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RSC Mike Jackson Lark Open Sunday 13th February dawned with brisk winds on the river Thames at Putney for the 11 Larks competing in the inaugural Down River Race, hosted by Ranelagh Sailing Club. The race, from Putney towards Westminster and back, was for the fabulous new ‘Designer’s Trophy’ as donated by the man who first drew the lines of a LARK, and long time Ranelagh SC member, – Mike Jackson. As Wendy Price set the fleet away with the chime of the bell from the race box, it was Dan Watson - crewed by enthusiastic novice; Charlotte Bremer - who led to the first bridge in gusty conditions. However, it was Michael John Gifford, crewed by the highly experienced Sophie Mackley, who soon set the pace, breaking away, with Dan and Charlotte, from the rest of the fleet. Back in the main pack, everyone was jostling for position, to maintain their racing line, whilst navigating safely under each of the 7 bridges. As the tide slackened, the turning mark was placed just under the iconic chimneys of Battersea Power Station, with M.J and Sophie first round followed by Dan and Charlotte with Chris Whitehouse and Ellie Bremer – spurred on by sibling rivalry – closing the gap on the leading two. Just past Albert Bridge, in the confused winds alongside the house boats, Chris and Ellie managed to squirrel into the lead. They built on this to extend to a comfortable margin. Meanwhile, upstarts Dan and Charlotte were putting up a strong performance, holding off the wily M.J and Sophie, with family and friends cheering from the banks for a Bremer one two. But alas, it was not to be. With the more experienced boat using their last reserves of guile to sneak past at the final bridge on the approach to the finish line in Putney to steal second. So as it was, with the competitors enjoying a lavish tea, Mike Jackson presented the ‘Designer’s Trophy’ to the winners, Chris and Ellie. A great day on river was had by all. 1st Chris Whitehouse/Ellie Bremer
Ranelagh Lark Open 16th February 2003 A beautifully crisp and sunny Sunday afternoon greeted a select fleet of Larks to the first Ranelagh Lark open meeting on February 16th. With the steady force one to three Northerly at the upstream extent of the course veering to an Easterly towards the downstream end, this was going to be a challenging race. The Ranelagh bell tolled a downwind start at 12:30 sharp and the race was on. The tightly bunched fleet reached the first mark with Nigel Scott/Pete Britten leading but a schoolboy error saw Chris Edwards/Emma Stokes followed by Steve Cumley/Jenny Bennett sail through Nigel & Pete while they re-negotiated the mark in the correct manner. These first three placings held for the next two legs until some messy mark roundings in the strong tide gave Richard Adams and Grethe Mitchell a little too much space at the upstream mark and they seized third place. With coxed eights, coxless pairs, a flock of Canada geese and the occasional overhanging London Plane gracing the race area, careful route planning was required to avoid any untoward encounters on the long downstream leg to the mark near Putney Bridge. A wealth of sailing experience, a hint of local knowledge and some expert crewing from Emma helped Chris establish a commanding lead over the next two laps which saw them win the race in style. Steve and Jenny held their position to finish second and though Richard Attoe/Jamie and Will Mackinnon/Pat Balm snapped at the heels of Richard & Grethe on the final leg they never really got close enough to cause too much worry leaving them with third. Some excellent homemade soup and sausage sandwiches for tea rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable afternoons sailing on the Thames. Final positions, 1st Chris Edwards/Emma Stokes Ranelagh SC, 2nd Steve Cumley/Jenny Bennett Peterborough Corinthian YC, 3rd Richard Adams/Grethe Mitchell Ranelagh SC.
