Al takes the 2016 Vasco title in record time

Point Yacht Club

Vasco da Gama Ocean Race

Port Elizabeth: 25 April

Al Mount Gay Rum skippered by Rob van Rooyen goes one better this year, taking line honours in record time and claiming the handicap win in the 45^th edition of the Vasco da Gama Ocean Race hosted by Point Yacht Club.

The defending champ on handicap sailed a flawless race in a time of 2 days 6 hours 1min 22 sec, smashing the record by 56mintues and claiming the double when she arrived in Port Elizabeth yesterday (Monday) evening at 06:01pm. The team of eight from Cape Town were delighted with their victory, “We knew going into the race that getting the double was a possibility, we knew it would be a challenge but anything is possible. A double whammy, it really is wonderful.” an elated van Rooyen said as soon as he reached the moorings.

Continuing, he stated, “We were really disappointed when Yes Girl retired! They sailed a phenomenal race straight out of the starting blocks and into the lead. We were happy if they got line honours, we knew we could take them on the handicap, and our game plan was to beat them tactically. But once they retired, our tactics changed and we eyed out our next opposition, Bellatrix who at that stage were lying in third, behind us before Yes Girl made her way to East London.”

“We opted to sail using the currents, but once the sea state deteriorated, we came inshore. My team did fantastically, all things considering. One or two got seasick, but they dug deep and got over it. The more experienced guys handled the rough weather like champs.”

“Our average age, we worked out is 24 years on the boat. I just turned 30 and two of the other guys are 30. The youngest is 17. So, we are young, eager crew. We all have been sailing on and off together since I was about ten, so we know each other’s abilities, strengths and weaknesses.”

With the fleet getting dished all sorts of weather, being battered by lumpy seas, winds from all directions, van Rooyen commented, “Al was great. I think going into the race that is where we were better compared to the other guys. We have been prepping Al for the last six months and were extremely well prepared and managed to keep the boat in one piece throughout the heavy stuff. She was sailing like a dream. So I do believe we started at an advantage to the rest of the guys, no one else spent half a year readying their boat.”

With the upcoming Cape2 Rio race around the corner, van Rooyen highlighted, “We would consider doing a race like Rio but in all honesty, the Vasco is far more challenging. Yes, the race only last two days but the actual getting to Durban, and sailing along the SA coastline. This race is much more difficult that the Rio race, in my opinion. There is far more adrenaline in this short, burst down the coastline.”

The next boat to cross the line was Durban’s very own Bellatrix skippered by Gregg Hurter, who arrived just over three hours behind Al. The two pushed each other the entire race, down the coastline, both opting to stay relatively close to shore. As they neared the end, Al accelerated in the varying winds, expanding the gap between the two.

After 400NM, two boats diced it all the way towards finish line in the hopes of claiming third across the line. Only one nautical mile separated the two that were due in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday). Rocket, skippered by Herbie Karolius from Cape Town put in a fine display of sailing, having had to return back to sheltered waters, soon after their disastrous start. The Simonis 54 snagged the start buoy as they were heading through the line on the start on Saturday. After a battle to free it, they eventually cut the warp free and started their voyage only to realise that they in fact were dragging the start line’s anchor, which was slowing them down.

Hats off to the dark horse, Yes Girl from Cape Town, skippered by Gabriel Fernandes the L35 Mod looked to have the race wrapped up with a red ribbon, but as ocean racing goes, it isn’t over until you cross the line. In the proverbial all things happen in threes, Yes Girl certainly was dished a threesome. First, as they were heading to the start line, they got stuck on the ‘putty’, beaching themselves at low tide on the sandbank at the end of the marina. They then got themselves tangled around the start line when they got offshore, dragging it for some distance. And then the third and fatal blow to their race, their steering system packed up after the boat was pushed to the maximum late on Sunday, when they were forced to retire to East London.

Joining them in East London, the gorgeous Ray of Light also had to retire due to blowing out their head on their main sail in 40knots wind. Helmed by the husband and wife team, Heidi and Michael Kavanagh will be disappointed as they got brand new sails leading up to this race.

The remainder of the exhausted 16 strong fleet arrived in to Port Elizabeth with only one boat not being able to cross the lien in the allocated time, Izimoyo II skippered by Jasper van der Westhuizen just didn’t make the cut, as they battled with the challenging conditions the whole way from Durban to Port Elizabeth.

For more info visit www.pyc.co.za or like the Facebook page or follow it on YB Tacking

Wrap up with Andrew Tarboton

Point Yacht Club

Interview with Andrew Tarboton

Wrap-up 49er World Championships: 16 – 21 November

Settling back home in Hamble, near Southampton in the UK, Andrew Tarboton is recovering from one of the toughest regattas he, and his sailing partner Graeme Willcox have ever had the honour of competing in.

