Lark Belle Isle Traveller Series Leg 3 at Frensham Pond SC

by Daniel Watson on 2 Apr 2012 Lark Belle Isle Traveller Series third leg was held at Frensham Pond Sailing Club, Surrey, on April 1st 2012, in light and shifting breeze.

At the start of race one Chris Ellis/Ed Cummins and Chris Holliman/Kate Hutchins rounded the first mark followed closely by Stuart/Nick Hydon. Holliman gybed out and unfortunately lost his position. The Hydons managed to go on top of Ellis but Ellis managed to get water on the Hydons at the leeward mark. On the second beat, the Hydon's tactics of using the right hand side paid off and they got past Ellis and extended the lead. However, on the long run down to the club house the Hydons lost the lead as the fleet came through. Phil Whitney/Lynda Williams took the lead for a short time until the Hydons came back through. During the second lap the Hydons opened another lead on the fleet. On the final leg to the finish there was a scramble for the first four positions. The Hydons just managed to get first with Charlie Roome/David Marlow half a boat length behind them closely followed by Sam Mettam/Geoff Phillips (third) and Ellis/Cummins fourth.

The second race saw the Hydons blocking Roome on the pin end and opening a substantial lead leaving the rest of the fleet to fight for second place. The positions from second to eighth place changed as frequently as did the wind. The end of the race saw the Hydons with a substantial lead and Mettam in second place. Whitney got Ellis on the line leaving Ellis/Cummins in fourth position.

After a delicious lunch a new course was set. The Hydons managed to stop Mettam from starting at the committee boat end and they rounded the windward mark first. However, Nigel Hufton/Helen Scott were gaining on them but the Hydons managed to lose them and open another lead. With the wind changing all the time the positions second to seventh also kept changing, a feature of the day! By the finish the Hydons had the lead and Hufton/Scott managed to get second place followed by Roome/Marlow (third) and Ellis/Cummins in fourth place.

Final Positions were:
1st Stuart and Nick Hydon Shustoke SC
2nd Sam Mettam and Geoff Phillips RNSA
3rd Charlie Roome and David Marlow OCSS
4th Nigel Huffton and Helen Scott Frensham Pond Lark Class Association website