(Report from the Convenor on Catriona / photos from Clare on Hermes)
Race Officer Linda Pender selected a course beginning with a leg to windward to mark D, north of Cylinder. There was the usual, unavoidable, shore end bias of the starting line. Also as usual, Catriona (crew Niki Horn on the helm) was first along the line with Arke just behind and establishing an overlap to leeward so as push her rival over. Circe came to the rescue. She had gone further inshore and had tacked out for the line on starboard. Catriona called for room to join Arke in passing behind the starboard boat and made an optimum start.
Various others, including Dione (who has already won the series of which this was the last race) started further back down the line. Dione had boat speed and would have taken the lead. But for being caught by the starboard tack Catriona.
Arke, lee bowed after the start, tacked away up the Shandon shore, quickly found it did not pay and tacked back having dropped about ten boat lengths. Circe and others did not take the hint and continued up the Shandon shore. Their excuse in the bar afterwards was every time they thought to tack, they got a lift.
Most tried to make the best of the usual Gareloch variable wind going up the middle. Athene had gone across to the Cylinder shore early and found favourable air. She was only just caught by Catriona on the approach to D and rounded second. Then was engaged in a luffing battle under spinnaker with Arke and Dione.
This particular course usually calls for a gybe at G, on the Shandon shore north of the starting battery. This time, G was dead downwind of D so that in playing the angles, the gybe was done in open water. Much more comfortably. Dione however insinuated herself past – underneath somehow – Arke just before the mark.
As wind was getting lighter and some of those who went up the Shandon shore were a long way back, Linda shortened to one round. There was adventure approaching the finish. Athene kept Circe at bay, despite venturing too close to the shore. The helm fell off his seat in then sudden deceleration…
1 Catriona, 2 Dione, 3 Arke, 4 Athene, 5 Circe, 6 Hermes, 7 Ceres, 8 Thia.