Larks Easter Egg Trophy
Lark Nationals - 2001- SaundersfootThe week 18th-24th August saw Saundersfoot Sailing Club host the Red Square Lark National Championships. The fleet was met with a fantastically warm welcome by all of the club members and PRO for the week, Commodore John Griffiths. The forecast for the first three days was bang on - a lovely sunny force three on the Sunday gave the fleet some tight racing. A rightward shift on the first beat favoured the boats that had started late in the gate. Richard and Jenny Bennett led for the first two laps, only to be overhauled by Richard Dowsett and Rachel Jones by lap three who went on to take the first race of the Championships, followed closely by the Bennetts and Chris Fish and Natalie Bannister. In Race 2, Pete Vincent and Tegwyn Roberts led to the windward mark closely followed by Dougal and Nigel Scott and Emma Harris and Helen Woodward. The Scotts extended their lead to take their first win of the Champs, with Harris/Woodward in second and Vincent/Roberts in third. Monday dawned grey and damp with a light and variable wind. However, the pressure gradually built to a SW 4 and the fleet got away from the gate to start Race 3. Steve Cumley and Becky Priest and Nigel Hufton and Edd McArdle in their new Rondar Lark, rounded the top mark in first and second. Some dramatic place changing on the reaches saw the Scotts leading by the second beat, with a pack of six boats hard on their heels. After losing their lead briefly to Harris/Woodward, the Scotts finished in first with Harris/Woodward in second Neil and Fiona Ravenscroft sailing a fast race to finish in third. Racing was abandoned for the day on Tuesday due to excessive southerly winds, so the fleet made the most of a lay-day and played beach games and partied hard in the evening. Wednesday was the complete opposite of Tuesday with no breeze to speak of, but the fleet put to sea to attempt to catch up on the race programme with three races scheduled for the day. Race 4 was sailed in frustrating conditions, with a gradual right-hand shift that favoured the Bennetts and Harris/Woodward who rounded in first and second. The Scotts worked their way through to 3rd by the wing mark. As the breeze faded, the course was shortened, with the Bennetts taking their first Championship victory followed by Harris/Woodward and the Scotts in third. After a gap of almost an hour waiting for the wind to steady and fill back in, the fleet sailed an almost identical race for Race 5, with right paying again up the first beat. This time, it was the Ravenscrofts who took advantage to take a clear lead to the finish with Justin Deal and Sarah Marriott overhauling Steve and Karen Bolland to take second with the Bollands in third. Another line start began Race 6, with the Scotts getting clear by the windward mark, followed by Harry Pynn and Tom Alexander and Simon Cox and Dave Herbert. By the leeward mark, there had been no place changes in the top five. However, Harris/Woodward picked up a port lift on the next beat which brought them out in front of the Scotts at the start of the run. This time the race officer decided to give the fleet one more beat and the Scotts sailed fast to pip Harris/Woodward on the finish post by a whisker. Paul and Vicky Gardner sailed a clever final leg to overhaul Pynn/Alexander to finish a commendable third. Race 7 was sailed in overcast conditions and a five-knot breeze.
Deal/Marriott who had led round the top mark were overhauled by the After a wait for the breeze to swing and strengthen, the fleet got away to sail an Olympic triangle for Race 8. This time Martin Gillam and Ruth Johnson rounded the windward mark in top position, followed by the Bennetts and Richard Adams and Tash Styles. Again, the Scotts sailed fast through the fleet to overtake Adams/Styles to finish third which gave them the Championships with a race to spare. Gillam/Johnson finished in first with the Bennetts in second, now putting them ahead of Harris/Woodward overall in second place. Most of the fleet were still in a state of inebriation after the excesses of Thursday's night's "Crew's Union" and helms' "Board of Directors", so it was fortunate that the race was postponed to wait for the wind to fill in. When the fleet finally got away, three boats broke away to finished clear ahead of the rest of the fleet - the Scotts in first, the Bollands and the Gardners in second and third respectively. The battle for second overall was going on behind between Harris/Woodward and the Bennetts; Harris/Woodward having to finish two clear places ahead. Even though Harris/Woodward managed to sneak ahead and cover, the Bennetts, demonstrating their speed, finished right behind Harris/Woodward, giving them second place overall with Harris/Woodward in third. Saundersfoot hosted a fantastic National Championships, with excellent
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Ranelagh Sailing Club
