New Zealand Laser Association

Sam Meech narrowly beat Tom Saunders by just 2 points after the medal race for 3rd place at the world champs test event in Aaarhus, Denmark.
Sam has his worst day on the first day - before regaining his composure to catch up over the rest of the regatta.
Yachting NZ Article

Thomas Saunders - care of YNZ
 

The Australian and Oceania Laser Masters is being held

• at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast
• from the 9th to 12th February 2018
• www.lasermasters2018.com

"We have organised Brett Beyer to hold a Laser Master Class coaching clinic for two days at Mooloolaba on Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th immediately before the Masters. Cost will be $250. Max 10 entries - if more we will get Mitch Kennedy from the Australian Laser Sailing Team as an assistant coach and then expand to max 20."

If you are interested contact Queensland chairman Michael Wilson, Michael Wilson <wilsomichael58@gmail.com>, 0417 758 859.

They have confirmed that Kiwis are very welcome and they won't even include too many false tips!

Congratulations to Murray's Bay sailor Josh Armit who won the under 17 division of the 2017 Laser Radial Youth Worlds
The Murrays Bay sailor came remarkable 4th overall in the regatta which was sailed this year at Medemblik, in the Netherlands.

This fine result is not too much of s surprise for those of us who have watched and occasionally sailed against Josh (well were in the same race).

• 2017 Laser Radial Youth Worlds Results
• And on Facebook
• Yachting NZ Article on Josh's win

Did you know the NZLA is on Facebook?

Hi Everyone

Firstly thanks for the great turnout at the WMG and what a fantastic event, both on and off the water.

So many Lasers, such beautiful weather, such great racing and fantastic apres-sailing made it one of the best regattas I have been to and I hope all of you enjoyed it as much as I did.

So before you mothball the boat for the winter I thought I would rattle everyone's cage and get you to think about some opportunities to build on all you learned at Torbay.

1. Club sailing - keep the boat warm, make the effort and sail regularly at your club and keep the momentum going, which will get others to follow in your footsteps.

2. Next up - Queens Birthday Regatta at Port Ohope - 4th and 5th of June

3. Take a holiday South Pacific Laser Masters, Royal Queensland, Brisbane July 21st - 24th. Forget the dreary NZ weather, pop over to Brisbane for a long weekend in the warmth for what is always a good fleet, close racing and a great social program at one of the neatest venues in this part of the world. Charter boats will be available.

4. If you thought 170 Lasers at Torbay was good and the competition tough why not try 350 Lasers in Split, Croatia in September at the Laser Masters Worlds. If you want to go you need to get on and register smartly on the ILCA website as the event will be fully subscribed but hopefully all Kiwis that want to go will get a slot.

5. Forget the winter and start to plan for next summer, it's not that far away. There will be many great events but a few big ones to think about and to put in the diary;

• North Island in Napier, last weekend of November (25th & 26th) - always a warm welcome and a good fleet.
• NZ Nationals in Christchurch, Naval Point,  17th to 21st January. Plenty of SI sailors made it to Torbay so let's return the favour and all get down to Christchurch.
• Australian Laser Masters Nationals - Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, 9th to 12th February. Plenty of Aussies made the effort to come here for the WMG so let's return the favour. I believe they are targeting a fleet of 250 and need a few Kiwis to keep them honest. Charter boats will be available and the sailing conditions on the ocean off Mooloolaba promise to be awesome.

There will also be the usual range of local and inter-club regattas to get your teeth into. Check the NZLA website regularly.

So plenty of places to build on what you learned at Torbay and plenty more fun to be had. 

See you on the water somewhere.

Regards

Nick Page

2017 NZ Laser Rankings for all divisions excluding Masters.

Any questions please;

• first check the Selection Policies
• then contact Nick Page

PSA will have the long awaited class legal Laser carbon top section available from 1st February 2017.
They are AUD850 in australia - with preorders accepted for AUD100 online at the PSA site.
 

In NZ they will be available from Dan Slater at The Watershed.

