Double-winner Laine tames the wind with ambitious 9.8m sail

Wednesday 23rd April 2008, 2:29PM BST.

Tim Laine used a 9.8m sail to good effect and claimed two convincing wins on his formula board.

THE 2008 long-board racing season got off to an interesting start in two contrasting sets of conditions.

The first two races in the Tuesday evening pursuit racing series took place in a light, but pleasant force two to three blowing from the north-east, and eight competitors took part.

Pursuit races are handicapped, with competitors’ starts from the beach being staggered at one-minute intervals. That makes them particularly suitable for beginners as well as experienced sailors.

A course of two laps was set with two reaches, from the beach out to the centre of the bay and then a buoy off Rousse, followed by a testing beat back to the end-of-channel buoy.