Musto Lark National Championship at Rock - Day 3
by John Brickwood 2 Jun 2021 07:56 NZST
30 May - 2 June 2021
Day 3 of the Lark Nationals at Rock Sailing Club sponsored by Musto was blessed with glorious sunshine and good breezes.
The first race of the day was run in a steady Force 2-3 south easterly gradient breeze. Race officer Martin Hough set a course in Padstow Bay with the start close to Stepper Point. The first beat took the fleet back towards the shore with shifty conditions near the windward mark where Chris and Nic White led from Ed Bradburn and Sarah Norbury with Stuart and Nick Hydon third. The breeze stayed firm throughout the race giving great racing and some place changing. Chris and Nic held their lead to the finish with Stuart and Nic Hydon climbing to second and Nigel Hufton and Pete Nicholson third.
For the second race the start was delayed, as a northerly sea breeze established and settled. Eventually the fleet got away in the light sea breeze. Harry and Gemma Pynn led at the windward mark. The south easterly gradient then decided to play havoc cancelling the light north westerly seabreeze with calms and gusts making conditions difficult and places being lost and gained. Chris and Nic White demonstrated their skills by taking the race win followed by James Stewart & Jeremy Stephens and 3-times Lark Champion Tim Fells & Fran Gifford. Harry and Gemma slipped to an unlucky fourth place in a tight finish.
Following today's race wins Chris and Nic White are in a strong position to take the Lark National Championship going into the final day tomorrow.
In the all-important Crews' Race, Jeremy Stephens won the 'It's Hard to be Humble' prize with crew James Stewart, from Rachael Rhodes & James Goss.
Results after Day 3: (top six, 7 races, 1 discard)
1st Chris & Nic White, 11pts
2nd Harry & Gemma Pynn, 21pts
3rd James Stewart & Jeremy Stephens, 24pts
4th Stuart & Nick Hydon, 25pts
5th James Goss & Rachael Rhodes, 28pts
6th Ed Bradburn & Sarah Norbury, 29pts