Athene, Catriona, Ceres and Iris competed in this the last race of the season. At the moorings it looked as though there might not be enough wind to have any race at all, and the tide had started to ebb. It was dark and gloomy and misty. However a westerly breeze came away fairly soon and remained throughout the race, stronger in some parts of the loch than in others. Catriona was race officer. She was three up with James, her crew’s young son.The course was to D and back, in the event shortened to two rounds. For the start all sailed up the line to seek to cross at the shore end. Catriona was the closest to the shore when tacking across the line; the last to cross was Athene and pretty near the shore too. Halfway across the loch Iris tacked off, found clearer air and benefitted from the slightly stronger wind. When she tacked later to cross to the D mark she was above the lay line but spot on given the ebbing tide. She rounded first. Catriona had battled with a header and the strong tide on the Clynder shore and tacked in the zone just far enough in front of Athene not to give rise to dispute with her. Ceres rounded as well. Athene’s route to get there had been across the loch. Her getting up the loch was more happenstance than good judgement. Shortly after crossing the line the fixed end of her jib sheet came off. She had no alternative but to go up the northern shore and then with it reattached tack across the loch. She was saved from total failure by a fresher wind there. Iris led on the run with Ceres and Catriona behind. Athene again inflicted a gear failure on herself, this time by a spinnaker sheet clip coming adrift in hoisting. On the second round Iris in the lead and Catriona crossed the loch early, while Ceres went up the middle and benefitted from the better wind there. Iris rounded the D mark first but as many have done before in a lightish wind and an ebbing tide hit it. Even having taken the penalty she maintained her lead. Ceres passed Catriona before the finish. Iris remained in the lead to achieve her owner’s first win.
Consequent on changes at the RNCYC this was very probably the last series race of the class ever to take place in the upper Gareloch, an event of historic significance. In 1924 in these waters the first ever race of the class was won by the young woman owner of the then brand new Dione. It feels a good augury for the future that this last race was won by the youngest owner in the class, and the oldest owner came last.
1 Iris, 2 Ceres, 3 Catriona, 4 Athene
