Lack of wind delays racing
COMPETITORS in this year’s West Highland Yachting Week (WHYW) fleet had to contend with a three-hour delay to racing on day two of the five- day points series that runs until tomorrow (Friday).
After a wait off Craobh for wind, the joint regatta committee took the fleet north to start off Easdale for the Owen Sails-sponsored Craobh to Oban race. The Tunnock’s fleet flew kites in the light breeze past the turning mark carrying them right to the leeward mark before a short fetch finish. It was an excellent race for the Contessa 25 Popcorn of the Fyfe family from Lochaber, which took line honours as well as the Class 8 win by four minutes.
Boyd Tunnock CBE made it a double with his Lemerac team when he lifted the silverware in Class 5 from Sea Pie of Cultra and the BB 10 Vaila with only 27 seconds between the three yachts. In Class 1, Beppo Buchanan Smith’s Enigma took the win from Jack Aitken’s Animal with Carmen II in third.
The Chalmers on their Sigma 400 Sunrise took a strong lead to win Class 2 by nine minutes on corrected time with Alistair Torbet’s Spirit of May second. And WHYW stalwart Donald MacLaren and family took a podium lead in Class 4 on Sigmatic by less than a minute from Busy Beaver, with Oban boat Ajax third.
David Cooper’s Dehler 34 Suilven from Glencoe Boat Club and helmed by Twig Olsen won restricted sail Class 6 from Campbeltown’s Judy Orr in Eureka. Class 1: 1 Enigma; 2 Animal; 3 Carmen. Class 2: 1 Sunrise; 2 Spirit of May; 3 Thornoxon. Class 4: 1 Sigmatic; 2 Busy Beaver; 3 Ajax. Class 5: 1 Lemerac; 2 Sea Pie of Cultra; 3 Vaila 1st and third 27 secs. Class 6: 1 Suilven; 2 Eureka; 3 Reever. Class 7: 1 Cool Bandit; 2 Piecemaker; 3 Ce Na Ri. Class 8: 1 Popcorn; 2 Hot Toddy; 3 Oystercatcher. Full results on www.whyw.co.uk. www.facebook.com/WestHighlandYachtingWeek.
West Highland Yachting Week 2016 is sponsored and supported by Tunnock’s, Argyll and Bute Council, Tobermory Harbour Association, MalinWaters, Owen Sails, GaelForce Marine Equipment, Dunstaffnage Marina and West Coast Motors.