Sun 14th May

There was wind, in contrast to other Sunday races this year.  Not all equipment worked as intended (main halyard, connection between boom and gooseneck, mainsheet unreeved) leading to four of the nine who went out not finishing.  Anyway, on the water Race Officer iain MacGillivray chose one of the longer courses beginning with a windward leg to E, the farthest mark on the Clynder shore.  The shore end of the starting line was favoured.  Teal went for it early and needed to kill some time but started in the prime position and never looked back.  Catriona tacked into clear air but below and in no position to challenge a charging Teal.  Circe just a little way back.  The rest started more casually, Luna had already had her problem with the main sheet.

There was good wind everywhere but some places were better than others.  Circe had stayed a while on the Shandon shore so that when the three leaders came close, she was in contention.  Catriona wasn’t.

In lighter air, spinnakers would have been set for the leg across the loch.  On the third leg, down the Shandon shore back to the starting area, wind was comfortably aft.  Teal set her spinnaker and pulled away.  Catriona set hers but made little impression on Circe, who didn’t.  Time for a second round.  Harden up a little to A, off the club, then another substantial windward leg to D on the Clynder shore.  A little nearer than E.  Catriona rounded A to find herself pursuing Teal and Circe across to the Clynder shore.  Following would be fruitless so she tacked up the loch.  Teal was not to be touched but Circe was obliged to duck when they met again.

Downwind to the finish, spinnakers would have worked well.  If a place had been in contention, they might have been set.  Halcyone and Thia finished with sufficient separation for there to be no risk of the order changing.

1 Teal, 2 Catriona, 3 Circe, 4 Halcyone, 5 Thia. DNF Luna, Thalia, Hermes, Athene.