It took a little patience, but the famous sea breeze of St. Margaret's Bay didn't disappoint. Competitors got in two races on the first day of racing in the 2009 Nautel Laser Masters World Championship. But with the wind not coming in until mid-afternoon, the first race didn't get started until three and sailors weren't off the water until seven in the evening.
In the standard rig, apprentice division, the top finishers were Adonis Bougiouris of Great Britain, Brett Beyer of Australia and Brit Orlando Gledhill in third.
For the Masters Qualifiers in the standard rig, American Andrew Pimental is in first, Arnoud Hummel of the Netherlands in second and American Peter Vessell in third. Top Canadian in the fleet is Andy Roy in fifth spot.
Wolfgang Gerz of Germany leads the Grand Masters standard rig, Australian Mark Bethwaite is in second and Alan Keen of South Africa in third.
In the radial fleet (a slightly smaller sail than the standard), Australian Richard Bott leads the Apprentice fleet, Scot Leith of New Zealand is in second with country mate Edmund Tam in third.
In the Master radial, it's Carlos Eduardo Wanderley from Brazil in first, and Australians Greg Adams and Venessa Dudley in second and third.
Canadian Rob Koci leads the Grand Master radial fleet, Peter Whipp of Great Britain is in second and Australian Peter Heywood in third.
The Great Grand Master fleet, Michael Kinnear of Great Britain is in first, Australian Kerry Waraker in second and Sandy Grigg of New Zealand in third.
Forty-three of the 297 athletes at the Laser Masters Worlds are Great Grand Masters, meaning they are 65 years of age of older. More than one third of the field is 55 or older.
Australian Standings:
Radial Rig:
Apprentice
Grant Wilmott 2
Richard Bott 3
Alison Casey 9
Masters
Greg Adams 2
Vanessa Dudley 3
Martin White 21
Grand Masters
Peter Heywood 1
Ken Hurling 15
Edmund Conroy 16
Clive Humphris 18
Great Grand Masters
Kerry Waraker 2
Standard Rig:
Apprentice
Brett Beyer 2
Stewart Casey 9
Masters
Peter Conde 8
Chris Dawson 12
Jan Scholten 15
Oliver Shtein 30
Nick Carew 36
Matt Wenke 45
Hugh Leicester 57
David Rosenthall 68
Grand Masters
Mark Bethwaite 2
Robert Lowndes 4
Jack Schlachter 7
Michael O'Brien 12
John Tracey 17
David Edmiston 20
Warwick Foy 32
Stuart Allan 33
Francis Walsh 37
