A warm September weekend was supplied for the laser 5000 fleet over 3 days from the 19th -21st for the class's 10th Anniversary national championships at Warsash Sailing Club. Sixteen teams made the trip to Hampshire and were greeted with a range of breezes ranging from the perfect to the frustrating.
The teams who could afford to take Friday off work headed out to the entrance of Southampton Water for 3 races of windward/leewards. Experience seemed to be the major factor in the force 3 of the first race with the 'old boys' of the fleet having a constant tussle for the top three places. The bullet was eventually taken by Jamie Shelton and Graham White in Westcountry Watersports/Hewden Hire with Mark Emmett and Jonny Backhouse in T&G clothing second and the Ponsford bothers in Buffy third. Things were going in a similar fashion in the growing breeze of the second race until 'blast from the past' Pete Barton and Martin Borrett stormed through the fleet to take first with Buffy second and T&G third. For race three it was the four aforementioned teams yet again battling it out in the now stiff breeze but with Nick Farrer and Chris Grosscurth in TeamShed also adding to the affair. TeamShed led the fleet round for two laps until a costly mistake of taking the wrong side of the gate dropped them down to fourth. It was looking rosy for Barton until a snapped boom ended their hopes and an early shower beckoned. The day ended Westcountry, Buffy, T&G.
Saturday dawned with some extra boats and yet again glorious sunshine and a constant force three. The pin end of the line was the winner for race four and it was Barton (with borrowed boom) with his bigger fleet experience from the 4000's that led the fleet and eventually taking the race with T&G and Westcountry in respective positions behind. Jeremy Davies in the yellow rocket showed good form taking a fifth. Race five seemed to be a Felpham SC affair with Buffy and TeamShed vying for the top two positions but with TeamShed OCS along with T&G, Westcountry and Barton were jumped up two places keeping them in contention. Barton found his boat speed again for the final race of the day blasting ahead with T&G second and Westcountry third. In the evening the class dinner was held in the sailing club with the wine and beer flowing freely and with a certain red boats helm managing to help himself to a private party's alcohol store in the pub next door!
Sunday arrived with glass like waters. A sensible decision to postpone was eventually taken by the race officer giving a bit more time to get over those sore heads. When the wind did arrive it was a gentle force 1-2. Barton blitzed the day with a 2, 1, 1 score to eventually win the championship by four points and thus becoming only the second person to take both 4000 and 5000 titles in the same year. The Ponsford brothers in Buffy showed good speed and consolidated their second position with a 1, 3, 2 score. Both Westcountry and T&G couldn't quite find the pace they were looking for in the frustrating conditions placing them 3rd and 4th overall respectively. The notable performance of the day was from Andy and Alex Mckee with a 4, 4, 3 score giving them a good 5th place overall.
The 5000 fleet thanks Warsash Sailing Club for its kind hospitality and excellent race management. Watch this space for next years program and events calender.
Sailed: 10 Discards: 2
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5300 | Peter Barton | Martin Borrett | RLYC | 4 | 1 | RTD | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2 | 5115 | Mark Ponsford | Ollie ponsford | F.S.C. | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| 3 | 5307 | Jamie Shelton | Graham White | R.S.C. | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 17 |
| 4 | 5272 | Mark Emmett | Jonny Backhouse | RYA | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | OCS | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
| 5 | 5291 | Andy Mckee | Alex Mckee | G.W.S.C. | 5 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 29 |
| 6 | 5306 | Nick Farrer | Chris Grosscurth | Felpham SC | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | OCS | 4 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 38 |
| 7 | 5269 | Jeremy Davis | Les Kirby | Grafham SC | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 46 |
| 8 | 5295 | Simon Scammell | David Scammell | Felixstowe Ferry SC | 12 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 58 |
| 9 | 5130 | Roger Lewis | Cath | Felixstowe Ferry SC | DNS | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 61 |
| 10 | 5185 | Mike Webber-Walton | Clare Webber-Walton | Hayling Island SC | 7 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 13 | DNS | DNS | DNS | 65 |
| 11 | 5287 | Craig Johnson | Toby Linnell | Grafham Water SC | 11 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 65 |
| 12 | 5254 | Iain Lewis | Matt Lewis | Stokes Bay SC | 9 | 9 | 7 | OCS | 10 | RTD | 14 | 14 | 13 | 76 |
| 13 | 5231 | Thomas Sauvel | Virginie Thouvenin | Grafham SC | 10 | 13 | DNF | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 76 |
| 14 | 5238 | Mark Nowell | Dirk Bougarde | Southwold SC | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | RTD | 12 | 13 | 11/td> | 11 | 85 |
| 15 | 5197 | Martin Wadsworth | James Fisher | Queen Mary SC | 13 | 15 | RTD | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 96 |
| 16 | 5056 | Mark Gardiner | Weston SC | DNS | DNS | DNS | 15 | 11 | RTD | 12 | 13 | RTD | 102 |