A total of 20 Larks turned out for Plymouth Mayflower SC’s Final Fling event on 13-14 October.

Saturday was warm, sunny and virtually windless and after a lengthy postponement, racing eventually got underway in a Force 1 south-westerly. Initial leader, having taken the leftwards path upwind, was Nigel Hufton crewed by Edd McArdle. Next round were Steve Bolland and Tegwyn Roberts pursued by Peter Cooke and Janet Exelby. The second reach turned into a run and the wind dropped further and Bolland took the lead by sailing a deeper course to the leeward mark. Cooke briefly took the lead on the next beat but eventually lost out to Bolland. Harry Pynn and Katie Reiss came through to third.

A second race was started but abandoned as the wind dropped to nothing.

After a fantastic tapas night in Plymouth on Saturday night, with far more Sangria than was strictly necessary, Sunday dawned with no sun, a lot of mist and more wind that strengthened during the day. The first race of the day was taken after a close race by Richard Dowsett and Ruth Johnson. They were hotly pursued by Cooke and Exelby and Emma Harris and Helen Woodward.

A Force 2 and a shortish beat saw a bunch of boats arrive together at the first mark in race three. Bolland and Roberts extricated themselves first and were never headed. The Bennetts managed to hold off Dowsett and Johnson for second.

The wind rose further for the final race allowing a full-on race in ideal conditions. Simon Cox and Anna Hotchkiss sailed a wily first beat and held a nice lead initially. Emma Harris and Helen woodward also showed but were overtaken by the gybe mark by Bolland and Dowsett who were vying for the overall lead.

Bolland and Dowsett had both closed up on Cox and Hotchkiss by the end of the next beat and both managed to squeeze through on the run. Dowsett and Johnson took water on Bolland and Roberts and stayed ahead up the short final beat. Cox and Hotchkiss were third.

The four races were shared by Dowsett and Bolland but the latter took the meeting by virtue of a further second place to Dowsett’s third.

Overall Results

1st Steve Bolland and Tegwyn Roberts, Bristol Corinthian YC

2nd Richard Dowsett and Ruth Johnson, Bristol Corinthian YC

3rd Richard Bennett and Jenny Bennett, Shustoke SC

4th Peter Cooke and Janet Exelby, Bristol Corinthian YC

5th Emma Harris and Helen Woodward, Bristol Corinthian YC