One out of three

The Lark fleet lost two days of racing at their European Championship

Ten years after the last Lark Europeans in France, 25 Brits joined a local over the Bank Holiday weekend for the first ever Lark event to be held in Ireland, hosted by Royal St George YC in Dun Laoghaire. Cancelled ferries and one double stacker nearly missing the one that was sailing didn’t bode well, but the weekend went off with style.

Saturday morning dawned with a sunny force five and the fleet launched into the harbour and out into Dublin Bay. However, once the fleet reached the course area, the wind was increasing and it became clear that bearing away was going to be a major issue. After the breakages that occurred at the Inlands the week before, the fleet voted with their rudders and returned to shore for a trip into Dublin.

Sunday morning brought a westerly force four and the fleet made its way out for the scheduled four races. In the first race, James Stewart and Ruth Johnson powered out of the start and by the first gybe mark had a substantial lead over Simon Cox and Becky Priest followed by Steve Cumley and Eluned Jones. The order remained the same until the finish.

In the second race, Stewart and Johnson were again followed round the windward mark by Cox and Priest and Cumley and Jones and again the order remained the same to the finish.

After a contentious start line incident in the third race, Stewart and Johnson nipped inside Cox and Priest at the windward mark to again lead from start to finish. Dave Young and Anna Hotchkiss showed improving form by finishing strongly in third after a full-length race.

A tiring fleet started the fourth race and this time Cox and Priest managed to hold off Stewart and Johnson at the windward mark. Cumley and Jones sneaked inside Stewart and Johnson at the gybe mark and pressed Cox and Priest for the rest of the race, finishing less than a boat length behind. The fleet then retired to the shore for a championship dinner in the club followed by lots of cheesy nightclub dancing.

Monday morning brought a force five increasing to force seven and the PRO Chris Biglin decided to cancel racing leaving Stewart and Johnson European Champions with an impressive three bullets. Thanks go to the club for hosting and to Speed Sails and Gill for sponsoring the event.

Results:

1-James Stewart and Ruth Johnson 3pts
2-Simon Cox and Becky Priest 5pts
3-Steve Cumley and Eluned Jones 8pts
4-Dave Young and Anna Hotchkiss 11pts
5-Tom Jeffcoate and Jane 'Dippy' Alexander 16pts
6-Mark Ampleford and Lee Nankervis 17pts