Barnt Green Sailing Club Lark Archive Sponsored by P & B

  Class Captain : George Puttock. 2006

2006 Final Lark Class Report, (Autumn) written by George Puttock, retiring Class Captain       

Since the last newsletter, we have increased the number of Lark sailing members in the club and would like to welcome Steve Sedwell & Barbara, Richard Powell and Ben Julian to the club. In addition, it is also pleasing to see that on occasions, some of the existing members are taking one or two of the club Larks out. Perhaps we may be able to tempt them into the fleet in the not to distant future?   Over the summer, 3 Barnt Green boats ventured to the National Championships held in Penzance. Bob and Kelsey Suggitt, Steve Cumley with his crew Eluned Jones, and Maia Walsh and her friend Caroline Stocks, who had chartered George Puttock’s boat for the occasion. By all accounts, the wind created some interesting sailing for all 55 boats entered, with force 4 / 5 wind strengths of wind throughout the week. On conclusion of the final race, Steve and Eluned achieved 5th overall position, having been the winner of the 6th race, Bob and Kelsey produced a commendable 18th place, and Maia and Caroline came 50th, although in view of the conditions achieved an amazing 25th position in the final race.  Having returned, Steve and Eluned have won the Lark National Travellers Belle Isle Trophy with 5 open meeting wins throughout the season.  

Finally, having been the Fleet Captain for the past 4 years, I have relinquished this position to Bob Suggitt and hope that this will be of sufficient distraction for me to beat him in one or two races at least.  

Thanks, George.

Lark Class Report  Summer 2006

Photo taken at the 2005 Open Meeting

Kelsy Suggitt, as well as sailing her Laser around the country (see *News, Sailing Successes & Results), has done brilliantly well  with a 2^nd placing behind the National champions at our own Club Open. Dad has also been out and about sailing in a number of other club Open meetings and most of our own Club Opens including the Laser Class – and that was a first!  Newsflash : *Kelsey was 12th in group at the Laser 4.7 Worlds - Female.

We had a reasonable turnout at the Club Open meeting over the weekend of the 13^th / 14^th May, boosted by an additional 5 boats on the Sunday, bringing the total number up to 19.  Saturday’ weather was fun, the 1^st race, the practice one, was restarted on the track a few times, when the wind stopped, all the fleet seemed to be attached to a piece of elastic, leaders moved, then stopped pulling the rest of the fleet back up towards them, only to start again. The rest of Saturday had more wind with lots of holes in it, plus rain. The best conditions were for the single handed race in the late afternoon, in which Bob pulled up to 2^nd on the final beat just behind Steve.