Testing conditions for Oban Dinghy Regatta

STRONG winds featured in this year’s Oban Sailing Club dinghy regatta held recently.

The six race series started with the Saturday afternoon seeing the toughest of the conditions as winds gusted up to 30mph. It was to prove too windy for some competitors who retired or chose to wait out the worst of the weather before deciding to take to the water.

In the Slow class, Freddie White was the sole finisher in his Topper in both races while in the Fast class, the two Lasers of John Forbes and Andrew Chapman took to the water, with Andrew edging out John to take the win in both races.

The Sunday saw slightly lower and now consistent wind speeds, with the numbers, bolstered by the ideal conditions, increasing to fifteen boats spread between the two classes.

With a mixture of single and double-handed entries, this led to some congested and ‘interesting’ starts. In the Slow class, Ewan Shearer, sailing a club Laser Pico, made the best of the conditions, taking three firsts and a second, while Freddie White continued his run of good form with one first and three second places, the rest of the fleet battling hard behind with four different competitors taking third place in each of the four races.

In the Fast class, John Forbes made the most of the morning races taking the first two races ahead of Andrew Chapman, fol- lowed by Jamie Peden and Anja Powell in an RS Feva. Andrew took the next race before John evened the score in the final race of the day.

The variable and testing conditions over the weekend added to the sense of fun and achievement and all joined in for the barbeque lunch and socialising after racing.

Overall, Freddie White took the Regatta Slow Class victory and the OSC Challenge Cup ahead of Ewan Shearer. Behind them the closely-fought battle for third place between Ruby Howard and Liam Orr, both sailing club Laser Picos, ended with Liam ahead by just one point.

In the Fast class, it was nip and tuck all the way between John Forbes and Andrew Chapman, both finishing the series on seven points, with three race wins apiece.

With the tie-breaker being the winner of the final race, John Forbes took the class overall and the Western Ferries Shield, ahead of Andrew Chapman in second, and Jamie Peden and Anja Powell in third.

Results: Novice Endeavour Archie White

Fast Class - 1 Payback, John Forbes; 2 Zzaapp, Andrew Chapman; 3 Feva 693, Jamie Peden and Anja Powell

Slow Class - 1 Red Rocket, Freddie White; 2 Pico 35, Ewan Shearer; 3 Pico 34, Liam Orr.

-