Irish club win the silverware after home and away legs

FIVE yachts and a rib carrying 35 members of Cushendall Sailing Club from County Antrim, Northern Ireland, arrived in Campbeltown to take part in the second leg of the exchange visit between the two sailing clubs, the first leg having been held three weeks previously in Cushendall.

Welcomed

The visitors were welcomed at the clubhouse on Saturday at midday and enjoyed soup and sandwiches provided and served by lady club members.

After lunch, four yachts representing Campbeltown and five from Cushendall mustered for the traditional race between the two clubs. Just after 2pm race officer Ray Mitchell sounded the starting hooter to send the boats on their way.

The first leg to the Otterard buoy in benign weather conditions was largely uneventful, the faster boats pulling away from their slower rivals in a light following breeze. All boats rounded the mark successfully and commenced the beat back towards the entrance to Campbeltown Loch.

Suddenly and without warning, the weather deteriorated dramatically and squally conditions made life difficult for the boat crews with wind speeds gusting to 30 knots.

Advantage

Race positions changed as some yachts gained an advantage from the wind while others struggled to master the conditions and fell behind the fleet.

When the squall had passed, conditions eased as the boats tacked up the loch to the finishing line. The results on corrected time after race handicaps were taken into account were as follows: 1 Carna, Campbeltown, skipper Alastair Cousin; 2. Ce na Ri, Cushendall, skipper Noel McKinlay; 3 Toome Raider, Cushendall, skipper Martin McCann.

In the evening, crews met in the clubhouse and enjoyed an excellent cold buffet supplied by Argyll Bakeries.

Commodore Alastair Cousin welcomed the visitors and, in return, Joe McCollam, commodore of Cushendall, responded by thanking the members of the Campbeltown club for their friendship and hospitality. The link between the clubs has been ongoing for more than 40 years and the visit to Campbeltown was the highlight of their social calendar.

After the day’s results had been announced by race officer Ray Mitchell, he handed over to Joe McCollam who reminded everyone of the results of the Cushendall race three weeks previously.

It was then left to Alastair Cousin to announce the combined results of the two events.

Team trophy

The best individual boat and the winner of the North Channel Trophy was Silver Lining from Cushendall, skippered by Richard Torrie, and the team trophy was won by Cushendall Sailing and Boating Club.

Formalities over, members of both clubs enjoyed the remainder of the evening with music played by Alex McAllister and David Robertson.