The first day of the Laser SB3 National Championship at Hayling Island Sailing Club was a windy affair with plenty of drama.

With 25 knots of northerly breeze, sunshine and calm seas, the PRO set a one-mile windward/leeward course in Hayling Bay.

The first race started after one general recall, with Mark Rushall, Russell Peters and Iain May filling the top three positions.

Race 2 started cleanly but saw the reigning national champion, Geoff Carveth, retiring with a broken gooseneck. Marshall King, who placed 2nd in the European Championship earlier this season, won the second race. Paul Lovering, with the Greenhalgh brothers crewing, came in 2nd, while Glenn Bourke found form finishing in 3rd.

Carveth recovered quickly to start the final race of the day and post a 2nd place behind Russell Peters in Tack Tick.

Following a collision soon after the start of race 3, Lawrie Smith’s boat sunk after sustaining serious damage to the bow. The boat was recovered in the evening, thanks to some nifty work by Hayling Rescue.

Unsurprisingly it is Glenn Bourke in Musto who has taken the early lead in the championships overall having posted a consistent 6-3-4 today. With three days to go and conditions forecast to ease, consistency is likely to be the key to success.

Results (after day one)
1st Musto 3021 Glenn Bourke Jeremy Troughton/Tony Kilby 6.0 3.0 4.0 13.0
2nd Shaun Beaver 3231 Tim Fells Sue Fells/Andy Ramus/Julie Wilkinson 8.0 6.0 3.0 17.0
3rd Out of the Blue 3014 Marshall King Mark Thomson/Mark Darling 10.0 1.0 7.0 18.0
4th Tack Tick 3037 Russell Peters Greg Wells/James Grant 2.0 18.0 1.0 21.0
5th Risk Premiur 3218 Mark Rushall James Baxter/Liz Rushall/C Savage 1.0 7.0 14.0 22.0
6th Charlie Fish 3202 Iain May Harvey Hilary 3.0 4.0 16.0 23.0
7th Bom-Chicka-Wah-Wah 3312 Neil Harrison Nick/Rich 17.0 5.0 10.0 32.0
8th Champagne Blonde 3269 Daniel Geoghegan Chalres Cumbley/Robert Taylor 12.0 8.0 12.0 32.0
9th Badger Racing 3082 Paul Lovejoy Rob & Peter Greenhalgh/Sally Wilson 11.0 2.0 21.0 34.0
10th Team Touareg 3200 Craig Burlton Adam Heeley/Richard Gibson 14.0 20.0 6.0 40.0