Author: Cliff Bromiley

The 2025 Australian RC Laser Championship was held on 30^th and 31^st August at Dobroyd Aquatic Club, Sydney.

Fourteen Sailors from three States competed in a very testing event. This included Daniel Bergan, the current National champion from Queensland and Grant Gillespie from Victoria. The quality of the Fleet was of a high standard. A Fleet well worthy of a National Event.

Day one saw very strong Westerly winds which had gusts peaking at 64Km/Hr., 34 Knots. We completed 18 races in the programmed time. The Champion, Daniel, emerged in the early races on the first day, as he commenced his run to retain his title. Early contenders were Phil Stevenson, Graham Brown, Robin Tickner Rob Lowndes, Martin Thearle, Noel McPherson, Grant Gillespie and Peter Burton, all of whom were in with good chances.

Unfortunately, Rob Lowndes who had reached 5^th spot, was forced to withdraw due to unrepairable hull and electronic issues. Peter Burton who was an earlier top 3 contender, had to withdrawal with similar problems.

Day 2 saw a completely different scene with a light to moderate Westerly at the start and a gently developing Nor’Easter for the last few races.

This range of weathers is ideal for a Championship as it tests Sailors in all conditions, the best way to select a Champion.

Day 2’s morning briefing was brief, and racing commenced close to time. We completed 17 races by 4:00pm to wrap up the event.

The start of day 2 saw Daniel increase his lead and the result thereafter was never in doubt. The contest became a challenge between Graham Brown, Phil Stevenson and Robin Tickner to secure the two remaining places on the podium. Martin Thearle, Noel McPherson and Grant Gillespie were in the wings and ready to pounce.  Unfortunately equipment failures struck again. Noel McPherson, who was currently sitting in 7^th position was forced to withdraw due to electronic issues.

Every Sailor earned a place, or several, over the weekend with the wins spreading well over the score sheet. Moments of glory for all.

The firsts were dominated by Daniel Bergan with 17 overall. Graham Brown won 4, Phil Stevenson 5, Robin Tickner 3, Martin Thearle 2,  Judy Evans 1, Noel McPherson 1 and Rob Lowndes 2. A win in a National Championship race is an achievement in itself.

The RC Lasers Australian Champion for 2025 is Daniel Bergan. He retains his position as number 1. Daniel scored 48 points.

Second place went to Graham Brown scoring 106 points.

Third place going to Phil Stevenson scoring 114 points. Robin Tickner 115 points.

The presentation ceremony followed the racing.

Phil, Daniel, Graham, Brian

We had great support from Dobroyd Aquatic Club throughout the weekend. In particular from our President, Greg McInnes, who opened on day one and spoke with great commendation of the RC Laser Fleet. Greg also acknowledged the pride the Club holds in hosting a National Event. Earlier support for our planning also came from our Commodore, Geoff Wilson and the DAC Committee.

I also wish to thank the ARYA who provided our trophies, and with NSWRYA, assisted in the preparation and planning of our event. Thank you to Canada Bay Council who approved our parking areas. Greatly needed on a very busy weekend.

Cliff Bromiley, an RC Sailor and the National distributor of our boats and equipment, addressed the gathering. Cliff recently sponsored our renewed Perpetual Trophy.  He spoke on the history and early days of the RC Laser. He, along with Paul Derwent, began our RC sailing in Australia some 20 years ago.

Trophies were presented to Daniel Bergan, Graham Brown and Phil Stevenson. Daniel spoke of his early days with the RC Laser and his climb to number 1, a long haul and I’m sure you will agree, well deserved.

The Award for the Grand Master, RC Lasers, was presented to Geoff Lucas (#53). Geoff scored a second place in race 33 and had several finishes in the front half of the Fleet.

The Award for the Master, RC Lasers was presented to Noel McPherson (#65). Noel won race 17 and scored well with 2 places.

Special thanks go to John Porter who, as in the past, videoed all our racing. Details for the YouTube items will follow at a later date.

Thank you to Trevor Bowden who manned the tender. This made possible speedy rescues when needed and course setting and adjustments.

Observers, Philip Hetherington and Ken Woodward, (day 2), were very quick to put their hands up and volunteer. Their jobs were made easier by all Sailors who sailed “honourably” throughout the series.

Very much appreciated by all on both days of our racing was my wife Rhonda Chapman. Rhonda planned, organised, collected and served the catering for our lunches with the warm professionalism she always delivers.

I have had such great encouragement from all Sailors and the Volunteers above, in particular Graham Brown. Every idea from the outset was discussed with him and analysed to provide the best outcome.

A successful Championship.

Cheers,

Brian Chapman.

On a sunny Winter day of July 20^th, 2025, Dan Bergan convincingly won the Radio Controlled Laser South East Queensland Championship hosted at Emerald Lakes by the Gold Coast, Paradise Radio Yacht Club.

Dan sailed almost flawlessly in the moderate Southwest to South wind to win thirteen of the sixteen races.  He started well, usually near the top end of the line.  To windward, he tacked early onto favourable wind shifts and often observed and headed toward the many stronger wind gusts.  When in front, he sailed to maintain an open cover and consolidate his lead.  When caught out by the very fickle wind and divergent fleet, he would skilfully recover.  Well done Dan!

The three other races were won by PRYC Fleet Captain, Murray Dunnett, RC Laser stalwart, Tony Keegan and first-time competitor Adrian Colnan.  

The final points scores show how well the minor placings were contested.  As would be expected with this strict One Design Class, many race finishes were close.

PRYC Commodore Rex Scott as Race Officer heading his team, ran an efficient regatta for the Competitors who gave entertainment for the many passers-by.

