Lark Belle Isle Series at Rock Sailing and Waterski Club
by Alan Krailing 14 May 2011 06:06 BST
30 April - 2 May 2011
Having celebrated Easter at Waldringfield in glorious sunshine the Larks migrated to the wet, wild windy (and occasionally sunny) South West to celebrate the Royal Wedding. 28 boats made it down for the weekend! Rock Sailing Club held 5 races out at sea over two days. On Monday it got really windy and with minimal water over the Doom Bar, the Race Officer decided to end the weekend early. The open meeting had already been won and it meant that everyone got to go home with their masts intact.
On Saturday racing got under way in a decent easterly breeze which, which the exception of a few big squalls, faded throughout the afternoon. Alan Krailing and Tim Linsell enjoyed the fresher breeze leading from the start to take the opening 2 races. Dave Wade and Ben Rayner making a guest appearance in the PandB boat were on the pace straight away with a 2nd and then a 3rd behind Charlie Roome and David Marlow in race 2.
By the start of race 3 the wind had dropped right away. With there appearing to be more wind on the right side of the beat the majority of the fleet started late behind pathfinders Emma Harris and Pete Gray only for the breeze to fill in from the left. Steve Chatten and Helen Winward rounded the first mark with a healthy lead from Ross Kearney and Ally Dart. However as the fleet bunched up on the downwind legs, Emma and Pete moved back through the fleet to take 1st with Stuart and Nick Hydon taking 2nd on the line from Ross and Ally.
By Sunday morning the breeze had really kicked in and in race 4 Alan and Tim again lead around mark 1 but were eventually overhauled down the run by Dave and Ben and Charlie and David. Dave and Ben held on to 1st until the finish with a close battle behind them for 2nd. Alan and Tim eventually pulled through on the final reach with Steve Hall and Simon Haighton showing good pace in their brand new boat in 3rd.
Charlie and Dave were pathfinders in race 5 and with the right side paying up the first beat they had a healthy lead over Nigel Hufton and Andy Douglas at the 1st mark. Charlie and David were never really challenged whilst behind them Nigel and Andy had a very close race with Alan and Tim, losing out only very narrowly.
Second place was enough for Alan and Tim to seal the event, ahead of Emma and Pete, with Dave and Ben 3rd.
The Lark class would like to thank Rock Sailing Club for hosting another fantastic weekend's sailing.
Overall Results:
1st 2521, Alan Krailing/Tim Linsell, 6pts
2nd 2311, Emma Harris/Peter Gray, 13pts
3rd 2523, David Wade/Ben Rayner, 17pts
4th 2519, Charlie Roome/David Marlow, 20pts
5th 2529, Stuart Hydon/Nick Hydon, 22pts
6th 2530, Steve Hall/Simon Haighton, 22pts