Norfolk Punt National Championships at Norfolk Punt Club
by Liz Ollier 24 Aug 2007 15:17 BST
18-19 August 2007
Start line at the Norfolk Punt Championships © Mary Moore
The Norfolk Punt Championships run by the Norfolk Punt Club on Barton Broad on 18 & 19 August attracted eighteen entries who enjoyed plenty of thrills and spills and close racing. The strong southerly wind on Saturday enabled competitors to benefit from two long beats and the traditional boats were pleased to have a dead run down the length of the broad. The first race had to be abandoned after the shorten course flag blew out in the stiff wind and Blackbird, sailed by Andrew and Robert Friend, assumed they had finished and came off the water. Following boats carried on but, as not all passed through the line, it was not possible to finish them and, in the interest of fairness, the race was abandoned.
Friend was compensated however by continuing his winning form in the next race which he won in fine style from James and Paul Jarvey in Harnser. In Punt Club tradition, this secured him his bottle of fizz for a first place over the water. The following race was sailed in challenging conditions which kept the rescue boats busy. At one stage, six boats were capsized in various parts of the broad and some gear breakages were perhaps inevitable. Out of fifteen starters, only eight finished with Jarvey beating Friend on handicap. Given the conditions the third race was cancelled.
The traditional punt championship party did nothing to dim enthusiasm on Sunday morning but the conditions had modified to a relatively steady force 3-4, still from the south. The Jarveys strengthened their position in the first race after Blackbird had problems dropping their spinnaker at D mark, losing several places. The final race still had the leaders neck and neck but Emma Lewis sailing Rushlight found a miraculous lift on the first beat which put her in a strong position and eventually secured her overall third place behind Harnser and Blackbird. She also won the Broads Haven Trophy for traditional boats and the first lady helm bottle of champagne...just the thing to celebrate her wedding in two weeks time to Will Daniels, who was forced to watch from the pontoon after his boat Swallow II had to to pull out of the series with her mast redesigned in an artistic S shape in the second race.
Punt Championship Cup (overall on handicap)
1. Harnser. James and Paul Jarvey
2. Blackbird. Andrew and Robert Friend
3. Rushlight. Emma Lewis and Bill Glover
Broads Haven Trophy (1st traditional boat)
Rushlight. Emma Lewis and Bill Glover
Hard Chine Trophy
Harnser. James and Paul Jarvey
Progress Trophy (Fastest boat over the water)
Blackbird. Andrew and Robert Friend
Cuckoo cup (highest placed helm or crew under 18)
James Edmunds (Whooper)
First Lady Helm
Emma Lewis (Rushlight)
First Lady Crew
Rachel Clayton (Peregrine)