West Riding Sailing Club, Wakefield, Yorkshire

20 Lasers competed in the second leg of the 2011 Laser Northern Grand Prix Circuit held at West Riding Sailing Club on Sunday 3rd April. 

Race 1 got underway in a shifty, better than forecast, force 2 – 3.  With 90 degree shifts, the fleet arrived at the windward mark, with Tim Keighley wriggling through into an early lead followed by a tight pack of 8 boats.  The group remained tightly bunched until the defining moment at the second leeward mark.  8 boats couldn’t round at once, and after a few pleasantries, an order for the race emerged.  Ian Jones emerged in second to eventually chase down and overtake Keighley. Adrian Sandilands and Hamish Gledhill battled for 3rd.  They could not be separated as they crossed the line in a dead heat, with Ian Escritt 5th and Matt Cook 6th.

The second race saw Gledhill take an early lead, which he maintained for the duration of the race, whilst Jones stayed hot on his heels.  Ian Eskritt took 3rd ahead of Keighley who had fought back through the pack to finish 4th.  Alasdair McQuire took 5th from Ian Lees in 6th. 

Jones, Keighley and Gledhill were all in contention for overall honours at the start of the 3rd race.  After a brief postponement the fleet got underway at the second attempt under a black flag.  Gledhill and Eskritt were too eager at the start and were soon informed by the OOD that they should take an early return to the shore, leaving Jones and Keighley to battle it out in the dying breeze.  Jones prevailed, ahead of Keighley, with McQuire, Sandilands and Lees following behind.