Laser World Championships at CORK 2015

(February 25, 2015) – Over 2000 sailors representing 60 countries are set to race from Portsmouth Olympic Harbor on Lake Ontario in 2015. CORK is hosting the Laser Standard Men’s World Championships (June 29-July 8), the Laser Masters World Championships (July 10-18), and the Laser Radial Youth World Championships (August 14-20).

The 2015 CORK regatta calendar also includes the Laser Canadian Championships (June 19-21) and the CORK Annual August Series featuring numerous National Championships (August 6-21). Full details may be found at www.cork.org and www.kingstonlaserworlds2015.com

The Laser Standard Men’s World Championships will draw Olympic contenders striving to qualify their country for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. The racing will be intense, and according to Kingston’s Robert Davis “all the world’s best Laser sailors will be looking to put in a top performance”. Davis, a top ranked Laser sailor on the Canadian Sailing Team, notes “having this regatta in Kingston will be a definite advantage for the Canadian athletes.”

Leaders of the Canadian contingent aiming for gold at the Laser Masters World Championships include Andy Roy, Ray Davies and Al Clark, who placed 2nd, 6th and 7th in their respective age divisions at the Laser Masters Worlds in 2014 held in France, where a record setting 499 sailors from 36 countries and 6 continents competed. “Laser Masters racing has become a true sailing phenomena, with the ability for sailors from ages 35 – 75 (plus) to affordably compete at a high level in large fleets against some of the same competitors they raced against 3 or more decades ago” notes Roy.

“Kingston was the venue for the 1980 Laser World Championships that saw an incredible 350 entries, and it became a legendary event in the global sailing community”, remarks Andy Roy. Roy was 22 when he competed in the 1980 Worlds, and added, “I have great memories of that 1980 Championships, where a large number of future Olympic medalists and America’s Cup sailors competed, so it’s just fantastic to see the Worlds coming back to “K-town” 35 years later. We’re all really looking forward to this coming July and first time visitors will love the sailing conditions and the town!”

Sailors aged 18 and under plan to make their mark on the international sailing scene at the Laser Radial Youth World Championships. According to Sail Canada’s Executive Director Paddy Boyd, “the Laser Radial Youth World Championships will provide excellent competition for the world’s best young sailors, giving Canadians a great opportunity to measure up in a local setting. Without a doubt, this summer Kingston will be the place to be for single-handed sailors of all ages.”

The Laser was designed by Canadians Bruce Kirby and Ian Bruce back in the early 1970’s. There are now over 210,000 Lasers in 140 countries.

Since 1969, CORK has hosted over 30 World Championships. Kingston offers the best fresh-water sailing in the world, excellent wind and wave conditions, and is a short distance from shore to the race courses. In 2015, expect action packed racing from sailors around the world.

Report by Event Media