Turning 40

The Lark class has finished it's season for 2006 and is now preparing for their 40th birthday in 2007

Shustoke SC hosted the final round of the Gill sponsored Belle Isle Travellers circuit on Sunday 5 November. 28 Teams arrived for the one day open meeting, all with the intention of improving their final position on the leader board.

In the first race the bronze fleet left many of the silver and gold fleet boats napping. Rob and Ruth Marlow charged up the first beat and were in the front pack for the first two laps. By the final lap of the race, which involved a visit to most corners of the lake, a pack of four boats had pulled away and were changing place on every shift. At the finish Jon Fish and Toby Lewis took the gun and leaders of the bronze fleet going into this final round of the series, Stuart and Julia Allen pulled off a text book move on the finish to take second place.

Harry Pynn and Chris Videlo broke away on the first beat of the second race and were never caught. Chris Fish and Beth Condie took second ahead of a fast finishing Smashie Bennett and Kelsey Suggitt.

Eight boats had the chance of winning the event with a good result in the last race. Steve and Eluned moved into the lead on the first reach and held the lead to the finish. With this combination Harry and Chris needed to get second place or better to stop Steve and Eluned winning the event. Despite a heroic effort in which Harry and Chris made it into second on the penultimate leg, Harry and Chris ended up crossing the line in fourth place which gave Steve and Eluned the win.

The Lark Fleet would like to thank Shustoke SC for organising a very professional event, Speed Sails for sponsoring the Open meeting and Gill for sponsoring the hugely successful 2006 Belle Isle Travellers Series.

Results:

1-Steve Cumley & Eluned Jones, Barnt Green 4pts
2-Harry Pynn & Chris Videlo, Waldringfield 5pts
3-Richard Bennett & Kelsey Suggitt, Staunton Harold 5pts
4-Jon Fish & Toby Lewis, Waldringfield 6pts
5-Christopher Fish & Beth Condie, Waldringfield 8pts
6-James Stewart & Ruth Johnson, Stokes Bay 8pts