Persson on parking around the club is “Parking is challenging but not insurmountable – our members manage every Saturday! There is a small parking lot next to St Marys Church (where the Scouts hall is) otherwise parking either on Hopetown Ave or Old South Head Road will be your best option. The recommendation is to get their early to allow additional time to unload/park if you intend to rig up at or near the VYC – arriving before lunch would be best as Watsons Bay fills up pretty quickly from midday onwards.”

Photo by Nic Douglas – Adventures of a Sailor Girl

Double Bay Sailing Club hosted the inaugural Women’s Laser Regatta on 8-9th September. It was an event intended to encourage greater female participation in the Laser class, facilitated in an environment that was supportive, informative and fun.

50 women sailors from all over Sydney and beyond attended the weekend-long event, with yoga on the deck, breakfast eggs benedict, expert coaching, inspirational dinner speakers and competitive racing.

Participants ranged from women who had not sailed for 20 years, women who had sailed other classes but never a Laser, women whose children are rising sailing stars, and a strong contingent of those young stars themselves, along with DBSC’s regular women sailors.

Event originator Clare Alexander’s full report on the event is HERE.

It is time to renew your NSW/ACT Laser Association Membership for season 2018/19. Membership runs from 1st October 2018 until 30th September 2019. You can join or renew membership online HERE or you can join or renew membership at any of our events.

If you are under 21 at 1st October 2018 then the membership fee is $20 otherwise it is $40. The majority of the funds we collect from our membership fee (75%) goes to The Australian (ALCA) and the International (ILCA) Laser Associations in the from of affiliation fees. This enables these folks to run the iconic National and World Laser Championships and to administer the Class.

Current membership of a Laser District is required for sailors to enter in our district or any national or international Laser events.

For the limited entry ILCA World Championships the number of  members we have in Australia in all our Districts is used to determine how many entry places our sailors are offered.

Balmain SC are donating the dinghy entry fee from their annual regatta (first run in 1849) and to be held this year on 28th October to the Lane Cove 12 Foot Skiff Sailing Club towards the reconstruction of their boat shed which was destroyed by arson attack on 16th September.

Competing dinghies are encouraged to sail from nearby inner west sailing clubs which are all in easy reach of the start line between the BSC and Cockatoo Island. Sailors and friends are invited to our post-race Beer, Band & BBQ at the BSC in Water St, Balmain.

The Notice of Race for the event is HERE.  You can enter via the BSC web site or from the link HERE.

Hunters Hill Sailing Club are running a Laser 4.7 Rookie Camp on 11-12 October – the second week of the school holidays.

They have have Australian Sailing Team member Finn Alexander, himself an alumni of HHSC, and NSWIS Laser Sailor Oskar Hansen leading the program with assistance from Sylvie Stannage.

The focus will be on getting boats set up well, basic techniques explained and worked on, and getting the basics of getting that 4.7 up and boogying.

They will welcome 4.7 sailors from all clubs, and they are especially keen to give the 4.7 rookies a great introduction to our magnificent class – a dinghy for life.

Details:

Thursday 11th and Friday 12th October
Hunters Hill Sailing Club
0900-1700 hrs

Cost – HHSC Members $100 plus GST
Non HHSC Members $125 plus GST

You can book your place HERE.

Hosted by Double Bay Sailing Club this is a regatta run by women, coached by women and competed in by women of all ages and skill in Laser Radial and 4.7.

The event will be on September 8 and 9, 2018.

This fabulous event will feature;

• Coaching with Krystal Weir, Ashley Stoddart, Karyn Gojnich, Marlena Berzins.
• Public Relations and coverage by Nic Douglas
• Lasers for charter new and old (for those that don’t own their own)
• Yoga on the deck each morning
• Coaching sessions on Saturday
• Regatta racing on Sunday with different ability fleets – AND awesome medals and prizes!
• Inspirational Dinner with our coaches as guest speakers (come and hear their stories, things they have learnt through their own sailing careers and time for questions)
• Photos of the sailing available for your enjoyment
• Yummy food and organic juices
• Regatta bags with lots of goodies AND a regatta bib
• and any extra surprises we come up with

All for the very low price of $50 adults or $25 youth – until cut off date!

How much fun does that sound like?

If you think this could be your cup of tea please sign up now HERE

The Notice of Race for the regatta is HERE and you can enter online HERE.

See the event flyer HERE. For more information please contact Regatta Secretary: Christine Patton Email: christine@bermudamarine.bm Phone: +61408871741

International Laser Association (ILCA) have just announced the dates and venues for 2019 4.7 and Radial Youth World Championships and the 2019 World Masters Championships.

These are;

• 2019 Radial Youth World Championships Wednesday 24 July 2019 – Wednesday 31 July 2019 – Kingston Canada
• 2019 Laser 4.7 Youth World Championships Friday 16 August 2019 – Friday 23 August 2019 – Kingston Canada
• 2019 Laser Masters World Championships Thursday 5 September 2019 – Saturday 14 September 2019 – Port Zélande Netherlands

Following the creation of the Oceania Region by the International Laser Class Association in November 2016 there have been a number of initiatives starting with the  setting up the Oceania Laser Class Association (OLCA).

The initial few years of the Oceania Region Championships have been combined with the Australian National Championships however in due course these events will be staged in other Countries of the Region. As well OLCA has plans for events and to develop the class in the Region. There is a new web site specifically for Oceania Laser events and information at http://oceania.laserinternational.org/ .

Australian based Laser builder PSA will provide up to 100 new Lasers for charter in the Region. Initially these will be deployed in Fiji for the Fiji Oceania Laser Masters event to be held at the Sofitel Resort Dunarau Island 13-19^th October 2018.  Entries are rolling in for this event and there is an event web site with links for charter, flight and accommodation package booking and entry as well as information about the event. It is at https://www.oceanialaserchamps.com/  .

Oceania Laser President Ken Hurling’s  report posted on the OLCA web site outlines the events which are being planned for Oceania in the next few years. While the details are a little fluid the event list is extensive and growing. Ken’s report document is at http://oceania.laserinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/05/OLCA-AGM-10-February-2018-Presidents-Report.pdf

For all world Championships entry is limited by International Laser Class Association (ILCA) with entry based on the numbers of members in each Country.

For the 2020 Men’s Standard and Radial and Women’s Radial World Championships to be held at Sandringham YC Victoria in February 2020 ranking for the limited Australian places will be made after the initial entries close which will likely be in October 2019. According to the ALCA ranking policy ranking (other than for Master’s events) will be according to places in the preceding National Championships which, in October 2019, will be the 2019 Australian and Oceania Championships in Devonport.

It is important for sailors who aspire to compete in the 2020 Victorian events to know that they will need to compete in the 2019 Nationals to be ranked in October 2019.

The Australian ranking for the 2020 Geelong Laser World Masters will be according to the ALCA Masters Ranking Policy which is at http://www.lasersdownunder.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/ALCA-Laser-World-Masters-Ranking-Policy.pdf . We expect to be able to offer places to all Australian Masters sailors who apply for this event so the ranking arrangements are less of an issue.

There is a post on the ALCA web site covering in some detail the ranking for 2019 and 2020 World Championship events. The post is at http://www.lasersdownunder.com/laser-world-championship-ranking-events/

Tasmanian Laser Association have been busy setting up what should be a great Oceania and National Championships in Devonport 1-8 January 2019.

Entries are now open and the links for this and all the information about the big event are on the regatta web site https://www.auslasernationals.com.au/

The inaugural Oceania Fiji Laser Masters Championships are coming up. The event is being held at the five star Sofitel Resort Denarau Island, Fiji. This is a great venue with warm water and good sailing breezes. 100 brand new Laser charter boats will be supplied for the event.

The event for Standard and Radial rigs will be held from 13th to 19th October 2018. All Masters age categories will be catered for as well as a novel Corinthian category for 21 to 34 year old Laser sailors.

Charter bookings are open & will be on a first come first served basis, book early so you don’t miss out. The Notice of Race is HERE and you can click the link HERE to secure your charter.

Fiji Airways and Sofitel have special discounted rates for flights and accommodation for the event. Click HERE to get information and book a fly and stay deal.

The event web site https://www.oceanialaserchamps.com/ has details and links to book a charter.

Brett Beyer will be running a three day coaching clinic from 11th to 13th October before the event. You can get information and sign up for the clinic HERE.

The Victorian Laser Association (VLA) has been awarded the rights agreements to conduct a series of National, Regional and World Championships in Melbourne and Geelong in the January – March period of 2020.

The event schedule (registration and racing days) is;

Sandringham Yacht Club

• 2020 Oceania & Australian Laser Championships – Standard, Radial and 4.7 (Jan 1-8)
• 2020 ILCA Standard Men’s World Championship (Feb 9-16)
• 2020 ILCA Laser Radial Women’s World Championships (Feb 21-28)
• 2020 ILCA Laser Radial Men’s World Championships (Feb 21-28)

Royal Geelong Yacht Club

• 2020 Oceania & Australian Laser Masters Championship – Standard, Radial and 4.7 (March 15-18)
• 2020 ILCA Laser Masters World Championships – Standard, Radial and 4.7 (March 19-28)

Pre-Christmas local regattas and training opportunities will also be available in the lead up to these major championships.

The VLA is working closely with Australian Sailing and the Sail Melbourne International Regatta committee to coordinate the programming of Sail Melbourne with these Laser events.  The Regatta Organising Committee is  working with the ALCA, ILCA, host clubs and Laser builder PSA to make this an unprecedented summer of sailing for the Laser global fraternity.

Please email jack.graves@bigpond.com if you are interested in:

• assisting the organising committee as a volunteer
• volunteering opportunities at the regattas
• receiving information regarding Sponsorship opportunities