The only South African representatives took on the worlds’ best in this year’s 49er World Championships in San Isidro, a province just north of Buenos Aires. The six day regatta hosted by Club Nautico was their best hope for qualifying for the Rio Olympics.

With only three slots in the 49er class for Rio up for grabs, the hopeful Safa sailors were in for a long shot, “The regatta was a fiercely fought spectacle of the world’s best sailors, with all the top teams’ present gunning for the three spots available. As it turned out, those three places were taken by teams finishing in the top 10 overall, showing just how tough it was.”

“Buenos Aires is a really challenging sailing venue due to many factors including the brown water making it difficult to read the wind, the shallow water making the chop really short and steep, and the storms...” emphasising, Tarboton regales.

“And none more so than the fourth day of the regatta, the first day of the finals. We missed out on Gold fleet and so the race committee had sent us out first for the day.  There were many storms swirling around the area, affecting the wind and conditions dramatically. We got off to a decent start with good boat speed and were picking off those in front of us well.”

“We rounded the bottom mark in the top 10 and decided initially that the left hand side would pay and thus picked off a few more places. We noticed a big right hand shift near the top of the course and decided to go to the right on the downwind leg. The five boats that rounded the top mark in front of us decided to go left downwind, but we stuck to our game plan and pushed right into the new wind and building pressure.”

“This paid off and the boats that had gone left were far behind near the bottom of the course. The downwind was really tricky as the big wind quickly built the chop, but we managed to keep the boat going well and hold off the other boats right to the victorious gun at the finish. This was a huge relief and a sense of real achievement set in with that race win.” stated an obviously chuffed Tarboton.

Talking about the conditions and courses, Pietermaritzburg’s Tarboton said, “We sailed windward-leeward courses - starting at the bottom of the course, making our way into the wind, back downwind, into the wind again, and finally downwind to the finish, generally a two lap race.”

“The wind was generally light and switchy, with very little pressure behind it. In the three weeks we were there, there were only two windy days which suited us more.”

“Our final result was 52 out of 61 boats. We were aiming for top 50, but just missed that goal. Fifteen races were completed over the six days, and in those races we scored a first, an eighth and a few results in the teens, so we are walking away with a few positives.”

“Many of the big names were in the Silver fleet with us – we were up against a Chilean, Swiss and Uruguay team; the second Austrian, Belgian, German, Italian and French teams; two British and Korean teams; a few teams from New Zealand and Argentina; all of the Swedish and American teams and the top Brazilian, Indian and Canadian teams.  Among these teams were well-known competitors and teams ranked in the top 25 in the world. Due to the strength of the 49er fleet no one is guaranteed qualification into gold fleet.”

Chatting about what they learnt while they were in Argentina, Tarboton recounts, “The weather was very kind to us, providing warm temperatures and very challenging sailing. Frequent storms meant the wind direction was never really settled, and the wind strength was generally light.  We found ourselves struggling for straight line boat speed through the chop and due to lack of time training in those conditions, so we have learned a lot about boat setup for power, and how to keep the boat driving in such tricky conditions. We have learned also that the work we have put in this year with our starts and boat handling is paying off and we are moving up the fleet.”

Looking ahead, Tarboton mentions, “We now have a week or so to gather our thoughts from the regatta and formulate a strategy moving forward into the winter training months here in the UK. We hope to get some coaching from one of the top guys in the class and build up to our next event, the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma in April 2016.”

But for now, the dream of racing at Rio 2016 is not to be!

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

Chatting to World Champion, Colin Dibb

SA Laser Nationals

Interview with Australian Colin Dibb

I have had the honour of witnessing Australian Colin Dibb carve up local waters at the previous SA Laser Nationals in 2012, the wizard on a Laser returns to his former hometown, Durban three years later to compete again at the 2015 edition of the Nationals.

“Growing up in Durban, I loved the summer holidays messing about in boats on Durban harbour. And the legendary PYC pie for lunch on a Saturday followed by racing. Fond memories!”

“My grandfather was a keen sailor nicknamed Skipper, he encouraged my parents to let us go sailing at a very young age. He taught us some great lessons in self-reliance.”

With a string of accomplishments that any competitive sportsman can only dream of, put Dibb on anything with a sail, he is bound to succeed. In fact, he has! The list of achievements includes representing both South African and Australia at the Laser World Championships. Dibb is a World Grand Master Champ and a World Masters Champ in the Laser class. He is also no slouch on a keelboat, windsurfer or four different dinghy classes.

