(Dún Laoghaire, Ireland) As the 302-strong fleet prepares for a well-earned rest day tomorrow at the Laser Masters World Championships in Dún Laoghaire, nine of the Standard and Radial divisions have comfortable overall leaders. The third day of racing today showed local sailor Mark Lyttle break into the overall lead of the Standard Grand Master class after winning both races.
Conditions on Dublin Bay were again breezy, though they lacked the large wind shifts of the earlier races.
Australian Brett Beyer extended his overall leading margin in the Standard Master class to 12 points over fellow countryman David Whait as the pair sits atop the 60-boat division that is increasingly becoming a contest for a runner-up podium place. American Peter Hurley has climbed into third place overall.
Italy’s Marco Sorgassi, racing under Irish colors for his adopted home venue, reckoned the day was typical for Dublin Bay with strong gusts and plenty of subtle wind shifts. “It definitely wasn’t as physical as the opening day but playing the shifts required complete concentration,” said the Radial Master currently in 11th overall. “We’re looking forward to the rest day to mentally prepare for Thursday!”
Great Britain’s Stephen Cockerill dispelled any doubts after Tuesday’s uncharacteristic 16th place by again winning both races of the 58-boat Radial Grand Masters division to continue his overall lead. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Scott Leith added his fourth race win of the series in the 28-strong Radial Master class where he now enjoys a 10-point lead over Robert Hallawell of the United States.
The run of leading boats continued in the Radial Great Grand Masters where Bill Symes of the United States also won both races in his 37-strong fleet. Fellow American Peter Seidenberg in the Legends Radial fleet, for 75 years and over, had a black flag disqualification in Race 5 discarded so he is still only counting race wins with a healthy ten-point lead.
Amongst the host nation boats, apart from Lyttle’s performance in the Standard Grand Masters, six Irish boats are in the top 10, and vying for a podium result in the Standard Apprentice class. While Canada’s Gord Welsh has been dueling with Spain’s Leandro Rosado for first and second places since Sunday, Roger O’Gorman from Cork is holding third overall in the 14-boat division and has five more tricolours bearing down on him.
After a rest day tomorrow, racing will resume on Thursday with two races.
Top 3 Net Results
Standard Apprentice
1. Gord Welsh – CAN – 6 pts
2. Leandro Rosado – ESP – 11 pts
3. Roger O’Gorman – IRL – 18 pts
Standard Master
1. Brett Beyer – AUS – 5 pts
2. David Whait – AUS – 17 pts
3. Peter Hurley – USA – 26 pts
Standard Grand Master
1. Mark Lyttle – GBR – 19 pts
2. Carlos Martinez – ESP – 21 pts
3. Tomas Nordqvist – SWE – 21 pts
Standard Great Grand Master
1. Wolfgang Gerz – GER – 7 pts
2. Michael Hicks – GBR – 16 pts
3. Charles Campion – GBR – 17 pts
Radial Apprentice
1. Ben Elvin – GBR – 5 pts
2. Thomas Chaix – IRL – 10 pts
3. Andrew Byrne – GBR – 14 pts
Radial Master
1. Scott Leith – NZL – 6 pts
2. Robert Hallawell – USA – 16 pts
3. Ian Jones – GBR – 18 pts
Radial Grand Master
1. Stephen Cockerill – GBR – 5 pts
2. Gustaf Svensson – SWE – 17 pts
3. James Mitchell – AUS – 19 pts
Radial Great Grand Master
1. Bill Symes – USA – 5 pts
2. Lasse Wastesson – SWE – 21 pts
3. Jean-Luc Dreyer – SUI – 27 pts
Radial 75+
1. Peter Seidenberg – USA – 5 pts
2. Lindsay Hewitt – USA – 15 pts
3. David Wyllie – AUS – 20 pts
High-res photographs available for editorial rights-free event coverage: dave@oceansport.ie