One of the great things about racing dinghies is going to international events to make new friends, learn a few new sailing tricks and see how you stack up. And the Laser class is one of the best for that. With 22 (by my count) Pacific Northwest sailors attending the Laser North Americans at Alamitos YC, a few of those tricks are sure to make it back into our fleets. While it’s clear that the PNW contingent was made up mostly strapping young lasses and lads, the “grown ups” have just as much fun. Maybe even more. My friend and fellow Laser Seattle Laser Fleet competitor Jay Leon didn’t quite win on the water, but his appreciation for the event should make anybody who wasn’t there jealous. That, plus these photos courtesy of the Tom Walker gallery, certainly did for me. Check out that gallery – even if you’re not into the moisture and aches of Laser sailing, those photos will get your blood flowing. -KH
The 2018 Laser North Americans – Time and Treasure Rewarded
By Jay Leon
I suspect I am like any sailboat racer, I don’t part with my time and treasure without expectations. It’s not a super complicated formula. Need wind. If wind, need good competition. If wind and competition, need a competent team to run the event. That is all I ask. Oh yeah, it would be nice if it didn’t rain, wasn’t too cold or hot, had no bugs or lightning, the people were welcoming, the logistics worked easily…
Alamitos Bay Yacht Club and Long Beach California delivered it all for the 2018 Laser North Americans. Regatta chair, Ed Spotskey, took the stage on Thursday morning and told 161 Laser Sailors from 24 countries how much he and his ABYC team loved putting on big events. And Ed, along with PRO Mark Townsend, judge Ben Fels, and what seemed like a battalion of volunteers, lived up to it.
They put together 12 races for the 3 fleets over four days with only a handful of general recalls. Take a look at the results, there were only about a dozen boats called for U flag or black flag violations. I talked to PRO Mark Townsend about how he accomplished this feat and it was clear he was intently focussed on making the event as fair as possible. If it didn’t look like his team could accurately record all of the boats over the line, he would postpone. An elegant solution to a long standing problem. Also, if you are thinking about the Laser PCCs at CGRA, Mark Townsend will be the PRO.
Long Beach is known for a building sea breeze and so it did on the first day. Starting at or just under 10, and building to the mid teens as it clocked to the right, it was classic Long Beach. On the second day, the RC moved the to the course area just outside the breakwater. The breeze skipped the building part and started right in where it left off the day before with over 15 during the first race and over 20 by the end of the day. There were enough ten to fifteen degree shifts to keep everyone on their toes. Day three was a repeat of day 1, and the final day was a bit lighter, only getting to full hiking conditions for the final race of the regatta.
I am sure it was competitive at the front of the full rig fleet. Unfortunately, even though I was theoretically in the same races, my best view of the leaders was when the results were posted. Charlie Buckingham, was on the top of the list after each day and ultimately won overall after posting 6 firsts, and he dropped a 4th and the last race — which he did not need to sail. Chris Bernard never finished out of the top 3 in the first 8 races, and then tailed off a bit but saved second. Bruno Fuentes from Brazil, finished in the top 3 for 7 races, and finished 3rd overall by just 4 points. Buckingham and Bernard are both US Olympic team members and grew up sailing in Long Beach. The two of them along with Fuentes, the Brazilian national laser champ, finished in this same configuration the last time ABYC hosted the Laser North Americans in 2014.
I suspect by Sunday the coaches, competitors, and fans were plenty impressed with the show Ed Spotskey and ABYC put on by Sunday. However, any lingering doubt was dispatched, as 161 Lasers, and 35 coach boats, and all that gear were loaded and on the road by 8 PM — while a local rock and roll cover band played in the park next to the club.
I sat on the back of my car in the sun, listened to the music, and watched it all happen — just glad I had decided to be there.