Race report by John Blackie
With a sparkling sunny afternoon, a fair south-west wind and a course to the B mark the pin end of the starting line was highly congested.
Catriona moved over to port when faced with Zephyrus necessitating Teal to move in turn. Iris came across. Thia inserted herself by the mark and was punished by an unseen power in the failure of a runner, which hampered her for the remainder of the afternoon . Hermes and Thalia had a quieter time.
All bar Teal and Thia continued down the shore, later tacking across at different times. Catriona out front after a while did this to advantage. Teal already had the benefit of better wind and tide in the middle of the loch and having tacked onto starboard was met by Iris on port who could not cross, the seed of her not thereafter being among the leaders.
At the B mark it was Catriona, followed by Teal followed by Zephyrus, which remained as the order at the front for the rest of the race.
It was the first leg of the second round where changes began in earnest among the other boats. Thalia clawed her way up as did Hermes. In a generally lessening wind nothing could be done on the final leg. Most favoured spinnakers on that, the wind having veered a bit. Two did not, and did not feel the lack thereof.
1. Catriona, 2. Teal, 3. Zephyrus, 4. Thalia, 5. Hermes, 6. Iris, 7. Thia
President: