The RC Laser Championship of Nations was very successfully conducted by host club, Paradise Radio Yacht Club, with a week of extremely competitive yacht racing involving 56 competitors from 8 countries; Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom Germany, South Africa, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Sweden.

The RC Laser Championship of Nations had only previously been contested on two occasions, 2013 in UK and 2015 in Holland.

With a week of unusual and unseasonal weather which produced incessant raining days and strong to very strong southerly winds, 68 races were started and completed without any complications or damage to competitor yachts, support vessels or event infrastructure. The sport of Radio Control Yacht Racing, Paradise Radio Yacht Club and the Gold Coast being declared clear winners by all in the accolade stakes.

The yachting regatta resulted in an Australian domination of the RC Laser Championship of Nations event with 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd placings going to entrants from Victoria, South Australia and Queensland respectively.

Age awards were made for Masters (50 – 59 yrs), Grand Master (60 – 69 yrs) and Great Grand Master (70+). Winners of these categories were from NZ, NSW and Gold Coast respectively. A best Australian cumulative team award went to South Australia.

The week’s activities commenced on Monday 6^th November with boat registrations and scrutineering followed by an organised afternoon of practice.

An official welcome event held at Lakeside Bistro followed in the evening,  with PRYC Commodore Allan Walker welcoming all competitors, partners, friends and family. Sponsors; Radio Control Sailing Australia, RACV Royal Pines, Royal Woods Resort, Mercure Resort, Thrifty Car Rentals, Gloria Jeans and The Burleigh Fish Mongers were acknowledged.

An organised pause in the event program took place at the 11^th hour on the 11^th day of the 11^th month when all present took part in a special Remembrance Day Ceremony.

The week finished with a presentation evening and dinner at the Lakeside Bistro where video of racing was continuously screened, flags of competing Nations presented to relevant countrymen as keepsakes and trophies presented to all winners who responded to the accolades of all present.

Special thanks to the myriad of volunteers without whom the event could not have succeeded, the catering team who served over 400 lunches and kept all present topped up with water and fruit, and our Remembrance Day ceremony organisers.

From: Allan Walker, Commodore PRYC

Check out the photos from the RC Laser Championship of Nations here 

2017 RC Laser Championship of Nations Results

Championship of Nations winner Scott Fleming (Vic)

Championship of Nations 2^nd place Scott Mitchel (SA)

Championship of Nations 3^rd place Malcolm Kampe (QLD)

Great Grandmaster title winner Peter Burford (QLD)

Grandmaster title winner Graham Brown (NSW)

Master title winner Graham Watson (NZ)

State Shield winner South Australia

The headline reads that Scott Fleming is the 2017 NSW State RC Laser Champion.

But beneath that headline there was a day of high drama on the water; with everyone having at least one drama of some sort.  We had radios crashing; we had servos cooking; we had weed; new sail problems.  Everyone was touched – from the top to the bottom.  But it was a great day.

I believe many of us had results that exceeded expectations; and conversely… some of us did not come up to our expectations.  And isn’t that what it is all about?

The day of the 2017 NSW State RC Laser Championship started out clear and bright, with just a light north westerly wind on calm water.  But when it came to set the course, the wind started fading and bouncing around from NW to NE.  We were finally able to settle on a course which was OK for a couple of races; then a north easterly started to settle in, which caused a significant course change; but stayed fairly true for the remainder of the day.

We started out on A sails, but that only lasted for a couple of races before the B sails started appearing; and it wasn’t too long before the C sails came out, with some murmurs of needing a D sail soon; but that never eventuated.

Skippers Experience Challenging Conditions 

The water went from essentially dead calm through to a very lumpy motion that was difficult to penetrate; and punished anyone who tacked at the wrong moment at the top of a wave.  Rounding the marks was difficult if you went close because you were likely to get thrown onto the buoys if you were on the wrong wave.

As a final event before the RC Laser Championship of Nations and the 2017 RC Laser Australian championships it doesn’t come much better than yesterday’s contest.  It was hard sailing.  There will be a lot of reviewing of boats, gear, sails that comes out of it.

For the event, we welcomed Taco Faber from the Nederland – he had a new boat and sails to deal with, so it was very much a shake down for him; but he will need to be watched at the CON.

