It was the Lowland Trophy Regatta at Welland Yacht Club on Sunday, which provided an added element of fun to the racing including fancy dress for the competitors.
The fine conditions and the river weed freshly cut meant 14 boats started the first race. Being the Lowland Trophy the OOD set a downwind start straight into a buoy chicane to test the competitors.
It was Mark Scourfield who timed the start best and managed to enter the chicane in clear air.
The bulk of the fleet then struggled around the tight course with Keiron Powell bringing up the rear of the fleet as he was struggling with a lot of the freshly cut weed on his rudder.
The race was scheduled for three laps but was shortened to two laps for the quicker boats and only one lap for the slower boats including Harry Jackson in the little Optimist, Eric Murray, who was getting to grips with his new Solo, and Geoff Tibbs, who struggled to right his boat after a capsize.
Scourfield crossed the line first by a clear margin to take first place but Powell had fought his way through the fleet to take an excellent second place from Alan Cox in a Laser who took third.
The second race followed a similar format but the start was upwind to buoy 1 before heading back up river through the chicane.
As the starting gun went it was Jackson who took the lead from Scourfield but as the fleet approached buoy one the pack closed in and the little Optimist was swallowed up by the pack.
Although Scourfield rounded first, Cox soon caught up and pulled ahead on the long beat back to the clubhouse.
He extended this lead throughout the race to secure first spot.
Gayle Follington in the slower Comet sailed well to cross the line second, a position she held after handicaps were applied.
Scourfield didn’t capitalise on his good start and slipped back to third spot by the end of the race.
The fleet was reduced to only six boats for race three as the heat was taking its toll.
Cox got off to a great start but was closely followed by Follington and although she never closed the gap she stayed close enough to take the race from Cox on corrected time.
James Ramp in a Laser Radial had an excellent third place.
Overall this gave Cox the regatta win, but only one point ahead of Follington in second.
Ramp took a well-deserved third place overall.
- The club is again doing taster sessions as part of the Celebrate the River Day on July 5 from 12 noon.
People can book slots via the club’s website at www.wellandyachtclub.co.uk or just turn up on the day.