“I’ve had the honour of representing both South Africa and Australia at the Laser Worlds, 10 years apart.” a relaxed Dibb states.

Having been stuck on land for a while due to a shoulder operation, the upbeat character said, “Yeah, it was just a shoulder repair. General wear and tear! The recovery is going much faster than expected but I still missed four months of summer sailing.”

“I’d describe myself as impatient, and persistent. Perhaps persistence is my strength, otherwise why would I still be trying to sail a Laser after 40 years.” he says with a chortle.

“Durban is right up there, one of my favourite places to compete. Racing downwind in heavy air. Exhilarating, fantastic! But so is spots like Fremantle, and many other places around the world. Each place has a certain charm, and challenge to it. That is what makes sailing so interesting. Every time you go out, it is never the same.”

“My sports have enabled me to travel a lot and meet some wonderful people and see some fabulous places. Sailing has taught me a lot, mostly about the environment. To be ready for any shifts or changes and that plan Bs are ok.”

Chatting about if the sport of sailing is growing in Australia, he enthuses, “The Aussie sailing scene is very strong. They have great youth development programmes and coaching makes for big healthy fleets.”

“I love gardening, especially on a free Sunday afternoon.” I hear a snigger on the line as he continues, “Just joking. Free time is something I don’t have a lot of. I put a lot of hours back into the sport that has given so much to me.”

“Without sounding too clichéd, I would have to say my proudest achievement was starting a Laser 4.7 development programme in WA. We have produced some World Champions and potential Olympians. It truly is a humbling feeling helping the future generation succeed in something I am so passionate about.”

Asked who he most admires, he stops to think, “I would have to say Laser sailors still competing in their 70s. That epitomises passion and commitment. Being active in the twilight years of your sporting life, phenomenal.”

Concluding the chat, Dibb says his favourite saying is sail like you mean it. A whole fleet of Laser sailors is looking forward to this respected sailors return so he can do just that. 

Chatting to seasoned Laser sailor, Anthony Arbuthnot

Point Yacht Club

SA Laser Nationals

Interview with Anthony Arbuthnot

A regular face on the water most Saturdays, the quietly keen Anthony Arbuthnot is gearing up for the upcoming SA Laser Nationals at the end of the month.

Arbuthnot has been a regular competitor in the Durban sailing community over a number of years, “I’ve loved sailing from a young age, sailing Dabchicks at PYC. I wore my Dad down nagging, who eventually bought me a Tack. I designed and built an 8ft catamaran, at aged 11, called the Titchcat, which I sailed extensively in the Midlands, on Punch Barlow’s farm which is now Boschhoek. The scene of some spectacular capsizes.” he admits with a chuckle.

“I have also had the honour to cruise a bit of the world. A fond memory was when we sailed to America from Durban in 1982, and arrived at night in Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. The first time we hoisted our spinnaker on our Leopard 40 in the Caribbean with my whole family on board, to the sounds of Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack; that was a pretty surreal, fun moment.”

“Sailing is truly magical. The people involved make it so. The Laser sailors come from all walks of life and a huge spread of ages, and there is huge camaraderie amongst the men and women.”

“Besides being magical, it also teaches you valuable life lessons! Laser sailing especially teaches you great humility and that it’s no one’s fault but your own when you’re upside down, at the back of the fleet.”

Asked how he would describe himself in one word, he laughs stating, “Old!”

  

The Vause Road resident is completely entrenched in his neighbourhood, “I grew up in Vause Road, spending 20 years in our family home until I was 22years old. The last 20 years I have been happily married living in the house next door to my family home.”

“My beautiful wife of 27 years, Nicole understands and encourages my passion for the sea. I have three kids, oldest son James is 25, my daughter Alexandra is 19 and youngest, Guy has just turned 18. All of them sail on our Catamaran but none sail dinghies with me. Nicole used to crew for me on a Sprog, in the 80’s.”

Off the water, the seasoned sailor has a diverse range of activities, “Flying, I am lucky enough to have two aeroplanes and fly whenever I get the chance. And diving and the odd mountain and road bike ride. Oh yes, and cooking. I can cook up a storm.” he admits enthusiastically.

Chatting about his aquatic achievements, the eager yachtsmen said, “I have dabbled on Dabchicks, Mirrors, Tacks, Sprogs, Paper Tigers, Hobie 14 & 16s, Lasers and Flying Fifteens. Raced extensively on L26s then L 34s! Participated in a few RCOD speed attempts in the Vasco and from Richards Bay. Closest we came was on an Adrenalin, 43 Foot Cat, sailing 3 up at 28 knots average till we were hit by a Westerly off the Northern Breakwater.”

