Lark Belle Isle Traveller Series at Frensham Pond Sailing Club
by Daniel Watson 2 Apr 2012 07:08 BST
1 April 2012
Light winds for the Larks at Frensham © Jeff Dolton
Hydon’s triumph at Frensham despite difficult wind conditions
The third leg of the busy 2012 Lark Belle Isle Traveller Series took place at Frensham Pond SC on April Fools day, in light and shifting breeze.
At the start of race 1 Chris Ellis/ Ed Cummins and Chris Holliman/ Kate Hutchins rounded the first mark followed closely by Stuart/ Nick Hydon. Holliman gybed out and unfortunately lost his position. The Hydons managed to go on top of Ellis but Ellis managed to get water on the Hydons at the leeward mark. On the second beat, the Hydon’s tactics of using the right hand side paid off and they got past Ellis and extended the lead. However, on the long run down to the club house the Hydons lost the lead as the fleet came through. Phil Whitney/ Lynda Williams took the lead for a short time until the Hydons came back through. During the second lap the Hydons opened another lead on the fleet. On the final leg to the finish there was a scramble for the first four positions. The Hydons just managed to get 1st with Charlie Roome/ David Marlow half a boat length behind them closely followed by Sam Mettam/ Geoff Phillips (3rd) and Ellis/Cummins 4th.
The second race saw the Hydons blocking Roome on the pin end and opening a substantial lead leaving the rest of the fleet to fight for 2nd place. The positions from 2nd to 8th place changed as frequently as did the wind. The end of the race saw the Hydons with a substantial lead and Mettam in 2nd place. Whitney got Ellis on the line leaving Ellis in 4th position.
After a delicious lunch a new course was set. The Hydons managed to stop Mettam from starting at the committee boat end and they rounded the windward mark first. However, Nigel Huffton/ Helen Scott were gaining on them but the Hydons managed to lose them and open another lead. With the wind changing all the time the positions 2nd to 7th also kept changing, a feature of the day! By the finish the Hydons had the lead and Huffton managed to get second place followed by Roome (3rd) and Ellis in 4th place.
Overall Results:
1st Stuart and Nick Hydon (Shustoke SC)
2nd Sam Mettam and Geoff Phillips (RNSA)
3rd Charlie Roome and David Marlow (OCSS)
4th Nigel Huffton and Helen Scott (Frensham Pond SC)