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Barnt Green Sailing Club - Lark

  Bob & Mandy Suggitt.  Bob is 2011 Class Captain  

Our 2011 LARK Open meeting was on 21st May- click image below for a snapshot of the day! A slideshow gallery will be made soon.

Report on the Lark website can be viewed HERE ~ Full RESULTS

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2010 and earlier information, images and reports can be seen below.

Bob Suggitt and Michael John Gifford sailing in the 50th Endeavour Masters at Burnham-on-Crouch. 2/10/10. Bob came 6th in 25 knots! Full story on Y&Y site HERE.  Click image to enlarge. (Great Pic!)

A report on the Lark Open meeting held on the 21st can be seen HERE.  Results HERE.   Gallery HERE.

Our 2010 Lark Open Meeting is on Saturday, 22nd May.  It's the Midland and North series second double header weekend of the  season. At Barnt Green S.C. (Saturday) and Shropshire S.C. (Sunday),  At Barnt Green  there'll be 3 races (2 to count) starting at 11am plus the famous single-handed race afterwards. Briefing at 10.30.Daytime catering by the lovely Fran Barnes so no need to make a pic nic and there will a free to use BBQ in the evening (Bring your own grub for that) and there's free camping for the night's accommodation. The current forecast looks perfect.  For more details of both events    Visit the Lark Class Owners Association Website Now!   or contact Bob Suggitt for Barnt Green details. Tel : 01527 585223.  Mobile : 07769 588733.     EMAIL 

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2009 archived news.   Steve and Nicola Cumley came a creditable 8th at the Lark Nationals in very testing conditions! They also won the splendid new married couples trophy !  Results.    Gallery      Bob's Lark training sessions, known as Bob's Mondays, are this year going to link with Mandy's Tuesdays to make better use of safety boat on the water etc.  The first session is on Tuesday 12th May.  Contact Bob for details.

 

The 2009 BGSC Lark Open meeting was on Saturday 23rd May. (Note, for the first time this is to be a one day meeting) More info. on this poster.   Check out the Lark website report details here

The Barnt Green Open Meeting is this year part of the newly formed Midlands & North Region Circuit. ( MNR ) 
IT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR BELLE ISLE

Contact Bob Suggitt for further details.    Tel : 01527 585223.      Mobile : 07769 588733.        EMAIL 

Left, Lark 2487, Smashie Bennett, at the BGSC 2009 Open which he won, click image to enlarge

 

 

Here is Smashie Bennett's report on the 2009 Open meeting. The results are at the bottom of the report.

There was a select few of top Lark sailors racing at the Barnt Green Lark Open this year. With some excellent close racing which was thoroughly enjoyable. With a nice breeze and some glorious burn-your-face-if-you-don’t-wear-sun-cream weather, the scene was set for a legendary day at Worcestershire’s top Sailing Venue.

(Click the images to open a large version)

1st race saw Newly-weds Steve & Nic taking an early lead, having a good battle with Jane and Rach until Jane tacked too close to Steve at a Windward mark seeing her make penalty turns puting them temporarily at the back of the competitive field. Working the magic, Smashie & Karen Jewkes battled their way to a comfy win with Jane & Rach working the shifts to pip Steve on the finish line for 2nd spot.

 

2nd race Steve & Nic lead again after a solid start and all if not most boats sprinting up the bank in a line-a-breast formation. Steve was fast in the blowy conditions and was holding his place comfortable. Smashie & Karen chipped away and overtook as the wind speed kept changing and shifting around. With some good tactical know-how up the beats, Smashie and Karen took a smooth win with Steve & Nic 2nd, this time making no last minute mistakes and Jane & Rach in a never-far-behind 3rd spot.

 

Race 3 and Smashie got shut out on the line by Jane who had a fine start with Stuart Norris and crew initially leading and looking in command. Jane & Rachael came through to first and started to extend a lead which they held for a lap. Smashie & Karen with it all to do playing catch-up over an extended ‘Challege Trophy Race’ managed to make some goods calls on the breeze patches to overhall Steve & Nic who were in 3rd and then go after Jane & Rach in the closing minutes of the hour. Again some excellent tactics up the main beat saw them slide into the Number One spot for a clean-sweep of Victories. Steve & Nicola also overhauled Jane and Rach on a shifty beat gaining “their” 2nd place and Jane & Rachael also in a familiar 3rd spot.

 

It was then time to drop off the crews and for a select few to entertain our spinnaker handling friends with the Single Handed Lark Race!! Everyone had a nice clean start with Tony ‘Bruce-Banks’ Hotchkiss spotting a shift and tacking up the bank to begin with. This time it was a return to the lead for Steve Cumley with Smashie nipping at his transom all the way round the track. Steve bravely hoisted his kite on a number of legs to gain an advantage, but with Smashie ever present slipped past to secure another victory. With Jane ‘no-balls’ Alexander sitting out this comical finale Stuart Norris from Shropshire secured 3rd.

 

It was then time to drop off the crews and for a select few to entertain our spinnaker handling friends with the Single Handed Lark Race!! Everyone had a nice clean start with Tony ‘Bruce-Banks’ Hotchkiss spotting a shift and tacking up the bank to begin with. This time it was a return to the lead for Steve Cumley with Smashie nipping at his transom all the way round the track. Steve bravely hoisted his kite on a number of legs to gain an advantage, but with Smashie ever present slipped past to secure another victory. With Jane ‘no-balls’ Alexander sitting out this comical finale Stuart Norris from Shropshire secured 3rd.

 

Thanks and admiration must go to Barnt Green Sailing Club and Bob Suggitt (pictured above and below with Freddie Lockett) for organizing a superb event that was fantastically enjoyed by everyone.  Thanks also to Stuart Howe of BGSC for the fine photographs.        The results were.......

