GJW Direct Lark Nationals at Saundersfoot Sailing Club

GJW Direct Lark Nationals at Saundersfoot Sailing Club - Day 5

by Rachael Rhodes 6 Aug 2015 18:43 PDT 2-7 August 2015

After 2 rest days due to true Welsh weather (lots of wind and rain!) the race officer brought the start time forward to 10.00am to try and catch up the races and to allow everybody to be off the water early to make their fancy dress costumes for the famous lark "Welsh" themed fancy dress night and some big 30th birthday celebrations for a certain member of the fleet.

The first race of the day got underway on a trapezoid course with a line start in a light off shore breeze. James Ward and Eluned Stewart led the way at the windward mark by playing the shifts up the first beat. Pete Gray and Rachael Rhodes executed some good downwind tactics by not gybing off down wind to take the lead of the race which they held to the finish, followed by Krailing/Hunt and Hufton/Kennedy in third.

The second race was sailed on an Olympic course with a gate start. Chris White and Chris "Warby" Warburton took full advantage of being the gate boat to lead the fleet. They hoisted the kite down the very tight first reach along with Charlie Roome and Jez Stephens, but Alan Krailing and Joe Hunt kept the kite in the chute and caught them up. With the breeze oscillating and changing in pressure White and Krailing pulled away from the rest of the fleet and were engaged in their own battle for line honours. Nigel Hufton and Will Kennedy took advantage of this and hit the left hand side of the beat hard and sail into the lead with Gray and Rhodes sneaking into second place and Krailing / Hunt finishing off the top 3.

Prize for the best effort of the day goes to # ROUGH JUSTICE for flying their spinnaker for the first time even though their boat has no twinning lines! Go team!

Going into the final day, Krailing/ Hunt are the new National Champions. With 1 point separating second, third and 4th spots there is all to play for with 2 races remaining.

Results after Day 5:

Position	Helm	Crew	Sail No	Boat Name	Club	Fleet	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	Alan Krailing	Joe Hunt	2521	Mozzy	Waldringfield	Gold	0.75	3	0.75	0.75	4	2	3	10.25
2	Charlie Roome	Jeremy Stephens	2519	Wicked Rumours	Ranelagh/Penzance	Gold	3	2	5	4	0.75	8	7	21.75
3	Nigel Hufton	Will Kennedy	2470	Tiger	Frensham Pond	Gold	2	9	19	6	2	3	0.75	22.75
4	Peter Gray	Rachael Rhodes	2531	Polar Bear	Staunton Harold	Gold	4	6	6	5	5	0.75	2	22.75
5	Steve Hall	Ally Hall	2536		Burnham	Gold	9	0.75	9	2	6	5	11	31.75
6	Christopher Hollman	Kate Hutchins	2475	Flow Coat	RYA	Silver	10	4	3	12	3	7	9	36
7	James Goss	Nic Booth	2533		South Staffs	Silver	7	7	7	8	7	9	4	40
8	Ross Kearney	Jane Kearney	2501		South Staffs	Gold	5	5	2	3	10	19	19	44
9	Chris Whitehouse	Ruth Johnson	2411	Voodoo	Ranelagh	Gold	11	10	4	10	9	6	6	45
10	James Ward	Elenud Jones	2507	Mr Bruce	?	Silver	8	8	8	9	11	4	8	45
11	Chris White	Chris Warburton	2464	Rocket Ronny	South Staffs	Silver	6	12	19	7	8	10	5	48
12	Steve Chatten	Julia Griffiths	2502		Frensham Pond	Silver	13	15	10	13	13	11	12	72
13	Stuart Norris	Charlotte Norris	2517		Shropshire	Bronze	15	13	12	11	14	12	10	72
14	Garry Packer	Richard Packer	2252	Blue Tac	Bristol Corinthian	Bronze	12	11	13	15	12	14	15	77
15	Chris Ellis	Judith Young	2530	Windchaser	Frensham Pond	Silver	14	14	11	14	19	15	13	81
16	Ben Hipwell	?	2165	Rough Justice	?	Bronze	17	19	14	16	19	16	16	98
17	Nicholas Von Benzon	?	2509	Expresso	Severn	Bronze	16	19	19	19	19	13	14	100
18	Nigel Scott	Martin Andrews	2472		?	Silver	19	19	19	19	19	19	19	114