The weather was no one’s friend last Sunday for the 2015 RC Laser Queensland State Title, which saw brilliant sunshine but very little breeze.
In the light conditions, Peter Burford won the event after some keen racing.
The host club Gold Coast’s PRYC welcomed 11 starters to a really calm day at Emerald Lakes on Sunday, 26th July. PRO Bill Clancy could not get a race started until more than an hour after the advertised time and then there were only 3 races completed before the lunch break due to the lack of breeze. A fourth heat was abandoned when the leading 4 boats were on the last leg and started drifting backwards. At this point, Linton Ward who had come from Cairns, was in front having showed us all how to sail in very light weather.
After an extended break, sailing resumed in variable winds from the NW. The strength varied from near zero with occasional gusts up to about 8 knots which was enough to make many of the boats nosedive under their A rigs. Just when 2 competitors changed down to B rigs the breeze lightened again. The ‘fresher’ breezes in the afternoon suited Peter Burford, Barry Hill who finished second and Ross McKay, our lone visitor from the Sunshine Coast, who took home the Bronze medal.
Ray Nasmith won the first race then largely disappeared before winning the penultimate heat. David Page had gear trouble all day and eventually retired.
The Laser fleet wishes to thank the tireless club members and officials of the PRYC for staging another very successful regatta.