We are now taking pre orders for Feb delivery total cost is $1042 and the deposit is $200.
Sailors can call and make a CC deposit and the freight we will discuss at Nationals when we have more details but  would like to combine areas orders and freight.
- Dan Slater
 

The official word from the ILCA below:

Long waits then light and tricky breezes at the 2017 Sir Peter Blake Regatta on 3rd & 4th Dec.

All Results

Dear Sir/ Madam,

On the 19th of November 2016 at the International Laser Class Association “ILCA” annual general meeting the World Council voted to change the geographic boundaries of the Asia Pacific region into Asia and Oceania.

There are many reasons for this decision but the main one was to be geographically inline with the International Olympic Council “IOC” and their view on the five Continents around the World as described by the five Olympic rings in the Olympic trade mark logo. Oceania is one of those rings.
This new region for laser, Oceania will incorporate all Pacific Island Nations and Australia and New Zealand. While it is early days the Oceania Laser Committee will work out the best way to run a viable Oceania Laser Continental Championships annually that will gain the respect of the IOC and World Sailing “WS” and set a bench mark for other ILCA regions to follow.

In the future it is hoped that this Event will attract WS points and eventually be an Olympic selection Regatta for Oceania and ILCA member Countries.
This initiative will create an opportunity for increased participation in Youth, Open and Master Sailing that will lead to stronger laser class racing in the Region.
In the mean time all Oceania Countries not registered or financial with the peak body ILCA should become financial and compliant. Details ILCA Web site.
Things like web sites and better communications will be resolved over time and I will send information when it comes available, so be proud and be involved and we all will be winners.

Thank You
Ken Hurling
OAM ILCA Oceania Chair
LASERSAILFORLIFE

Sunday 13th November saw the the 25th edition of the North Harbour Masters held on Lake Pupuke.

• Results

The first Laser Masters regatta of the 2016/17 season saw a strong turnout of 35 sailors starting their work up to next years World Masters at Torbay in April 2017. There was a healthy mix of the old guard, returning names of old and some new faces resulting in strong fleets in both the Standard and Radial. 

Conditions were pretty much ideal for an early season regatta, with 12 to 18 knot westerlies, gusty and shifty as usual on the lake which resulted in opportunities for all but a few thrills and spills when unexpected gusts or shifts caught out the unwary. It also allowed the scheduled 5 races to be completed easily, even allowing the luxury of a lunch break ashore between races 3 and 4. Starts and finishes right off the car park minimised organisational challenges for PRO Garth Briden and allowed spectators, including the usual tranche of masters not sailing due to age related excuses, a grandstand view of the racing.

In the Standards expat Australian, now from Cambridge, Anthony Merrington (A) was victorious with a strong performance, counting a 1,1,1,2. Racing at the front of the fleet was close at all times but Anthony dominated with consistently strong starts and clever reading of the shifty breeze to prevail from a trio of local Masters; Mark Oliver, who was a close second overall counting 1,2,2,3, followed by Rohan Lord and Dean Drummond. They were closely followed by leading GM Nick Page in 5th and Tony Nicholson (M) in 6th.

In the Radial current World Apprentice Radial Champion Scott Leith (A) was dominant, counting 4 bullets, but tripping up in the last race to let former World Masters champ Mark Orams (M) get one back after Scott had managed to pull out some impressive margins in the early races. Mark was second overall followed by Phil Wild (A), recently back in his Laser after a break of several years, Werner Hennig from Hamilton and then leading GM Pete Thomas in 5th. Pete strong post lunch results, a 3rd and 4th, allowed him to just pip GM Kevin Welsh who ended up 6th overall after a couple of tough afternoon races. Clearly Pete's lunch was faster than Kevin's! Michelle Bain was the first Women's master in 10th overall.

The usual generous Pupuke range of prizes, entertainingly presented as usual by commodore John Dowsett, capped off a successful day for sailors and spectators alike. The strong turnout for this regatta bodes well for the full program of regattas this season, culminating with the World Masters Games in April where entry numbers are already strong. Next up for NI sailors is the NI champs in Napier in a fortnight, followed by The Sir Peter Blake regatta at Torbay the first weekend of December and then the Nationals at Taupo in January.