As if PNW dinghy sailors didn’t know it already, Portland’s Bill Symes is a Laser sailing legend. And he just won the Legends class at the ILCA Master Worlds in Thailand.
For those of you unfamiliar with the ILCA Masters Worlds, it is a truly amazing gathering of older sailors still fit and ambitious enough to sail the seminal singlehander at the highest level. The age groups are Apprentice Master (35-44), Master (45-54), Grand Master (55-64), Great Grand Master (65-74) and, you guessed it, Legends (75+). And while the older sailors may not have the physical tools they once had, there’s an amazing amount of fitness on display and they are no less competitive than 18 year olds. They may, however, be a little nicer to each other on and off the water.
This impressive annual gathering happens at carefully chosen locales around the world, with an eye toward keeping the ILCA (Laser) active worldwide. The locations are also chosen for good sailing conditions.
Bill Symes has been at the top of the masters classes for decades. Last year he missed on a Legends win with a black flag in the first race on the last day.
Symes wasn’t the only PNW winner. Al Clark of Vancouver BC won the Grand Master title. Like Symes, Clark had his worst race in the first race on the last day, but managed to hold on to a two point lead for the series win.
I’d like to make a few observations. In the modern sailing culture of faster, faster, faster, anything less than foiling seems ho hum. I doubt any of the foiling folks had any more fun, or experienced any more intensity, than these masters going at the more sedate Laser pace. While there’s nothing wrong with pushing the envelope and foiling, the fun to be had on inexpensive dinghies should not be dismissed. Also, one might think that there would be only a handful of “old folks” with the fitness and will to do a 6-day Laser regatta. The Legends class had 20 participants, the Great Grand Master class had 32. Those are great racing fleets. Finally, half the Apprentice class, including the winner, were women.
I’m glad I kept my old Laser – er – ILCA.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
At last years Worlds, Bill was bested by Chris Boome from Saint Francis YC, a true legend himself, they had an awesome duel in the last race. And, even more remarkable I believe they would have come second and third if the results had been combined Great Grand Master and Legend fleet, we sailed together, Dan those old farts are fast and smart. The whole West Coast Contingent did incredible, congrats to them all.