A total of 22 boats turned out at the one-day Lark event at South Staffs on 16 March
Following a typical South Staffs SC party on the eveninng of Saturday 16 March, 22 boats took part in the one-day Lark open meeting on the Sunday.
In shifty conditions, race one started with Emma Harris and Becky Priest rounding the windward mark in first, pursued by Martin Gillam and Matthew Griffiths and Ruth Johnson, helming Richard Dowsett in his Lark. Harris/Priest sailed fast into a two-leg lead which they held onto to the finish. Meanwhile, Gillam/Griffiths fought to hold onto second from Richard and Jenny Bennett, who had pulled up to third, with local sailors, John Bilington and Sue Mellor in fourth.
The wind was more gusty in race two, with a short squall hitting the fleet half way through the race. Gillam/Griffiths started well, rounding the top mark in first, followed by a mele of boats on the short run to the gybe mark. There followed a lot of place changing at the front end, with Richard and Jenny Bennett sailing through Gillam/Griffiths to take the lead for a round. Harris/Priest, having rounded the gybe mark in fifth, pulled through to take the Bennetts in round two , and went on to win by a comfortable margin. Johnson/Dowsett, meanwhile sailed an extremely impressive race, also catching and overtaking the Bennetts to take second, with the Bennetts in third.
The wind strengthened for race three, with increasingly gusty conditions giving the rescue crews some work to do! Harris/Priest led around the windward mark, hotly persued by Johnson/Dowsett. A huge battled ensued between the two, with the race lead changing hands several times before Harris/Priest, slightly ahead at the last leeward mark, covered Johnson/Dowsett to take their third race win of the day. The Bennetts, concluding a day of consistent racing, again finished in third, with Chris and Ann Biglin in fourth.
Overall Results
1st 2311 Emma Harris and Becky Priest, 2pts
2nd 2331 Ruth Johnson and Richard Dowsett, 4pts
3rd 2171 Richard and Jenny Bennett, 6pts
4th 2007 Chris and Ann Biglin, 8pts
5th 2405 John Billington and Sue Mellor, 9pts