Report from the Secretary.
There was good wind and a large grey cloud at the north end of the Loch. As it was, there was just the merest smattering of rain.
On the water Race Officer Carol Rowe selected an excellent long course, zig-zagging across the loch.
No one started promptly, Zephyrus got away first and was given free rein as Dione and Catriona concentrated on each other. Zephyrus and Catriona swapped the lead several times. Off wind from E to F, the northernmost marks on the Clynder and Shandon shores, Zephyrus was confused by F being badly out of position. It is where G should be. That cost her the lead, the want of a spinnaker did not help.
Hermes and Thia had a close race. Their tactics different approaching the windward marks on the Clynder shore. Hermes tended to overstand so as to allow for big headers approaching the shore. Thia cut it finer and sometimes put in extra tacks. There was little to choose in the end.
The direction of wind was always variable close to the Clynder shore. As the race progressed, the variability spread across the loch. Gybes were needed on the last two downwind legs which felt like broad reaches to begin with. Dione had a glimmer of hope as she gybed early for the finish but Catriona responded and was lucky to find some pressure. Zephyrus dropped another place on account of not setting a spinnaker.
1 Catriona, 2 Dione, 3 Zephyrus, 4 Thia, 5 Hermes.
President: