(Report from Adrian Topham on Catriona)
Windy rigging was followed by lighter winds at the start but this didn’t prevent Dione getting off to a flyer. Somehow coaxing more speed than the better positioned Catriona, Dionne managed the lifts and headers more ably than her pursuer over the loch and towards the first mark.
Alas Dione’s decision to close early with the shore proved her undoing with Catriona staying loch-ward rounding first and building up a commanding lead back to the second mark. With effective spinnaker work it appeared that Catriona was clear to set off for a trouble free second leg without competition but the gods intervened and blinded the poor inexperienced hand on the tiller, prevailing upon the misguided sole to steer starboard side of the mark!
Dione sailed round and Catriona had to beat back and only managed to round the mark two minutes behind the new race leader. Thia rounded three minutes after followed four minutes after with a close tussle between Ceres and Athene who started the second round bows level.
The rest is history, Catriona fought hard with some brave reaching for the wind but Dione refused to yield her lead and gained another minute on the unfortunate Catriona. Thia remained in third and Ceres beat Athene to the finish.
Results:
1 Dione, 2 Catriona, 3 Thia, 4 Ceres, 5 Athene
(Timings R1 & R2: Dione 19.47 & 20.17, Catriona +2min & +3min, Thia +5min & +4min, Ceres +9min & +9min, Athene +9min & +11min)
