Stewartby Sailing Club hosted the seventh round of the 2010 Laser Home Counties and Eastern region Grand Prix series on Saturday 22nd May. Ten visitors joined four home club entries and all were greeted with a light force 2 to 3 wind with occasional big holes and scorching sunshine.
Race Officers Simon Witham and Barney Proud set a compact square course for the two back to back races before lunch.
The fleet made a clean start in race one and Graham Lund from Aldenham Sailing Club led after the first lap followed closely by Alan Bishop from Girton SC in second and Simon Miles SWSC in third. Behind the first three some close racing took place with the compact course keeping places close. Six laps were completed with Lund first across the line followed by Bishop in second, Miles in third and Krzysztof Bonicki from NHEB who had worked his way through the fleet to finish fourth.
The compact square course was retained for the second race. An excellent start saw Graham Smith from Graffam Water SC lead after the first lap followed by Bishop and Lund. The fleet completed four laps with Smith finishing first followed by Lund and Bishop.
After lunch the wind had swung through 40 degrees necessitating a change of course. At the start the wind swung even further resulting in a heavily starboard biased line, despite this the fleet started cleanly with most competitors tacking onto port immediately. At the end of the first lap Lund lead with Miles in second and Ryan Langston from Beccles SC in third. With the exception of Lund who managed to maintain his lead from start to finish there was considerable place changing throughout the rest of the fleet. Lund crossed the line first followed by Bishop in second and Bonicki in third.
The fourth race started cleanly and Lund lead at the end of the first lap followed by Mike Oddy from Wembley SC in second and Miles in third. With large wind shifts and calm patches places changed throughout the fleet , at the end of four laps Bishop did well to finish first followed closely by Lund in second, Miles in third and Adrian Degge H(B)SC in fourth.
Overall Results:
- Graham Lund ,(Aldenham SC)
- Alan Bishop, (Girton SC)
- Krzysztof Bonicki, (NHEB)
- Simon Miles, (SWSC)
- Jarvis Simpson
- Adrian Degge, H(B)SC
First Junior: Ryan Langston
First Radial: Andrew Byrne
Triard Award: Graham Smith for his first race win. Well done.