GJW Direct Lark Belle Isle Series at Rock Sailing and Waterski Club
by Steve Hall 11 May 2012 06:45 BST
5-7 May 2012
24 Larks made their annual pilgrimage to Rock in Cornwall for a long weekend of sailing in the GJW Direct Belle Isle Series and socializing both in Padstow Bay and Padstow Harbour.
Saturday started with a good 3-4 blowing from the North, with Dougal and Helen Scott as pathfinder the racing soon got underway, Charlie Roome and David Marlow lead around the first windward mark just ahead of the chasing pack, Steve Hall and Simon Haighton managed to pull away from the rest of the fleet and close the gap to Roome/Marlow to have a good battle for the rest of the race, leading to Hall/Haighton sneaking through on the short reach to the finish.
Race two was started by Jon White and Rob Woodward, Roome/Marlow were early out of the gate along with Chris Holliman and Kate Hutchins and Hall/Haighton. Hall/ Haighton managed to get the shifts right and comfortably lead around the first mark, the were unchallenged for the rest of the race, Nigel Hufton/Andy Douglas managed to finish ahead of a Charging Roome/Marlow who worked their way through the fleet well, James Stewart who was making a cameo appearance back in a Lark with Ruth Johnson hadn’t forgotten what to do and came in fourth.
Saturday evening was filled by a curry night in the clubhouse and a disco, this wasn’t enough for some of the more ‘committed’ Lark sailors who managed to fit in an after party as well.
Sunday dawned with some patchy sunshine but unfortunately the weather gods had forgotten to bring the wind with them, however Martin Hough and his team did a great job in the challenging conditions.
Race three, Chris Whitehouse and Ellie Bremer were pathfinders which nicely to kept them out of trouble in the strong ebbing tide as the early starters struggled to clear the committee boat. Whitehouse/Bremer went on to win from Dan Watson and Harri Condie followed by Hall/Haighton.
Race four was got underway once the wind had settled, this was lead from start to finish by Hufton/Douglas followed by Whitehouse/Bremer with Emma Harris and Millie Parsons coming in third.
Race five and the tide had turned leaving some interesting choices to be made on which side of the beat was favoured, Whitehouse/Bremer, Roome/Marlow and Ryan/Lewis Crawford all ended up having a good tussle for the whole race until the final beat where Hall/Haighton managed to sail the other side of a tide line in the middle of the racecourse and find themselves in the lead at the final windward mark, they managed to just hold on to their lead as the wind died towards the finish. Following them into the finish line were Whitehouse/Bremer, the Crawfords and Tim Vick/Becs Marks.
Race 6 was sailed on the Monday bright and early while there was still enough water in the Harbour. The event was still up for grabs, with Hall/Haighton needing a top 3 result, and Whitehouse/Bremer needing to win the final race and hope Hall/Haighton had a bad result.
Whitehouse/Bremer lead round the first windward mark followed by Hufton/Douglas, Stewart/Johnson and Hall/Haighton, there was then a three way battle for the lead for the next two laps, which resulted in Hall/Haighton winning both the race and the event followed by Hufton/Douglas and Whitehouse/Bremer.
Thanks must go to Rock Sailing And Waterski Club for once again hosting the Lark Class and putting on a fantastic event.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm | Crew | R1 | R2
Challenge Cups | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 2530 | | Steve Hall | Simon Haighton | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 2411 | VOODOO | Chris Whitehouse | Ellie Bremer | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 3 | 2470 | TIGER | Nigel Jufton | Andy Douglas | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 9 |
| 4 | 2519 | WICKED RUMOURS | Charlie Roome | David Marlow | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 2311 | CHOPPER | Emma Harris | Millie Parsons | 5 | 5 | 23 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 18 |
| 6 | 2527 | FLOOZIE | James Stewart | Ruth Johnson | 7 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 19 | 5 | 21 |
| 7 | 2531 | POLAR BEAR | Daniel Watson | Harri Condie | 18 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 7 | 25 |
| 8 | 230 | | Tim Vick | Rebecca Marks | 11 | 13 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 27 |
| 9 | 241 | HAVANNA | Jonathan White | Rob Woodward | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 31 |
| 10 | 2264 | CAMEMBERT | Ryan Crawford | Lewis Crawford | 12 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 32 |
| 11 | 2484 | MUPPET | Dougal Scott | Helen Scott | 10 | 12 | 21 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 33 |
| 12 | 2475 | BUCKAROO | Chris Holliman | Kate Hutchins | 9 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 34 |
| 13 | 2507 | BRUCE | James Ward | Karen Falcon | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 17 | 17 | 40 |
| 14 | 2504 | MLEUI | John Crooks | John Mitchell | 13 | 8 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 43 |
| 15 | 2533 | SMARTY PANTS | Rob Lyne | Ally Dart | DNF | DNS | 10 | 14 | 13 | 8 | 45 |
| 16 | 2462 | MR BIGGLESWORTH | Nick Marlow | Sophie Rix | 16 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 55 |
| 17 | 2502 | WEEBLE | Steve Chatten | Kirsty Phipps | 14 | 14 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 61 |
| 18 | 2490 | BOB | Robert Marlow | Ruth Marlow | 17 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 20 | 62 |
| 19 | 2442 | LUCKY PANTS | Kate Merritt | Karen Jewkes | 15 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 67 |
| 20 | 2347 | GIRLS BLOUSE | Joe Chadwick | Daniel Sell | 19 | DNF | 17 | 19 | 16 | DNF | 71 |
| 21 | 2327 | ABOUT TIME 2 | Mike Williams | Bob Simons | DNF | 19 | 20 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 79 |
| 22 | 2220 | SCREAMING EAGLE | Andrew Cox | Rachel Dunn | DNC | DNS | 13 | 23 | DNF | 21 | 82 |
| 23 | 2268 | GRIZZLY BEAR | Des Menear | Chris Menear | DNF | DNF | 16 | 20 | DNF | DNC | 86 |
| 24 | 2509 | | Tim Poarsu | Bryony Hutchins | DNF | DNS | DNS | 22 | DNF | 22 | 94 |