His role model in sailing is respected Henri Hiddes, “The most revered bowman in the Whitbread fleet, and the most fun guy I’ve ever has the privilege of sailing with! But in everyday life, I look up to my Dad.”

  

“I can proudly say my greatest achievement is that I am content. I am eternally blessed to have such a wonderful wife and kids, and I have the best friends a man could ask for. Hope the future years is as much fun as the last 50.”

Over the May Day weekend, let’s hope that the content Arbuthnot’s experience holds him in good stead as he takes on top national and international sailors offshore of Durban.

Wrap up for day one of Bay and Offshore Dingy Series

Point Yacht Club

Bay and Offshore Dinghy Series

Offshore: Saturday 28 March

Ahead of all the major regattas happening around the country, the Point Yacht Club opted to give their sailors some training offshore for the Bay and Offshore Dinghy Series on Saturday.

12 small crafts met Race Officer Kevin Bingham off Addington Beach in magnificent sailing South-Westerly conditions with long rolling swells and flat seas welcoming the three classes.

As the team set up the race track, the small fleet of dinghies relished the 10knot winds carving through the swells in anticipation of a good afternoon of sailing. The number two pennant was flown, indicating a triangle sausage course first up and promptly at 2.00pm racing got under way. First to go were the two Laser Radials and two Flying Fifteens followed by eight Hobies five minutes later in their own start sequence.

Young Sam Lombaard kept his nose in the front ahead of more experienced Rob Goulden in the Laser fleet, with Lombaard claiming two firsts. Despite their late arrival, Patrick Harris and Jeremy Kriek charged to the front ahead of Myles White and David Curtiss in the Flying Fifteen class. White and Curtiss often caught up to Harris and Kriek on the beat but lost momentum on the run flying their spinnaker.

In the Hobie 14 class, Peter Hall notched up two first places ahead of Greg de Beyer and Richard Gorlei. Gorlei retired from the racing after his impressive second place and de Beyer scored a third and second place in his two races.

In the larger Hobies, the Hobie 16 of Andrew Heathcote and Sean Hurter took the honours competing in all the races.  Their scorecard had a fourth and two firsts on it, while Clint du Toit partnering with young Dylan Albert got two second places along with a Did Not Start for the final race of the day. Justin Butler racing with Laser sailor, Anthony Arbuthnot took the line honours in the first race but had a disappointing second race retiring mid-race and heading back to the beach.

In the final race, Bingham adjusted the course to a windward leeward course. The majority of the fleet retired leaving only four boats to race. Lombaard on his Radial took comfort on the bridge boat due to damage to his main sheet, tying his boat off at the back of the bridge. While the rest of the fleet made their way back to the beach site.

During the course of the afternoon, the wind kept switching and dropping off. At one stage, the South-Westerly changed by 60degrees keeping Bingham and his team busy adjusting the race track as ominous rainy squalls continued to roll across the horizon.

The continuing tussle between Harris and White went down to the wire, fifteen seconds separated the two Flying Fifteens with Harris and Kriek getting a lift as they charged to the finish. The two remaining Hobie 16s got in some good training with Heathcote and Hurter claiming first and CJ Miln accompanied by Braeden Royal crossing the line 90seconds after them.

April is a busy month for the dinghies offshore of Durban, first up is the colourful Hobie Nationals taking place this weekend with around 40 Hobies taking part, then the return of the SA Laser Nationals taking place at the end of the month with an expected fleet of 80 boats.

For more info visit www.pyc.co.za or like their Facebook page.

Results

Offshore and Bay Dinghy Series

Offshore: Saturday 28 March

B Fleet

1 Sam Lombaard (Laser Radial) 2pts, 2 Rob Goulden (Laser Radial) 4pts

C Fleet

1 Patrick Harris / Jeremy Kriek (Flying Fifteen) 2pts, 2 Myles White / David Curtiss (Flying Fifteen)

D Class

1 Peter Hall (Hobie 14) 2pts, 2= Andrew Heathcote / Sean Huter (Hobie 16) 5pts, 2= Greg de Beyer (Hobie 14) 5pts, 4 Garth Louden (Hobie 14) 7pts, 5 CJ Miln / Braeden Royal (Hobie 16) 8pts, 6= Richard Gorlei (Hobie 14) 11pts, 6= Clint du Toit / Dylan Albert (Hobie 16) 14pts

Hobie Epic

Point Yacht Club

Hobie Epic

Thursday 19 February

A small fleet of adrenaline driven sailors set to embark on the annual Point Yacht Club’s Hobie Epic, racing between Durban to Richards Bay.

