Monday, May 11, 2015

Mossel Bay's Megan Robertson does well in SA Laser Nationals


SA Laser Nationals
Offshore Durban: 30 April – 3 May

Fifteen year old Megan Robertson from Mossel Bay has just returned after competing in the recent SA Laser Nationals offshore of Durban.

The hugely talented sailor competed in the 4,7 class finishing fourth overall and was the third lady in the highly competitive division. She finished ahead of highly experienced Frances van Breda who was competing on her home ground.


“The Laser Nationals was hosted at an amazing venue; the vibe was great and very welcoming. Going into the regatta I knew I was slightly overweight for the 4.7s but I took a chance because I got told there was a cold front moving up the coast. It never came.” The beaming, tanned lass stated.



“On the first day I did quite well, finishing the day lying second overall and still capable of getting into the top spot. Over the next few days my position dropped with the light winds causing me problems. The rest of the fleet was smaller and lighter than me and on the water, they moved quicker.” explained the young Curro pupil.



"Overall I didn’t do too badly, I finished fourth tied for third. Elsje had more first places than me, so she was awarded the bronze. But really, the best thing about the regatta has to be the venue, one of my favourites offshore of Durban.”

The previous week, Robertson competed in a warm up event in Richards Bay, the KZN Open Provincial Championships and came first there. “I absolutely loved Richards Bay. Again, the venue and vibe was memorable and the racing on the courses they set out was great fun. On the one day we got to sail offshore in heavy winds and big swells, I loved that as offshore sailing is my thing.”



Asked what she learnt from her week in KZN, she replied, “At Richards Bay I got taught the lesson of not thinking you are the best and learn from the more experienced guys sailing. That lesson helped me to win the regatta at the end of the day. And in Durban my upwind sailing improved tremendously through big swell and chop in light winds.”

The future star is now challenging herself, moving into the Radial class, “I'm now getting onto a radial and starting training towards qualifying for ISAF Youth Worlds. I have a few months to train as the big event is at the end of the year in Langkawi, an island off Malaysia.”

Results
Standard
1 Rudy McNeill (PYC), 2 Rudolph Holm (AYC), 3 Alistair Keytel (ZVYC), 4 Colin Dibb (FSC – Australia), 5 Thomas Baumgarti (YCI –Brazil), 6 Marcello Marcia (VLC), 7 Alan Keen (ZVYC), 8 Trent Bingham (PYC), 9 Campbell Alexander (PYC), 10 Michael McNeill (PYC), 11 Rowen Clark (PYC), 12 Lance Burger (ZVYC), 13 Anthony McMillan (PYC), 14 De-Wet Nel (DYC), 15 Byron Watt (PYC), 16 Ralph Thomas (ZVYC), 17 Andre Bestha (DYC), 18 Thomas Sutherland (ZIC), 19 Deon van der Walt (LDYC), 20 Clive Whitburn (VLC), 21 Myles White (PYC), 22 Nicholas Matter (HMYC), 23 Anthony Arbuthnot (PYC), 24 Andrew Russell (ZYC), 25 Rob Goulden (PYC), 26 David Curtiss (PYC) 27= Henri Frencken (PYC), 27= Brett Clark (VLC)
Radial
1 Dylan Long (TSC), 2 Calvin Gibbs (IYC), 3 Georgou Divaris (KYC), 4 Sam Lombaard (PYC), 5 Ruben Heard (ZYC), 6 James Hellstrom (GLYC), 7 Iliana Boura (VLC), 8 Dominic van der Walt (LDYC), 9 Jethro Brophy Tintinger (PYC), 10 Damian Muller (DAC), 11 Tyron-Lee De Jager (ZYC), 12 Andrew Walford (PYC), 13 Ken Holliday (ZVYC), 14 Megan Eccleston (WYC), 15 Peter Clayton (BSC), 16 Nicholas Forshaw (HMYC), 17 Emma Clark (VLC), 18 Mugammad Peters (DYC), 19 Ross Gaughran (PYC), 20 Tommy Madoda (DYC), 21 Alison Bradfield (ZLC), 22 Megan van der Walt (LDYC), 23 Nicola Burger (ZVYC), 24 Matthew Russell (ZYC), 25 Brendan Geraghty (BSC)
4.7
1 Kai Leslie (ZVYC), 2 Sarah-Jane Deary (ZVYC), 3 Elsje Dijkstra (ZVYC), 4 Megan Robertson (GLYC), 5 Frances Van Breda (PYC), 6 Hannah Fokkens (ISC), 7 Hannah Tiedt (PYC), 8 Kirsten Clark (VLC), 9 Gen Matter (HMYC)


ENDS

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