We began with up to 20 knots of wind. It was blowing down the loch, which always creates a swell. Some crew did not fancy it and some boats did not turn out. On the Water Race Officer Peter Proctor chose a good course, beginning with a long leg to windward to E, the northern most mark on the Clynder shore. The starting line was without bias so that all those who wanted a good start could have one. Teal, Halcyone and Catriona set off across the loch, keen to cover each other. The others went up the Shandon Shore. On the approach to E, Catriona was leading her group, but needed binoculars to see the sail numbers of the other three. Zephyrus leading.
By this time, wind had lightened and spinnakers were perfectly manageable. The leading three, unaccountably, had misplaced the next mark and ventured far too far up the loch. The trailing three sailed straight for it. Catriona benefitted from her spinnaker. Teal less so because she lost a sheet under the boat in a way which cannot be explained. For the third leg, downwind to the starting area, the want of spinnakers on Hermes and Zephyrus and a luffing match between Zephyrus and Thalia brought the leading group back on terms with at least two of the trailing three. There was time for a second, shorter round.
On the next windward leg, Teal and Catriona did not repeat their earlier error of judgement and sailed in a favourable area of the loch. As we rounded the windward mark, the finishing order was mostly set.
1 Catriona, 2 Thalia, 3 Teal, 4 Zephyrus, 5 Hermes, 6 Halcyone.