East Lothian Yacht Club Annual Open Regatta
by Derek Braid 5 Jun 2017 22:18 BST
3-4 June 2017
RS400s competing on the east course, with the iconic Berwick Law in the background at the East Lothian YC Regatta © Derek Braid
East Lothian Yacht Club, based in North Berwick, held their annual open regatta on the weekend 3rd & 4th June 2017. A total of 72 sailing dinghies took part, with 54 visiting boats and 18 from the home club. The visiting boats were from all parts of Scotland and the North of England.
There were 9 classes of dinghy competing, and the weather was fine with good steady breezes. There were two courses, with the single handed boats competing on the west course between The Lamb and Craigleith. The double handed high performance boats competed on the east course located between the Bass Rock and Craigleith.
The race officers had a nervous and testing time on Saturday, as the mist and haar threatened to stop sailing before it had started, but fortunately the bank of fog stayed north of the shore, and the boats were released from the shore. However, thunder storms on Saturday afternoon curtailed racing for the day, when the race officers directed boats back to shore. Fortunately, Sunday brought ideal sailing conditions to allow all classes to complete 6 races over the weekend.
Class Winners:
- RS400 class - Stewart and Sarah Robertson from Royal Forth Yacht Club
- RS200 class – Rory Rose and Michael O'Donovan from Aberdeen & Stonehaven Yacht Club
- 2000 class – George Thomson and Cara Coe from West Lothian Sailing Club
- General Handicap – Stephen Parry & Jens Kuhn from York RI sailing their GP14
- Laser class – Iain McLaughlan from Largs Sailing Club
- Laser Radial class – Harris Cartwright from Clyde Cruising Club
- Phantom class – Martin Knott from Ribble Sailing Club
- Streaker class – Isaac Marsh from Dovestone Sailing Club
- RS Aero class - Iain McGonigal from East Lothian Yacht Club