Please select your home edition
Edition
sMRT ALERT UK 1

Laser Wessex Grand Prix at Thornbury Sailing Club

by John Harvey 19 Aug 2014 08:01 BST 16 August 2014
Laser Wessex Grand Prix at Thornbury © Paul Craig

On Saturday 16th August, Thornbury SC hosted the latest Laser Wessex GP event on the tidal waters of the Severn Estuary.

With a strong westerly breeze forecast, many of the visitors thought they'd gotten away with it, when they arrived to a gentle F2-3, however as the fleet prepared to launch in came the breeze. Race officer Paul Craig set a 'P' shaped course sending the fleet off on a reach along the shore against the strong tide, before conjuring up a beat out into the middle of the estuary. The gybe mark set right in front of the sailing club made for some great spectating at the end of the run with a couple of reaches to complete the lap.

In race 1 John Ling of Bartley SC got clear air off of the line and headed for the tidal relief close to the shore, while others set about luffing each other out into the stronger tide, a mistake they weren't to make again! Rick Plummer (Bowmoor SC) and Adam John (Tewkesbury SC), attempted to chase down Ling but nothing was going to catch him.

In race 2 with the tide easing, the fleet stayed more compact and it was Plummer who took the early lead, only to give it away at the end of the first run. Ling then pulled away to another win. Adam John got caught in the pack and was unable to make a real showing leaving Richard Lymposs (Papercourt SC) to move up the placings.

Race 3 started in a falling tide, and to ensure a beat the race officer omitted the first mark from race 1 & 2. Again it was Ling who led the fleet, but Adam John managed to get back into the zone, and held onto Lings coat tails, with Lymposs just behind.

The top Radial of the day was Thornbury SCs very own Julie Crocker.

The fleet now moves on to Penarth for the next event in the Wessex GP series.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoClubHelmPYR1R2R3Pts
1st206207Bartley SCJohn Ling1088‑1112
2nd184327Bowmoor SCRick Plummer108822‑44
3rd205123Tewkesbury SCAdam John10883‑725
4th206331Papercourt SCRichard Lymposs1088‑4336
5th201013Bowmoor SCNeil Crosby1088‑55510
6th200722Upton Warren SCGuy Pearson1088‑74711
7th200920Bartley SCR. Pitt10886‑8612
8th206244Bowmoor SCDerrick Page1088‑86814
9th204976Avon SCMike Adams108899‑1018
10th189130Shirehampton SCMarc Rigot1088‑1110919
11th146435Thornbury SCJulie Crocker112210‑111121
12th159707Bartley SCEmma Hancox1122‑13121224
13th146894Thornbury SCMalcolm Worster108812(DNF)DNS25
14th161512Thornbury SCJim Storrar1122(DNF)DNSDNS27

Related Articles

Rooster Strengthens 2025 Season Partnerships
Commitment to supporting classes and clubs that promote participation, performance, and progression Rooster Sailing Ltd is proud to announce the continuation and expansion of several key partnerships for the 2025 season, along with the addition of a new collaboration with one of the UK's most iconic sailing clubs. Posted today at 8:00 am
Nicholas Halliday makes history
With ILCA 7 victory at 2025 French Olympic Week - Hyères Hong Kong's Nicholas Halliday has made sailing history, clinching first place in the ILCA 7 fleet at the French Olympic Week - Hyères (SOF), and becoming Hong Kong's first ever Sailing Grand Slam (SGS) event winner. Posted on 28 Apr
Australia's next wave at French Olympic Week
Morris faced light and patchy breeze in the must-win medal showdown French Olympic Week in Hyères delivered everything from the roaring mistral winds that pushed physical limits to the patience-testing light airs that demanded calm and clarity. Posted on 27 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères overall
USA skiffs gold and silver as Italy and China top medal table The final day of the 56th edition of French Olympic Week saw Italy join China at the top of the medal table as they won a medal of every colour across the six Medal Races after China's exploits on Friday. Posted on 26 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 5
Israel deny China triple gold On a day of high pressure - in all senses - and drama in all the Medal series, team power and individual brilliance produced some of the closest board Finals in Hyères history. Posted on 25 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 4
Kiteboarders and windsurfers go for Friday gold as shifts play havoc with process On a day in which fortunes shifted as much as the winds, French Olympic Week will have its first Medal Races on Friday as the top 8 men and women kitesurfers and windsurfers battle it out for the podium. Posted on 24 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 3
Epic Mistral baptises the next Olympic generation "Epic", "Crazy", "Nothing like it" and many words too colourful to include in a family press release sprang from the excited Mistral-lashed lips and sometimes stunned faces of those Olympic classes last back to the boat park. Posted on 23 Apr
Papercourt ILCA Open
Thames Valley Grand Prix event On Sunday, April 13, 2025, Papercourt Sailing Club hosted the ILCA Open Meeting at Papercourt Lake, drawing a competitive fleet of ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 sailors from across the Thames Valley region. The event was part of the Thames Valley Grand Prix series. Posted on 23 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 2
Hyères demands patience before the Mistral with sunset finish Racing in Hyères can test every sinew and synapse, and the second day of the 56th French Olympic Week (Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères - Toulon Provence Méditerranée) was a test of patience. Posted on 22 Apr
56th Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères day 1
“Best day ever” as French Olympic Week sets sail in Hyères The 56th edition of French Olympic Week (Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères - Toulon Provence Méditerranée) began in classic Côte d'Azur conditions as 729 competitors from 56 nations started six days of racing. Posted on 21 Apr