Lark Lark Belle Isle Travellers Series at Rock Sailing and Waterski Club
by John Brickwood & Daniel Watson 3 May 2022 15:18 BST
30 April - 2 May 2022
In the build up to the National Championships in Pentewan Sands over the Queen's Jubilee, the Lark adventures continued with a trip to Rock in Cornwall over the first May Bank Holiday, sharing the event with friends in the Merlin Rocket fleet.
Racing was run over three days with a usual race series on Saturday and Sunday and short course champs on Monday. Spring tides and light winds made for challenging conditions across the total of twelve races sailed, but all left the shore with smiles on their sun-caught faces.
On Saturday the fleet launched for a late afternoon start. The race officer Martin Hough took the fleet out into Polzeath bay where the first race started in a light north westerly breeze and was led at the windward mark by Neil & Sue Firth. John & Vicky Brickwood moved into the lead finishing ahead of Stuart & Julia Allen with Neil & Sue dropping to third.
With the wind dropping racing was cancelled for the day with the fleet heading ashore swept up the estuary on a fast incoming tide.
The club hosted a slap-up chilli dinner in the evening, with drinks flowing late into the night. Rock really does know how to host a great event.
Sunday greeted competitors with rain and a steady light north westerly breeze. The fleet launched on a strong ebb tide with racing out in Polzeath Bay. Race two was lead by John & Vicky but were over taken by Stuart & Nick Hyon with Stuart & Julia third.
Race two was also a tight tussle between John & Vicky and Stuart & Nick, with Stuart & Nick winning again.
Race three was led by Stuart and Julia who just managed to hang on ahead of the Hydons at the finish. Race four was won by Stuart & Nick with John & Vicky second and Simon Cox sailing his new Synergy Marine Lark in third.
The final race of the day was won by John & Vicky with Stuart & Julia second. The fleet exhausted from four hours of racing in the rain enjoyed a high speed dash home on the now incoming flood tide. John & Vicky and Stuart & Nick were tied on points with Stuart & Nick winning the long series overall on races won.
The club bar was again open for competitors after a long day's racing and the joint Merlin/Lark shenanigans moved onto the local Mariners pub, where significant overlaps between the fleets were re-established over a few late night drinks.
On Monday a series of short races were run in the bay close to Stepper Point. Finally it stopped raining and the fleet enjoyed classic Rock conditions with blue skies and a gentle northerly breeze. A short windward/leeward course was set with the tide taking the fleet upwind making the first beat a quick dash to the windward mark followed by a very tricky run against the tide. Six races were run each lasting about 10 minutes.
John and Vicky quickly moved into a strong position by winning the first three races with another a win in the final race to take the short series. Steve Chatten & Kirsty Phipps won two races and took second in the short series just ahead of Stuart & Nick Hydon with Stuart & Julia Allen fourth.
The overall open meeting result was then calculated by combining the results of the two series with John & Vicky Brickwood awarded the winning Salver trophy with Stuart & Nick Hydon second and Stuart & Julia Allen third.
A big thanks to Rock sailing club and race officer Martin Hough for efficiently running races in difficult conditions. The Larks have enjoyed countless events at Rock and will continue to do so as this year's event did not disappoint. The travellers series moves onto the Frensham Pond Sailing Club for the Youth Championships and Open Meeting for the 14th/15th May weekend.
Long race series:
1st 2495 Stuart and Nick Hydon - Shustoke Sailing Club
2nd 2528 John and Vicky Brickwood - Frensham Pond Sailing Club
3rd 2509 Stuart and Julia Allen - Banbury Sailing Club
Short Race Series:
1st 2528 John and Vicky Brickwood - Frensham Pond Sailing Club
2nd 2502 Steve Chatten and Kirsty Phipps - Netley Sailing Club
3rd 2495 Stuart and Nick Hydon - Shustoke Sailing Club
Overall:
1st 2528 John and Vicky Brickwood - Frensham Pond Sailing Club
2nd 2495 Stuart and Nick Hydon - Shustoke Sailing Club
3rd 2509 Stuart and Julia Allen - Banbury Sailing Club