Laser Northern Grand Prix at West Riding Sailing Club

Winner Hector Simpson receives the trophy from commodore Roger Perry after the Laser Northern Grand Prix event held at West Riding © John Wadsworth

Abi Morgan in the Laser Northern Grand Prix event held at West Riding © John Wadsworth

Twenty Lasers gathered at West Riding SC on 6th April for the first event in the 2014 Northern Laser Grand Prix Series on a mild but grey and blustery day. The forecast was for 15 knots with gusts building to 30 plus as the day progressed, and by the time race officer Jonathan Gledhill had given his briefing there were enough whitecaps to send a frisson of excitement through the competitors.

Ian Jones has dominated this event and the series in recent years and there was a touch of deja-vu as he bolted up the first beat of the first race to round the first mark with an already healthy lead. Thereafter it was exhibition sailing as Jones inexorably stretched away from the pack, seemingly on rails as others struggled in the challenging conditions.

Astern he was initially chased by the home club trio of Johnny Limebear, Adrian Thear and Hamish Gledhill; but after a slow start Hector Simpson began to ominously knife his way through the fleet and by the third of the five laps he was through to second place ahead of Gledhill and Limebear, with Thear dropping back after a capsize. Simpson was too far behind Jones to make any impression and the fleet gradually stretched out over the remaining two laps as the weather conditions took their toll, Jones winning from Simpson, Gledhill, Limebear, Craig Williamson and Ian Lees.

After a tasty two course lunch, the fleet got away at the second time of asking for the first of two back-to-back races. Some went left and some went right up the first beat, but at the windward mark the first race result was almost replicated with the order slightly re-adjusted to Simpson, Jones and Gledhill. Simpson and Jones pulled away down wind and circulated as though joined by string, with Gledhill under pressure from Williamson who pushed his way through to third place on the second lap.

The wind eased slightly over the final lap and Gledhill retook Williamson as the first four concertinaed close together. Simpson took the win to set up a last race showdown with Jones who finished second ahead of Gledhill and Williamson, with Ian Lees and Andrew Sandilands leading the chasing pack.

The wind began to rise again for the third race and with several retirements in the second race and exhaustion setting in, it was a reduced fleet of fifteen which lined up for the final start. Again it was the trio of Simpson, Jones and Gledhill who rounded the first mark ahead. Simpson and Jones pulled away with Simpson just building enough of a cushion to keep Jones at bay.

Leading Radial sailor Ian Escritt completed the first lap in fourth place, but the bigger rigs of Lees and Williamson soon pulled through and chased after Gledhill. Simpson and Jones continued their dual at the front, but Jones was never able to get quite close enough and Simpson took the win and the event. Gledhill took his three-in-a-row third place with Lees close behind for fourth followed by Craig Williamson and Matt Cook.

Overall the order was Simpson, Jones, Gledhill, Lees, Williamson and Limebear an impressive 6th after stepping back into a boat for the first time for many months. Escritt took the prize for first Radial and Andrew Robinson for first Junior.

Overall Results: