2011 Australian Laser Championship Day 4 – Krystal Weir leads
Australian Laser Championship Day 4.
The Laser fleet had a blast on the first day of the New Year with the first race was started in 16 knots and finished in 25 knots. By the time the second race should have started the race committee were recording winds up to 30 knots and so the decision was made to abandon racing and send the sailors home.
Masters sailor, Chris Meech from Gosford Sailing Club, ‘came a cropper at the gybe mark!’ he explained, ‘Martin Wilson was behind me and the wind must have bounced off his sail onto mine because my boat went crazy out of control and capsized before I knew it! The mast smashed the water with such force it broke and ripped my sail. A rescue boat towed me in, which was a rough ride home’. It wasn’t all bad though, ‘up until that point I thought it was absolutely brilliant blasting along at top speed, adrenaline pumping!’
Krystal Weir won the race to take the overall lead in the Open Laser Radial Championship from Matthew Wearn, both of whom have nine points. Matthew and third placed Benjamin Franklin both discarded today’s race score of a fifth and fourth respectively.
In the Laser Radial Women’s Championship, Krystal has a massive 34 point lead over second place Gabrielle King who scored a tenth place today and sits in 11th overall. Alex South holds onto the third place spot by just one point from Ashley Stoddart.
Tom Burton continues to shine in the Laser Standard fleet scoring a third place today giving him a six point lead over Switzerland’s, Christoph Bottoni who jumped up the score board today when a discard came into play. On equal points with second place is Ashley Brunning who finished fourth in today’s race. Ashley said, ‘I’m frustrated because I’m struggling for speed downwind and I can’t pin point what it is that I need to do differently to be faster. If I could match my upwind speed downwind, I’d be very happy.’
There is no change at the top in the Laser 4.7 fleet, Benjamin Walkemeyer is walking away with the lead counting all first places and discarding a second. Dylan Gore finished the race second and is still second overall. Milly Bennett beat third placed Nicolas Connor, reducing the points difference between them to four.
Laser 4.7 Leader Board
1. Benjamin Walkemeyer (WA) 6pts
2. Dylan Gore (TAS) 16pts
3. Nicholas Connor (NSW) 27pts
Girls Laser 4.7 Leader Board
1. Milly Bennett (NSW) 31pts
2. Madison Kennedy (QLD) 43pts
3. Sophie Chesterman (TAS) 45pts
Open Laser Radial Leader Board
1. Krystal Weir (VIC) 9pts
2. Matthew Wearn (WA) 9pts
3. Benjamin Franklin (QLD) 14pts
Women’s Laser Radial Leader Board
1. Krystal Weir (VIC) 9pts
2. Gabrielle King (NSW) 43pts
3. Alex South (NSW) 52pts
Laser Standard Leader Board
1 – Tom Burton (NSW) 11pts
2 – Christoph Bottoni (SUI) 17pts
3 – Ashley Brunning (NSW) 17pts