Richards and Wakefield win

Nigel Scott reports from the Lark National Championship in Abersoch

63 Larks gathered in Abersoch on 10th July for the 2005 National Championships. Muc-Off, Douglas Gill, Holt and Dyson kindly sponsored the event adding to the quality of the prizes and socials.

Race one got away with an individual recall, with six boats OCS. Sarah Richards and Nigel Wakefield established a large lead which they held until the finish. Alan Krailing and Ed McArdle fought hard to take second from Emma Harris and Becky Priest.

Chris Fish and Beth Condie led at the windward mark in race two but were overtaken down the run by Richards and Wakefield who then led until the finish. Nigel Hufton and Chris Whitehouse sailed solidly to finish ahead of Ruth Johnson and James Stewart in third.

Monday brought a force two and a calmer sea, with the wind swinging the PRO used a gate start to get the fleet away. The early starters looked good with Jonathan Lewis and Milly Parsons leading at the first mark, sailing to a comfortable victory from Chris Ellis and Kathryn Young in second. Down the final run the wind shifted and filled in favouring Steve Cumley and Eluned Jones who held their nerve to squeeze past two boats to scrape a third place.

Race four was very sensibly postponed by the PRO as the wind died.

Tuesday brought perfect conditions with westerly force three to four, sunshine and a two foot swell. Again using a gate start the PRO adopted a trapezium course for race five. Left paid up the first beat enabling early starters, Cumley and Jones to lead round the first mark from Hufton and Whitehouse. On the run Hufton and Whitehouse found more pressure to take the lead, which they held to the finish, with Richards and Wakefield coming in third.

With the same course and start format for the postponed race four, Steve Dunn and Tegwyn Roberts took the lead, which they extended throughout the race. Hufton and Whitehouse and Richards and Wakefield were locked in battle for second place giving Simon Cox and Anna Hotchkiss the opportunity to close the gap. On the final beat Richards tacked-off early and overtook Hufton whilst Cox and Hotchkiss held on and read the wind shifts perfectly to steal second place.

Race six was the windiest of the week; with a steady 20 knots and one metre swell, boat handling became the name of the game. Richards and Wakefield led around the windward mark; however confusion reigned as everybody searched for the gybe mark. Lewis and Parsons were the first to go for the kite and disappeared into the lead. Richards and Wakefield managed to sneak an overlap at the last gybe mark to take the lead. Dunn and Roberts held the spinnaker down the reach to the finish overtaking Lewis and Parsons for second.

Race seven was sailed in a reducing and shifting wind. Richards and Wakefield sailed a very clever race to come home second behind race winner Ian Sharps and Eleanor Martin who had not set foot in a Lark before the week. Ellis and Young finished third.

Going into the penultimate day Richards and Wakefield had a commanding lead, with a top ten result being enough to claim victory. The PRO adopted a line start and the black flag claimed some of the leading contenders. The lead changed a few times, however Laser sailor Ian Sharps sailed another great race to win his second race in a row. Krailing and McCardle sailed through the fleet to take second from Richards and Wakefield on the line.

Richards and Wakefield had won the Championship with a race to spare; with an awesome display of consistency in a range of conditions, however the remaining places were still open.

Race nine was sailed in a force three to four North Westerly. Right paid off the start line favouring Jamie and Geoff Mayhew who led around the first mark from Michael John Gifford and Kirsty Phipps. By the end of an exciting pair of reaches Jon Fish had taken the lead and Cumley and Jones, had moved into third. Up the next beat Cumley took the lead and led from Fish down the run only to lose the lead back at the leeward mark. With the wind shifting the race was a real game of snakes and ladders and it was Harris and Priest that charged through the fleet to join the front pack. After a grueling hour and a half race Jon Fish led at the finish from Emma Harris in second and Ian Sharps in third.

The Lark Class would like to thank SCYC and the PRO Richard Date for a fantastic Championship week, and look forward to another classic in Penzance in 2006.

Results:

1-Sarah Richards and Nigel Wakefield. Newport Boat Club 13.25 points
2-Steve Cumley and Eluned Jones. Northampton S.C. 37 points
3-Emma Harris and Becky Priest Waldringfield S.C. 41 points
4-Jonathan Lewis and Milly Parsons Burghfield S.C. 44.75 points
5-Steve Dunn and Tegwyn Roberts Waldringfield S.C. 47.75 points
6-Jonathan Fish and Toby Lewis Waldringfield S.C. 49.75 points
First Female Helm-Sarah Richards and Nigel Wakefield
First Student-Jamie Mayhew and Geoff Mayhew
First Student in a student boat-Chris Holliman and Chris Robinson
Most improved since last year-Howard Enkel and Micky Wright
Best Maiden Lark Championships-Ian Sharp and Eleanor Martin
First helm over 35-Emma Harris and Becky Priest
First Club-Waldringfield S.C.