“It’s extraordinary,” says event Chairman Rob Lowndes, who went on to say:  “I think this is unprecedented.  We’ve agreed to really stretch our resources and increase the entries to include a further 50 boats – but 370 will be the absolute limit.

“The strong response shows the popularity of the venue and it will be one of the best worlds ever held.”  Sixty two entries are currently on a waiting list of which the next 50 will get first option.

In the breakdown of entries, Australia leads the way with 213 boats, followed by New Zealand (42), the USA (22), Great Britain (17) and the remaining entries representing Austria, Canada, Spain, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden, Argentina, Thailand and the Dominican Republic.

The Laser Masters Worlds is broken into seven categories: Laser Radial Apprentice (35+ years old), Radial Master (45+), Radial Grand Master (55+), Radial Great Grand Master (65+), Laser Standard Apprentice (35+), Standard Master (45+) and Standard Grand Master (55+). 

Organised and hosted by Gosford Sailing Club on the NSW Central Coast from 15-23 February, courses will be held offshore at Terrigal where competitors can expect to sail in mixed conditions in up to 25 knots of wavy and sometimes lumpy conditions. 

Conditions will suit the likes of record four-time Standard Apprentice Worlds champion Brett Beyer (AUS) who spends a lot of time training offshore.  With three wins on the trot, Terrigal should suit the Olympic Laser coach.

Other ‘names’ on the list include Sean Kirkjian (AUS) a yachting, keelboat and former Laser Radial champion.  Winner of a number of Radial titles during the ‘90’s, he will be aiming to beat his previous best Worlds result of fourth.

Five-time Women’s Radial Masters world champion (’99, ’03, ’04, ’05 and ‘06) Lyndall Patterson (AUS) fronts up again and will face strong opposition from 2006 Women’s Radial Apprentice winner, Christine Bridge (AUS) who has ‘aged’ into the Masters category.  Vanessa Dudley (AUS), an accomplished Sydney yachtswoman and dinghy sailor, has made a recent return to Laser sailing also joins this group.

Husband and wife duo Don and Jenni Bonnitcha (AUS) will do battle against each other in the Radial Grand Masters.  Jenni, an experienced sailor and coach of the CYCA Youth Academy, looks favoured on paper.  Greg Adams (AUS), the 2006 Radial Master winner, will head that fleet, whilst renowned skiff sailor Peter Sorensen (AUS) joins the Radial Great Grand Master fleet where he will take on 2006 world champion Kerry Waraker (AUS).

 Tracy Usher (USA), the Standard Master 2006 runner up will be going for Gold, as will his compatriot and 2006 third place getter Mark Bear. Olympian and three-time Standard Grand Master world’s winner (’03, ’04, ’05) Mark Bethwaite (AUS) heads that line-up, along with 2006 and 1997 winner Doug Peckover (USA).

A number of entrants will also compete at the 2007 Laser Masters in Spain, starting September 29, which should be a good gauge for the 2008 Worlds.

While the Laser Masters Worlds entries all but closed, entry to the preceding Laser Standard Worlds will take some time as only a certain number of places are allocated to each country and that country decides who can enter from the top Olympic standard Laser sailors in the world. 

The Notices of Race and all other official information, including the full entry list, accommodation and more can be found at the official regatta website:  http://aus08.laserinternational.org/

Di Pearson
Laser Worlds media manager
Phone: 0410 792 131