Evans continues to build on Laser success (From Gazette)

Evans continues to build on Laser success

10:13am Thursday 4th September 2008 in Sailing By Simon Spurgeon

Mersea sailor Martin Evans continued to build on a successful year in his first steps into the Laser Standard class.

The 16-year-old travelled to Abersoch in North Wales for the UK National Laser Championships for his first national competition in the more senior Olympic category of the Laser Class.

He had already taken silver at the Youth World Championships in New Zealand and a bronze medal at the Youth European Championships in France, as well as being ranked top under-17 sailor at both, in the Laser Radial Class, but opted to make the step up into the more senior Standard.

It is the Olympic Class with Evans hoping to emulate the success of Olympic gold medallist, Paul Goodison at future Olympics.

All the country’s top Laser Standard sailors, except Goodison were in Abersoch, but in his first national Laser Standard event – a windy, hard-fought regatta – the youngster from Mersea came first under-17 and finished a respectable 15th overall winning the Laser Centre Cup as top youth on day four.

Evans put a slow start to his regatta, when he had 32nd and 30th-place finishes in his opening two races, behind him and showed the type of form he has become known for in the youth ranks as he completed four top-ten finishes in the remainder of the ten-race series.

And he has recently returned from the Irish National Championships in Dublin, where he has been competing in the Laser Standard Class again.

Evans maintained his impressive start in the class as he finished fourth overall and was ranked first in the youth category.

Evans’ plans for the next few months include three more National events through which he hopes to qualify for next year’s men’s World and European Championships.

He also has the 2008 National Inland Championships coming up in October before heading to Palamos, Spain for the Christmas Regatta in December.

He said, “Though it’s been really tough financially on my parents, it wouldn’t have been possible without their support.”

He added that the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), sailing’s governing body, have also provided great support giving him access to training and coaching which would have otherwise been out of his reach.

In addition the RYA have given Evans grant assistance toward some of this year’s overseas events helping toward the cost of travel and accommodation.

However, he is currently looking for a sponsor because, even with the help of the RYA, his family, and the Dabchicks (Evans’ local sailing club) there is still a huge funding gap to fill if he is to make it to the top as competing at this level comes with an annual price tag adding up to thousands of pounds.