A total of 15 Larks gathered on a stormy Lepe Beech to sail across the Solent for the Larks biannual outing to Gurnard Sailing Club on the Isle of Wight this weekend (18-19 May). After gusts recorded up to 30 knots, the fleet set sail and made it safely across escorted by Gurnard rescue.

By the time of the first race the wind had moderated slightly although it was still blowing 25-28 knots. The first beat saw Dougal and Nigel Scott taking advantage of the heavy weather to round the windward mark first followed by Emma Harris and Becky Priest, a lead which they never lost in the strong wind and Solent tide despite a strong comeback from Harris and Priest. Steve Cumley and Dan Smith finished third.

The second race was sailed in slightly less wind and a tide that had now turned. Cumley and Smith rounded the windward mark first only to capsize near the gybe mark in very windy and lumpy conditions. This left the Scotts the new leaders, however they also capsized at the gybe mark, leaving Harris and Priest to take the lead, which they never lost. The Scotts recovered well to pull back to second followed by Cumley and Smith.

After an excellent evening of curry and beer kindly laid on by Gurnard members, they fleet got off to an early start at 10am. The wind had moderated from the previous day’s extreme conditions but was still gusting above 20 knots at times. The Scotts once again rounded first pursued round the windward leeward course by Harris and Priest, but they held their lead to the finish, with Cumley and Smith third and Paley and Phipps forth. Going into the final race either Harris/Priest or the Scotts could win, and it was Harris who led round the windward mark hotly pursed by the Scotts and Richard and Jenny Bennett. The Scotts closed on Harris and Priest and were able to establish and overlap on the gybe mark which gave them the lead which they were able to hold to the finish, taking the open meeting. Harris and Priest took second and second overall from Cumley and Smith who has a very consistent score of four thirds.

1st 2347 Dougal and Nigel Scott, 3 points

2nd 2311 Emma Harris and Becky Priest, 5 points

3rd 2413 Steve Cumley and Dan Smith, 9 points

4th 2288 Andy Paley and Kirsty Phipps, 12 points

5th 2171 Richard and Jenny Bennett, 15 points