Watersports: National Championship - Julie, Andre brothers, Morel, Lablache grand winners |17 September 2014

Allan Julie, brothers Brad and Scott Andre, Paul Morel and Bertrand Lablache were the grand winners in the National Championships that took place in the Victoria harbour last Saturday.

Current sailor of the year and six-time Sportsman of the Year  winner Julie was head and shoulders above the rest of the field which was without Rodney Govinden one of his main rivals. Govinden is competing in the World Championship in Santander, Portugal.

Julie registered four wins in the five races in the Laser Open category after he could only manage a second place in race number four which was won by Roy Govinden.

Julie said he found the competition quite easy for him and was happy to maintain his winning streak after he won the Cascade Slipway title the previous weekend and has been the best in all competitions so far this season.
 
Govinden was second to Julie and Michel Bristol was third overall.
In the Laser Radial competition, Paul Morel had to battle hard to see off the challenge of female sailor for the year 2013 Meggy Gertrude who beat him in race number two whereas Madeleine won the last two races in the afternoon session.

Morel though had recorded two wins out of the five races and was placed first with Gertrude second and Madeleine third.

Morel told Sports Nation that competition was really tough and he struggled in the afternoon races as the wind speed had dropped drastically and it made it difficult for him to manoeuvre but was just relieved to win again.

“It was tough racing today and I’m just satisfied to have finished top,” Morel told Sports Nation.

The Laser 4.7 title was also fiercely contested with Brad Andre and Martin Servina fighting for the trophy and both won two races with Greg Esparon claiming victory in the final race.

Andre just pipped Servina to the title and Esparon was third overall.

Scott Andre though got his revenge on Herve Lafortune who had wrestled the Cascade Slipway trophy from his grasp the previous weekend.

Scott Andre won four of the five races and was the outright winner of the Optimist National championship and the Belonie secondary student said he performed really well on Saturday and was pleased with his performances.

“I found the races quite easy today and I’m pleased with my results,” the 13-year-old Scott said. Dominic Labrosse was second and Ryan Alcindor third whereas Lafortune had to be content with fourth position.

In the windsurfing races, Bertrand Lablache was again dominant as he has been this season and following in his victory in the Mahe-Praslin race last month, he won the first four races last Saturday despite facing stiff competition in the morning session from the likes of Stephan Stravens and 2013 windsurfer of the year Jean-Marc Gardette. Gardette won the final race but by then Lablache had already won the trophy.

“I really enjoyed the morning session races as the strong wind worked in my favour but in the afternoon, I struggled a bit but overall I’m still happy to have won another trophy,” Lablache told Sports Nation.
The next competition on the yachting calendar is the Eden Cup which will comprise three races.