Report by Peter Burford

2025 RC Laser Victorian State Championship – Portland Yacht Club

The 2025 RC Laser Victorian State Championship was held at the Portland Yacht Club over the weekend of 28–29 June, with 18 races completed across two days of fast, technical, and often unpredictable sailing.

Day 1 – Shifty Winds and Close Racing

Racing began under a fluctuating north-westerly breeze, ranging from barely 2 knots to gusts nearing 15. For most of the day, conditions hovered around a manageable 8–10 knots—enough to challenge sailors without overwhelming the boats. B rigs were the unanimous choice, with no one game enough to risk the nose-diving potential of the larger A rig in the gusts. The course, expertly set and managed by RO Geoff Beacham, was a classic windward-leeward layout that rewarded clean lanes, tactical awareness, and good downwind judgement. Weed made its presence known throughout the day, catching rudders and foils unexpectedly and compromising more than a few races. Daniel Bergan opened the regatta with a clinical win, while Brad Hein just edged out Darren Cathie in a tight finish for second. Apart from a tough Race 2 for Brad, those three consistently featured at the front of the fleet throughout the day. The only skipper outside the top three to claim a win was Adam Chambers, who paired that with a string of solid fourth-place finishes to keep himself in the mix. Throughout the fleet, there was plenty of close-quarters racing, with sailors often locked in battles within their groups. Other sailors with notable results were Grant Gillespie, Peter Murfett and Peter Trenorden claiming a 2^nd place.

After 10 races, Brad Hein held a narrow overnight lead on 13 points, with Daniel Bergan four points back on 17. Darren Cathie, aided by three bullets, sat third on 27, just ahead of Adam Chambers on countback.

Day 2 – Gusty Wind, Weed, Strategy Games, and the Final Push

Day 2 brought a wind shift to the south, prompting a new course layout. The sun now sat low behind the bottom gate, making the right-hand mark a critical—and often difficult—choice. A few sailors experimented with A rigs during morning practice, but all quickly reverted to the safer B rig for the opening races. Daniel Bergan made his move early, reeling in Brad’s overnight lead with four consecutive wins to start the day. Darren and Adam were locked in close duels during the early races, until a low battery warning forced Adam to retire from the second race of the day. Darren capitalised, sailing consistently into second and third places as the day progressed. Adam bounced back with a win in Race 5 of the day, holding off Darren, who still secured a strong second. The weed issue worsened on Day 2, affecting every sailor, some worse than others. Boats were hauled from the water after almost every race—or at least sailed past for a check—while some competitors were forced to retire mid-race to clear the dreaded green hitchhikers. As the wind strengthened later in the session, with gusts around 15 knots, C rigs began to make their appearance. Most of the fleet made the switch—except Brad, who stuck with his B rig, believing he may have slipped to second overall. In a last-minute move, Daniel switched back to B rig just 30 seconds before the gun, aiming to match Brad and avoid a rig-based disadvantage. It may have backfired—Brad took the win, and Daniel finished fifth in that race. Gary Hein saved his best sailing for the last race, claiming first place, and bragging rights over his son Brad in second. Jeff Burford and Peter Lyons had a best race result of 4^th and 8^th for Des Hein.

Final Standings

Throughout the regatta, Daniel Bergan and Brad Hein were the clear standouts—rarely off the podium and showcasing impressive speed and decision-making across all conditions.

Daniel claimed his second successive Victorian Title with 28 points, two ahead of Brad on 30. Darren secured third place on 48 points, sailing a strong second day to finish seven points clear of Adam Chambers in fourth.

Thanks and Acknowledgements

A big thank you to:

• RO Geoff Beacham (Mawson Lakes MYC) for well-managed and fair racing in challenging conditions
• Scorers Dianne and Leesa Hein for keeping results flowing smoothly
• Rescue boat skippers Luke and Mick for their support on the water

It was a fantastic weekend of racing at the Portland Yacht Club, marked by great sportsmanship, tight competition, and a deserved winner.

The Sunshine Coast Radio Sailing Club hosted another fantastic RC Laser event on Saturday 21st June – well done to the Organisers, Officials, Volunteers and all Competitors for making it such an enjoyable event.

Great to see six sailors from Paradise on the Gold Coast participating

Congratulations Niko Leluan (1st), Daniel Bergan (2nd) and Richard Kingsmill (3rd) – good to see a couple of new faces on the podium!

Photos to come 🙂

Event Entries

	Name	Sail No.	Club	Design
1	BERGAN, Daniel	AUS 147	Paradise RYC	RC Laser
2	BURFORD, Jeff	AUS 313	Mawson Lakes MYC	Laser
3	CATHIE, Darren	AUS 297	Patterson Lakes RMYC	RC Laser
4	CHAMBERS, Adam	AUS 315	Patterson Lakes RMYC	Rc laser
5	GILLESPIE, Grant	AUS 49	Patterson Lakes RMYC	rc laser
6	HEIN, Des	AUS 282	Portland YC	RCL
7	HEIN, Gary	AUS 342	Portland YC	RCL
8	HEIN, Brad	AUS 333	Portland YC	RC Laser
9	INGLETON, David	AUS 326	Mawson Lakes MYC	RC Laser
10	LYONS, Peter	AUS 274	Portland YC	RC Laser
11	MURFETT, Peter	AUS 650	Mawson Lakes MYC	RCL
12	TRENORDEN, Peter	AUS 148	Mawson Lakes MYC	RC Laser
13	TUTT, Tim	AUS 17	Portland YC	laser