Malcolm Smith Wins Laser Radial Champs
Veteran sailor Malcolm Smith won the Laser Radial National Championships yesterday [Jan 3] in the midst of an approaching low pressure system which saw many of the sailors bowing out early as weather deteriorated. Smith was able to overtake Sarah Lane Adderley and youth sailor Kalin Hillier who were front runners after day one by sailing consistently with final day finishes of 3, 4, 3 and 2. Adderley ended up 5 points back to take second place while Brett Wright hung in to take the third podium position.
Conditions in the Great Sound during the two day regatta couldn’t have been more different with Sunday’s sunny skies, light to moderate winds contrasting greatly with Monday’s strong winds, cooler temperatures, rain and poor visibility. Bigger, heavier sailors like Rockal Evans and William Hutchings dominated on Monday in the 25+ knot breeze while the smaller, lighter sailors prevailed on day one. Race officials from the Laser Class of Bermuda completed 8 races over the two days and allowed sailors to drop their worst score.
The regatta was also a qualifier for determining Bermuda’s singlehanded dinghy representative for the 2011 Volvo Youth Worlds. 16 year old Kalin Hillier was the leader ahead of 15 year old Owen Siese by 8 points after day 1 but he sealed his fate when he dropped out of the seventh race and did not sail the eighth and final race. Siese, who represented Bermuda at last summer’s Youth Olympic Games, will have the opportunity to represent Bermuda in the Boys Laser Radial this July in Croatia.
Full results below, click ‘Full Screen’ for greater clarity:
