THE Waldringfield SC Easter Egg 2007 was blessed with glorious blue skies, decent winds and neap tides.A total of 76 boats, including 26 visitors, competed around six courses set by race officers Mike Oldroyd and Patrick Gifford.

THE Waldringfield SC Easter Egg 2007 was blessed with glorious blue skies, decent winds and neap tides.

A total of 76 boats, including 26 visitors, competed around six courses set by race officers Mike Oldroyd and Patrick Gifford.

The Larks were the largest fleet, with 25 entries. Christopher Fish crewed by Beth Condie won the first two races sailed on Saturday. Emma Harris crewed by David Marlow returned to home waters to win race three by a long way before the current national champions Alan Krailing and Edd McArdle won races four and five.

All three of these leading teams made uncharacteristically poor starts to the final deciding race on Monday afternoon. Krailing and Harris however needed to win to beat Fish overall.

But it was not to be as Fish kept them behind for second and third respectively.

Ahead of them in the race Stephen Videlo, crewed by his brother Christopher, won the race but lost fifth overall to Harry Pynn/Steve Dunn finishing in second just behind. Matthew White/Harri Steer who were just two boat lengths from race victory and second overall were thus relegated to fourth overall.

Stephen and Christopher won the Lark Youth Championship on Good Friday from David Marlow crewed by Emma Harris after the latter, while comfortably in front, forgot the course. Cadet James Hayward crewed by Matthew White showed talent to win the last race and finish third in that event.)

Mike and Rani Pert dominated the 14-boat Wayfarer “Easter Egg” fleet, winning four races. The other two victories went to Colin and Martin Johnson and Gordon Harris/Gus Condie, helping them to second and third overall respectively.

Ian Harris bettered his father and sister by winning all six of the OK's races. The top local OK's had travelled to an international event in Holland, with Waldringfield SC member Jonathan Fish doing best with fourth overall.

Back on the Deben and the two visiting classes Fireflies and National 12's were a little depleted in numbers.

In the Fireflies Peter Cook/Janet Exelby from Frampton on Severn in Gloucestershire were rewarded for making the long trip, as were Tom Stewart/Elizabeth Ross from Northampton, who won the first four races in their National 12.

The truly identical Lasers had arguably the toughest racing of the weekend, with Tom Branton again showing that winter practice pays dividends.

Going into the last race Richard Williams (Royal Harwich YC) was winning, but he couldn't prevent Branton from taking the last gun to win by a point. A few points behind in third place was grand master Tim Archer, just ahead of David Coles in fourth.

Cadet helm Emma Knott crewed by Henry Stone collected their Easter Egg prizes early before travelling to Rutland for the class Inland Championship starting on Monday.

Finally, old rivalries were resumed in the Squib class with pairings from Felixstowe Ferry.

David White and William Goodacre sailed upriver to steal the chocolates from Patrick Wilton and Mark Wincer.