The Oceania & Australian Laser Masters Championship was concluded at Royal Geelong Yacht Club on 17th March. Only three of the scheduled four days were sailed due to hightened COVID-19 risk.
It was unfortunate but inevitable that the following Laser World Masters series was postponed with arrangements to be announced at a later date.
Most of the truncated series was sailed in it shifty winds with big changes in wind speed making it challenging for the RO and the sailors alike.
The Standard Fleets finished two races each day while the Radials after several attempts to get a second start on day two finished with just 5 races completed for the series.
In the Standard Masters Brett Beyer had a convincing win dropping his second place in the last race to count five bullets. Brett won from WA’s David Whait who beat Andrew Dellabarca from NZ by a tie break. Gavin Dagley from Victoria won the GM’s also by a tie break from Alan Davis GBR with Jan Scholten from NSW third. Michael Keaton from NZ won four races to take the Standard GGM cube and Matt Blakey Vic (ex of NZ) likewise won four races to claim the Standard Apprentice Master cube.
In the Radials the largest fleet the GM’s with 34 competitors was won by Queenslander Mark Kennedy from Swede Ulf Myrin and David Early from NSW. The Great Grand Masters Radial was won by Bill Symes USA. Bill defeated Canada’s Paul Clifford on a tie break after Bill won the last race. Jeff Loosemore from NSW was third. The Legends was won convincingly by current World Legend champion Kerry Waraker QLD. Owen McMahon Vic won the Radial Masters with a race to spare from New Zealander Edmund Tam with Rohan Allen Vic third.
The top woman sailor and cube winner was Vanessa Dudley from NSW.
The full results for the event are HERE.
John Emmett was the only Radial Apprentice and apart from winning his division he recorded some interesting interviews which are linked below;
ILCA Hall of Fame and multiple World Laser Masters Champion Peter Seidenberg
Alan Davis – close second Standard GM
Michael Keaton and Garry Lock – first and second in Standard GGM
Vanessa Dudley – Women’s cube winner
The event web site with more reports and stories is HERE
There are lots of event photos by Jon West HERE