This is the sixth epic race, with the small catamarans launching from the Point Yacht Club’s Beachsite or at the Zululand Yacht Club and trek all the way along the coast. The fleet are hoping to set off on Thursday, but will need to wait for a good weather opportunity and could be on standby until Sunday 22 February.

Hobie Representative, Peter Hall explained, “If the conditions are a North Easterly wind then the race is a Richards Bay to Durban race, and if the winds happen to be a South Westerly then it is done in reverse from Durban to Richards Bay. The last two years a front has come through on the weekend of the race and a South Westerly has blown launching us at 6:00am racing to Richards Bay.”

The rules are easy, launch at one of the yacht clubs site and sail non-stop up or down to the finish at either the Richards Bay Harbour mouth or at the beach landing at Vetch’s. All boats are fitted with a tracking device to keep an eye on them, with race support shadowing them as they sail along the coastline.

“We are hoping that eight boats will be lining up for this year’s event. The weather window unfortunately clashes with the other sailing endurance event, the well-attended 9 Hour event in Midmar, so we are expecting fewer boats on the water this year.” Hall stated.

Hall has won the event five times on his Hobie 16, and fellow sailor Mark Wijtenburg has dominated the event in the Hobie Tiger division. “It usually takes the Tigers six to eight hours to get to Richards Bay and the Hobie 16s a couple of hours longer.”

This gruelling event takes the small crafts along some of the most treacherous coastline in the world, “The guys get off the water and are exhausted, both physically and mentally drained. But the experience is well worth the demands of the adventure. In a word it is epic!” Hall concluded.

Richards Bay or Durban awaits the arrival of a handful of Hobie sailors as they compete in the Point Yacht Club’s Hobie Epic.

To follow the race, go to www.pyc.co.za or like the clubs Facebook page.

2015 SA Laser Nationals

SA Laser Nationals

Durban: 30 April – 3 May

 The 2015 edition of the SA Laser Nationals will unfold offshore off Durban over the May Day weekend kicking off on 30 April until 3 May.

The Laser is the most popular single-handed sailing dinghy in the world and the annual event is hoping that close to 80 boats from around the country will hit the water to compete. Top South African sailors along with a handful of international competitors will take to the Indian Ocean in the hope of being crowned national champion.

Lining up at the start to defend their titles that they won last year in the Western Cape will be local lads, Rudy McNeil and Sam Lombard together with the rose of Durban’s Laser community, Frances van Breda. Van Breda recently competed in the 2014 Audi Laser Master World Championships in France, with the lessons learnt in Europe, she promises to be a feisty competitor in her home conditions.

Another big name is the 2012 winner from when it was last held in Durban; Stefano Marcia from Cape Town has been doing loads of training in Spain and more recently in Australia in his campaign to compete in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Australian Grand Master, Colin Dibb confirmed that he would be travelling to his place of birth to compete. With a string of world champion titles to his name, he will be returning to his old hunting ground to show his class. Dibb came third overall in the 2012 Laser Nationals and was the recipient of the Grand Master or ‘Greybeard’ Trophy.

Top local lads, Rudy McNeil and Sam Lombard will be back to defend their titles, along with top national and international sailors. McNeil is hoping that 2015 will be a better year for him having been plagued by injuries last year. The young Lombard recently competed in Japan, not doing as well as he had hoped, finishing 21st in the silver fleet but claims that he hopes to improve on his performance in years to come.

Joining them are other locals Michael McNeil who placed third in his class last year; Campbell Alexander; Trent Bingham; and Richard Bates. Doing well on the club circuit, Henri Frencken will also be hitting the water.

Flying the flag for the Western Cape contingent along with Marcia are Alan Keen, Ken Holiday, Lance Burger, Ralph Thomas and Alistair Keytel. Keen is preparing for the Laser Worlds in Kingston, Canada taking place in July.

  

Rudolph Holm and Shellee Nel will be leading a contingent of young sailors from Gauteng.

Campbell Alexander stated, “This is the second time in many years that we are hosting the Laser Nationals in our home waters. Durban in May is at its best with the beach, the sun, the great sea swells and good breeze – and when the breeze picks up fantastic wave riding. I am sure that everyone competing will love our “Durban, the warmest place to be” conditions.”

  

Leading up to the Nationals, Richards Bay will host the KZN Provincials offshore. A fleet of sailors will use this opportunity to get in some much needed time on the water before the big event.

Laser – a swell boat to sail, the South African Laser Nationals will be taking place in Durban from 30 April to 3 May.

For more info visit: http://www.laser.org.za/, https://salasernationals.wordpress.com or like the Facebook page.