Sun 5th June (a non-series, no Scottish Series race!)

Not a planned Sunday event, but due to the cancellation of the Scottish Series it was decided to have a Sunday race as normal.

Five boats turned up for the race and there was a nice fresh breeze with some good gusts from the east, along with some sunshine.

Strangely, for an easterly, the wind was constant, and therefore all luck was removed from the race, it was fought out using absolute skill and decision making.

RO ChoulesCampbell decided on ZADZ which wasn’t quite a nice beat to A, but it did at least give a good beat from D to Z.

At the start, it was Thalia, Catriona and Dione who made a good start up to A, followed by Circe and Hermes, then there was a long run down to D.

Thalia (without spinnaker) and Dione (with spinnaker) took the direct route whilst Catriona went out into the middle of the loch and had a bit more of “single handed trials with the spinnaker”.

Round D, there was a general decision to head across towards Shandon, whilst Circe took the Clynder side – it was a great sight with all the boats heeling well over in the gusts.

After the first round, Circe found herself well ahead followed by Catriona, Dione and Thalia – unfortunately Hermes had dropped back.

On the second time down to D, it was close racing between the middle three, however Catriona elected to avoid the spinnaker, as did Thalia, but it was Dione who put hers up and benefitted from some good speed.

The final beat up to Z, and Circe (still in the lead) took off to the Clynder side again, followed by Thalia but this time around it wasn’t so beneficial and Dione and Catriona made some good ground, Catriona more so. Circe came across to cover off the advancing boats, and held on to first place, followed by Catriona, Dione, Thalia and Hermes.

This report is based on true events, but some elements have been included for dramatic effect, (it was definitely NOT a constant wind from the east, and there were extensive wind shifts, as ever!) which therefore calls into question the skills of the winning crew, as opposed to their luck!

1 Circe, 2 Catriona, 3 Dione, 4 Thalia, 5 Hermes