State Championships 2017 Double Bay Sailing Club
130 Laser sailors entered for the State Championships held at Double Bay SC. The event combined all age categories Junior Youth Open and Masters. You can see many of their happy faces in Clare Alexander’s photo above just before the event kicked off.
The scheduled six races were completed in good sailing conditions with winds between 9 and 14 knots generally from the east. As usual there was a lot of chop but RO Adam South who is vastly experienced in this role on the Harbour managed to set our traditional trapezoidal course and stay out of the ferry and Harbour traffic lanes. This involved the inner course being close to the Point Piper shore. This gave the local residents and the Laser supporters at Duff Reserve on the point a great view of the racing and it gave the Laser sailors some practice in close quarters racing along the shore and moored yachts.
The rigs were sailed as one fleet so one start each for 4.7, Radial and Standard. The Radial fleet at 60 was at the upper limit and with so many keen and competative sailors on one line there were several general recalls, black flag starts and victims thereof.
It was great to see the record roll up of the 4.7′s in this event and the quality of the sailors and the racing. In the end the girls dominated taking the first three places in a close finish. Kristen Wadley from Townsville SC and RQYS was the eventual winner by just one point from Brooke Wilson RSYS/BDSC, 3 points ahead of Mina Ferguson RSYS/WSC/DBSC.
The ladies also excelled in the Radial fleet with Marlena Berzins DBSC/RSYS taking the championship. Third was Fremantle SC and South of Perth YC sailor Jacinta Ainsworth while the man in the middle was Jordan Makin from Belmont 16′s. Mara Stransky from RQYS Brisbane was a strong contender with two bullets and a 7th place but reflective of the very competitive starts she scored three black flags which placed her out of contention.
In the Standard rig local sailor and recently named Australian Sailing Youth Sailor of the Year Finn Alexander dropped a second as his worst place alongside 5 bullets to win. Second was Brett Beyer who is the current World Laser Masters Champion. Fredrik Westman from Finland was third.
Hearty thanks to the Double Bay Sailing Club and all the volunteers for the great effort and for running a terrific event. Thanks also to RO Adam South who stepped in for Col Chidgey whose wife was taken ill on Friday.
You can see photos of the fleet winners below and the winners of all the divisions are listed HERE.
The full results of the States are linked below.
