HK Laser Class Championships 2023

After many years, the ILCA class association of Hong Kong (formerly known as Lasers) were able to hold a standalone national championship. Sailed out of Middle Island on 28 and 29 January with support from HKSF, HHYC, HKSI and many volunteers, the event was a resounding success. 38 boats entered (including four Masters division sailors) across the three fleets, with sailors ranging from ages 13 to 50+.

Saturday saw good wind coming out of the Northeast and Race Officer Barry Truhol got racing going in Stanley Bay with a twolap windward leeward course. In the ILCA 7/ Standard division, Tommy Wong took three bullets from two races. The race for second was a bit tighter with David Salembier and Tom Armistead trading 2nd and 3rd places throughout the day. “I had to sail my boat from Lamma to compete. The boat is very old, a

1985 hull. It has been sitting on the beach for a long time. The club encouraged me to join so I sailed it over from the beach in Lamma the day before. The regatta was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed myself. It is very interesting to be back again, I haven’t done this in a while, and I have a lot learn but.” – Tom Armistead

Race officer Barry Truhol described the day as “Cracking! There was good breeze, about 10 knots and constant. The racing was really good. A few of the competitors were feeling a bit cold, but that comes from not being out at competitions like this in five years. The standard in the class is good and I think people had fun.”

The ILCA 6 / Radial division saw some of very hotly contested starts in all 3 races. Isamu Sakai dialled back the clock to his youth days and picked up exactly where he left off racing lasers 15 years ago by taking two bullets in the first two races. The third race saw Isamu and HKSI sailor Charlie Robinson push each other hard around the course with Charlie taking the win in Race 3 by a couple of seconds. Isamu Sakai reflecting on his win “I’m tired! It was a fantastic event. It was a really cool event and fantastic to see it revived and thriving. We haven’t had an event like this in Hong Kong for 10 years. Oz and everyone have put in so much work for this and it is now such a cool event to be part of again. We just need to continue it and grow it more. Hopefully all the kids will be a bit bigger next year and push me even harder!”

Henry Higgins, representing the Royal St George Yacht Club rounded out the podium in 3rd with consistent top 3 finishes. Having only recently come to Hong Kong from Ireland, he was impressed with the racing: “How does this compare to back home in Ireland? It's a lot different and the breeze is a lot more shifty. Back home, we normally have a straight breeze off the sea, so it's just incredible experience of being able to sailing off the islands and it's very different, very different. The standard of the fleet here was high. I mean, Hong Kong isn't known for steady breeze and today when we had a lot of heavy breeze it was surprising. That's all we trained back in Ireland and even though they lighter weight here, everyone's able to keep their own in heavy breezes!”

The tightest division was the ILCA 4 / 4.7 division with only one point splitting the top three. Daniel Chan Took the division win by one point and 2nd and 3rd place was decided on a countback between Ziyan Huang and Seb Van Ommeren. Ziyan Huang holding on to the runner up spot thanks to a 1st and 2nd place in the first two races. This division all saw many first time competitors who have never raced in a ILCA specific regatta before. Sharks Sailors Justine and Juliette Waters enjoyed the experience: “First regatta but very cold. It was very fun. I'm very sore right now and it was hard to get. Out of bed. I enjoyed the third race on the first day because I was able to finish that one. I think I've improved more and got more comfortable with like the how braces work and stuff.”

The wind gods were unkind on Sunday at the HK Laser Nationals. In the words of RO Barry Truhol: “Today was like waiting for nothing to happen. We started off with wind from about northeast, around 035 degrees. It then did a complete shift to 270, so we set up for that. Then it went to 180, and then we set up for that… and it went back to 240… So, if you weren’t paying attention, you were going to get really dizzy going around and around in circles for a breeze that never came!”

Unfortunately, the racing never got underway. The race management team valiantly gave it their best shot but an uncooperative breeze made the call for them After some tough racing the day before, many sailors feeling soreness in the legs and abs welcomed the decision to call it a day shortly after 1400hrs.

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all competitors who showed up from near and far to make this a enjoyable and memorable event. A massive thank you to the volunteers and Hong Kong Sailing Federation who without, this event would have been impossible. A special mention to HK ILCA/ Laser Class Association President, Oz Wilde, for organizing a wonderful regatta.