Malcolm Kampe made a surprise visit from Queensland for the event, and things were going well for him before his radio expired; and we could not get a replacement radio going to suit him.  His retirement was unfortunate, and we were sad to see it.

Scott Fleming came up from Victoria on his way to the CON, and showed what a master he is – even with having gear problems he emerged victorious.

It was that sort of day – everyone had results they would rather forget.  Even if you didn’t have gear difficulties you were not going to get off scott free – there  was weed out there that humbled everyone at some stage or another.

2017 NSW State RC Laser Championship Results 

At the end of 8 rounds, Scott was clearly in front with 7 points, following by Graham Brown on 22, and Daniel Bergan on 26 points.  From the 9^th round to the last, there was some juggling of the placings, but the top place getters were always up there.

So, congratulations to Scott, Graham and Jason Rootes as the placegetters for 2017.  Well sailed.  Actually, everyone is to be congratulated for taking part in the event.

I also want to thank the un-named helpers who assisted without recognition – these events cannot be held without your help.

See you  at the Championship of Nations 2017 on 6 November – we were well prepared for it yesterday.

Cheers

Noel McPherson
RCL#65

 

 

The RC Laser racing series is off to a great start in South Australia.

The RC Laser racing series in South Australia will be sailed over 10 competitive races from February to November in 2016. Eight races will be sailed at Mawson Lakes, about 12km from the centre of Adelaide, and two races at Tiranna Way West Lakes, about 14kms from the City near Port Adelaide. There will be seven afternoon races and three morning races to provide a range of conditions. Starts are at 3.30pm at Mawson Lakes, but it’s recommended you get there early because races may start at 3pm if the water is clear of other boats. The afternoon racing will be completed within 2 hours. The points for the series will be over the best of six races for each participant.

RC Laser racing series dates

April – Sat 2nd Apr 2.30pm West Lakes
May – Tues 3rd May 3.30pm Mawson Lakes (Please be rigged and ready to start at 3pm)
June – Sat 4th June 9.30am Mawson Lakes
July – Tues 5th July 3.30pm Mawson Lakes (Please be rigged and ready to start at 3pm)
August – Tues 2nd Aug 3.30pm Mawson Lakes (Please be rigged and ready to start at 3pm)
September – Sat 3rd Sept 9.30am Mawson Lakes
October – Sat 1st Oct 2.30pm West Lakes
November – Tues 1st Nov 4pm Mawson Lakes

RC Laser 2016 SA Racing Series – Race Results

Race 1 Tuesday 2nd February – 1st Jurgen Luther, 2nd Mark Easton, 3rd Adrian Heard, 4th Linsay Sawyer, 5th Lou Lamberts
The concept of varying the time of day for Laser Series races got off to a good start on Tuesday. The trying conditions caught Adrian and others out, and Linsay looked very consistent with his C rig by comparison. Well done to Jurgen for leading the way and showing the rest of us that a B rig can be sailed such gusty and windy conditions. I’m still scratching my head as to how the old wizard did it. One thing I do know is that all of us bar Jurgen need to get competent at sailing downwind in those conditions with a B rig and without excessive nosediving (192 featured strongly here) if we are to do any good at all in the nationals in a stronger wind.
Incredibly four of us finished just 2 points apart. On count-back Mark claimed second spot, due to two excellent final races.

Race 2 Saturday 5th March – 1st Jurgen Luther, 2nd Adrian Heard, 3rd Lou Lamberts, 4th Linsay Sawyer
Challenging conditions were the order of the day on Saturday morning, with all except our master mariner, Jurgen, floundering in some races. As if the heat rising to the mid 30s wasn’t enough, the second race descended into something of a farce as Jurgen and Linsay sailed very slowly eastwards and Lou and Adrian watched their boats wallow for 20 minutes at the western mark with no wind. Thank God there was a shady tree there to stand under. Lou put in a couple of respectable seconds in the very light airs of the first three races, before having battery problems in later races. Adrian and to a lesser extent Linsay struggled in the drifters, but once the light wind arrived in race 4, Adrian showed more ability to match it with Jurgen. Linsay again displayed how genuinely competitive he can be, and was unlucky to get into irons at the windward mark while at the front of the fleet in one of the later races.
Next race is 2.30pm Saturday 2nd April at Tiranna Way, West Lakes.

By Adrian Heard