1st –  Smashie Bennett and Karen Jewkes      Staunton Harold

2nd – Steve and Nicky Cumley                       Barnt Green

3rd – Jane Alexander and Rachael Rhodes      South Staffs

4th – Stuart and Louise Norris                        Shropshire

5th – Tony Hotchkiss and Pippa Vick             South Staffs

6th – Bob Suggitt and  Freddie Locket            Barnt Green

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Archive information follows...........

Bob and Josh     Steve and Eluned

Our 2008 Lark Nationals (held at Bridlington) entries were:- Bob Suggitt crewed by Josh Stuart and Steve Cumley crewed by Eluned Jones. Final positions on 1st Aug. were Steve 3rd and Bob 30th. Well done !  REPORT  Further details are here  (Link to Lark site)  Official Results here

A report of the Youth National Championship can be seen here  Report of the Open Meeting on 25th here 

 

Weekend of 24th / 25th May and we proudly host the Lark Class Youth National Championship (on 24th, 3 races with free entry to the Nationals for 3 categories BRILLIANT OFFER BY THE LARK CLASS followed by the BGSC Open meeting single handed race) The "Lark" party on the Saturday evening and on Sunday 25th, it's our Lark Open meeting. POSTER HERE.  A fantastic weekend it will be. For the beer drinkers (most Larkers) there will be Weatheroak on draught, mmm!  Our Lark Class Captain makes an appeal to club members here.  Lark site here.      Read a quote from Bob Suggitt BSC here !!!

 

2008 news.  Results from the Inland Championship held on 17th / 18th May at Datchet S.C.

 

Overall Results

1st Emma Harris & Becky Priest, Waldringfield SC, 16pts
2nd Steve Cumley & Eluned Jones, Barnt Green SC, 19pts
3rd Chris Fish & Mike Gilson, Waldringfield SC, 21pts
4th Richard Bennett & Nicola Booth, Staunton Harold SC, 22pts
5th Chris Biglin & Anne Biglin, Shustoke SC, 25pts
6th Stephen Videlo & Christopher Videlo, Waldringfield SC, 27pts
7th Chris Whitehouse & Jane Alexander, Ranelagh SC, 28pts
8th Dave Young & Nicola Attwood, South Staffs SC, 36pts
9th Steve Hall & Simon Haughton, Northampton SC, 39pts
10th Kelsey Suggitt & Josh Stuart, Barnt Green SC, 43pts


1st Silver Fleet: Kelsey Suggitt & Josh Stuart, Barnt Green SC
1st Bronze Fleet: John Crooks and Helen Winward, Waldringfield SC

 

Well done Steve Cumley / Eluned Jones, 2nd and Kelsy Suggitt / Josh Stuart 10th & ist in Silver Fleet.

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Lark Class Report for Autumn/Winter 2007

 

Firstly, thanks to George Puttock for looking after the Lark class for the past few years.

 

2007 has been a quiet year for the Lark class at Barnt Green, and yet four Barnt Green Larks were at the National Championships at Looe in July, so there`s obviously some potential for next year.

 

The highlight of the year is of course, Steve Cumley`s win at the Championships and second overall on the national open meeting circuit. Unfortunately, Steve’s appearances at the club this year have been in a Laser.

 

23rd to 28th July saw the Lark Class hold its 2007 National Championships in Looe, Cornwall where four boats from the Club entered the event. After 5 days of racing with one day lost to bad weather and some close match racing between the 1st & 2nd positions on the last day of the competition,  Steve Cumley & Eluned Jones of Barnt Green Sailing Club won the title of 2007 Rooster Lark National Champions. Congratulations and well done !

Further information can be obtained from the Class Website: www.larkclass.org  Final day report here Roundup report here  Results here

 

Our club open meeting was held on the late May bank holiday, which allowed for weekend club sailing on the Monday.  Saturdays gentle breeze saw Stuart and Julia Allen from Banbury win the challenge trophy, while Dave Young from South Staffs squeezed out Bob Suggitt in the single handed race. Sunday was better. Bob and Mandy capsized spectacularly while spinnaker reaching in the second race, while Chris Whitehouse, who had travelled up from Suffolk broke his mast in the third race also spinnaker reaching. Richard Bennet, (Staunton Harold S.C.) crewed by Kelsey Suggitt, sailed impeccably to win the meeting.  Scroll down for a full report.....

 

 

Bob and Mandy won the summer series again, with John and Rosemary Preston winning the handicap trophy. However, the status quo could be under threat next year. Kelsey, crewed by new member Josh Stuart are currently sailing Glaslyn, and after putting in 10 races late in the summer series, have started the winter series with an impressive three wins out of the first four races. Bob and Mandy have tuned up one of the club boats which is proving to be surprisingly competitive.

 

The priority for next year has to be “More Larks on the Water”. To this end I am organising some boat handling, tuning and race training days on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings next April/ May. Watch the noticeboard and website for further details.

  

We still have several club boats for sale (well done Nick Norman, our latest fleet member for buying one of these) two further boats are for sale at silly prices. Details here.  These were dug out of the brambles during the working party, and with some tlc will be worthwhile additions to the fleet. There is a catch, but a good one. If the new owner sails in ten races in the summer series, a substantial part of the purchase price will be refunded otherwise, ownership reverts back to the club. Can there be a better way to get on the water?

 

Finally, last winter saw some of the best sailing conditions of the year. Check the weather forecast and come and have a sail.

 

Bob Suggitt

 

Lark 2006 / 7 archive here

 

 

Photos taken at the 2005 Open Meeting

 

Visit the website of the Lark Class  (New page)

         

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