West Highland Yachting Week

28th July to 3rd August 2012

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A beat to the finish for West Highland Yachting Week

THE WEST Highland Yachting Week fleet had a strong and wet beat down the Sound of Mull from Tobermory to Oban on Friday, August 6, the last day of the six-day series that saw excellent racing across all nine classes.

The shortened course at the Grey Rocks Buoy made an interesting finish as many of the 121-strong fleet struggled with the flood tide and a lightening wind but the majority of the race had seen gains made by working the Morvern shore. The passage race ended the popular regatta that has run for 63 years based between Craobh, Oban and Tobermory.

Thursday saw the fleet split racing different courses with the Tunnock’s spinnaker fleet managing two races off Kilchoan and the Argyll restricted sail fleet sailing off the entrance to the Sound of Mull. Previously the racing has been Round Lismore and round the buoys in the Firth of Lorne.

Tied for the overall points series with five points are Robin and Christine Murray’s First 40 Elf Too and Robin Ferguson’s X332 Hoodlum racing restricted sail classes 2 and 4.

The overall winner of the Peter Cocks Memorial Trophy is announced at the prize-giving tonight (Friday).

Meanwhile Elf Too won both the Tennent Caledonian 25th Anniversary Salver for the best corrected time in the Tobermory to Oban passage race as well as the Iona Shop Trophy for the yacht with the best total corrected time over the three passage races.

Steve Cowie’s Zephyr from Fairlie and Chris Tiso’s Thunderbird of Rhu tied on points in Class 1b but on countback it was Zephyr wining the last race that lifted the class trophy.

Gordon Tourlamain’s Sunbird, the CNB 60 being sailed by the Sunbird team from Ardrossan in Class 3a took a bullet in the final race but it was not enough to pull up on points to Geoff Bowerman’s AeRo who finished second overall and Iain MacNair who lifted the class win with First by Farr.

The newly introduced IRC Class 3b was closely contested with Alan Jeffrey and Paul Scut’s Carmen II from Helensburgh taking second place in the final race to win from Ken Grant’s Tigh Soluis II by just one point. Steven Forteith of Oban pulled out all the stops on the First 31.7 Shadowfax to win Class 5 overall. Consistency saw Ruaridh Angus with his Hustler SJ30 Misjif keep ahead in the points series to lift the silverware in Class 7 as well as winning the Angus Meldrum Trophy for the best overall corrected time in the Oban to Tobermory passage race.

David Cooper’s Redwing took Class 8 with Judy Orr and her MGC 27 from Campbeltown winning restricted sail Class 9.

This year the event has received support from Tunnock’s, The Oban Common Good Fund, Argyll and Bute Council. Tobermory Whisky and Tobermory Harbour Association have also stepped aboard with support as has Caledonian MacBrayne, The Crown Estate and West Coast Motors.

Dave Waltho, chairman of the Joint Regatta Committee said: ’We have had fantastic courses and great winds for the fleet every day and the turn out has shown the regatta is as popular as ever. The social scene has been enjoyed by everyone and it is this mix of good racing and enjoyable après sail activity that ensures people return year in year out to West Highland Yachting Week. We look forward to next year.’