I alone in thinking that’s it is ironic that in the same month as the country has voted to leave the EU, 72 years ago, hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers fought a desperate struggle to make Europe a safer place: I wonder how they are reacting to today’s news about our unplanned Brexit?

SAILING news pales into insignificance really but if you feel the same way as me, after the endless debating period, a little light relief probably wouldn’t go amiss. As ever, the sailing amongst the fleet is tight. I have included below a selection of results for your delectation. If you require more detailed information, you can find it, of course, on the Laser Fleet website.

MONDAY

The contest for top honours looks close; I wonder if Bob has done enough? The scrap for 4^th place is even closer, and if the ‘head screwed on’ Colston turns up, Courtenay may have to work hard for his 7^th place. I’m involved in a similar struggle with Richard Strang but sadly we’re both not quite fast enough to get into the abbreviated version of the results!

WEDNESDAY

Some familiar names here but not always in the positions we’ve become accustomed to seeing them in. I think there have been more results than this but I know that there has been some disruption caused by unco-operative winds and tides.

SATURDAY

It’s nice to see an old friend’s name appearing on the honours board – We’d hoped to see more of Andrew Hartley as a result of him no longer having to travel to London each day but the rigours of exams for the almost the entire family have kept him away.

Congratulations to both Bob Cudmore and Trevor Annels who appear in the top ten of each of the series.

AWAY from the club, the Laser Masters National Championship has been held at Hayling Island over the long week-end of 24^th-26^th of June. 6 of our most successful sailors went to pit their wits against the best in the country! Just to remind you, the event is divided by rig, (Standard & Radial), and those two categories are sub-divided by age, (see the table below for clarification):

I can’t believe which box I’m in and even worse, which box I’m going into next year!

67 Radial sailors sailed in at least one race and there were 54 Standards. This is how our intrepid group fared:

Roger has the honour of winning one of the races (race 5), but I’ll be interested to hear what he made of the fact that the winner of the overall event in the Standard division (with 40pts) was a Grand Master! I’m sure coming 2^nd Apprentice Master will help soothe the pain of losing to an older man! Bob ended up as 5^th Master.

Ann was 1^st Lady overall and, therefore, of course 1^st Grand Master Lady. Roberta was 1^st Lady Master.

Conditions were very challenging with waves, wind and electrical storms to contend with. The latter element led to very poor visibility which might help to explain why Bob, Andrew and Mark all failed to find their way to the finish in Race 5. Had they been closer to Roger they could have followed him home!

Roger receiving his prize for finishing 2nd Apprentice Master.

Sail fast and fair,
Ann & John
Commanding Officer and Dog Robber

Ps Our sailor for the month of June is Trevor Annels – awarded for consistent improvement in both the long and short formats of our game!