Race Officer Andrew Nicholson set a short course, across the Gareloch to C at Clynder and back. In the steady breeze at the start, it seemed pessimistic but he was quite right.
The wind was behind us for the first leg. Iris got away first, Thia and Thalia were strong. Somehow, and for no particular reason, Catriona was able to sail between Thalia and Ceres and then avoid being blanketed by those two and Iris, further to windward.
As the Garelochs approached C, the Sonars and Pipers were just leaving it. It is not as if the Garelochs got there quickly, there was a hole around the mark of spectacular depth. All the boats leaving had right of way. Catriona was able to thread herself through them. The rest of the fleet took some time to drift round them. With wind filling from the middle of the loch, being away first was crucial. Thalia did well, Iris took a little time to break away. There was never any possibility of a second round.
1 Catriona, 2 Iris, 3 Thalia, 4 Hermes, 5 Ceres, 6 Thia.
President: