Grand Bend Laser Open 2007

August 13, 2007  |  by Rick Goldt  |  News Archives...

In its second year for the Grand Bend Laser Open and this year's Ontario Master's Champs Regatta held on August 11 and 12, we didn't quite have the participation growth expected, although the conditions and competition were great.

Official Regatta Web Site | 2007 Results | 2007 Photos

Hosted by Grand Bend YC and Fanshawe YC, and with sponsorship and a great deal of web work through Kevin Biskaborn at ScriptReaction and along with some donated draw prizes through Fogh Marine, everyone of the 13 boats registered went away happy with a prize and at the very least well fed.

Racing was intense over the weekend with 11 races run. Starts were very aggressive although with the small fleet and tight starting line length early starting boats were easily spotted. A few races ended up with considerable wind shifts but the leaders often didn't skip a beat. Saturday saw 7 races being held in slightly increasing NW winds with later diminishing breeze. During the first light air race 1 shift determined the outcome. Remaining races saw slight wind shifts and those recognizing any patterns of shifts combined with gusts stood to increase their leads or claw away at boats in front. Downwind edge was found with minute wind streaks, maintaining boat speed, and picking up a series of good waves or even flat water at times.

Sunday saw 4 more races with promising small craft warnings getting the group excited quite a bit more than the day before. An overnight 1 m. swell from the SW winds was still apparent when the fleet headed out in the morning and was maintained during the first 2 races. It became apparent that various storm cells passing through the area may have an influence and vary conditions through the day. The last race was entirely governed by 2 storm cells first passing through to the north of the course and finally taken over by a storm to the south east. The last race course reconfigured to the north west saw winds whipping up new waves and saw the best hiking conditions for this elongated 200 lbs of unbridled enthusiasm of the weekend up the second beat. Unfortunately as almost all rounded the last windward mark the wind dropped to nil and started after 15 minutes to change in the opposite direction. Unfortunately some who expected the wind to return to the day's forecast SW direction missed out on the about face. Right after the race the wind again dropped. In any case the day's racing was over so participants could get home.

Winner of the Open Regatta was Brad Biskaborn. Master's winners were: Apprentice: Jim Mackenzie Master: Rob Koci Grand Master: Jens Biskaborn Great Grand Master: Steve Dietrich on account there were no other GGM and that he fell asleep after the Saturday Dinner and was heard muttering the words "another day older". We thought we'd help. Sounds like a winning formula.

Other weekend news:
Rob Koci's hard earned double 720 during one start. Wonder what the record is?
Rick Goldt hitting the last mark when he was already last.
Brad and Kevin losing themselves in brotherly (love) conversation downwind and not noticing their impending collision with each other.

Thanks go to our sponsors, GBYC, Tom Quigley (GBYC Commodore) and Peter Wilkins on the Race Committee. Mark Layers and rescue:.............(TBD) myself who bought the groceries and who had to eat most of it and Betty Dietrich who knows where to get nauti (I mean nautical) table cloths and helped get the appetizers and dinner set up. And don't forget Steve Dietrich the cook who said he was really overcome by the fumes of cooking after dinner.

Rick Goldt Laser 38585