RC35 Makars Gourmet Mash Bar 2018 Championship concludes

by Robin Young 19 Nov 2018 06:30 GMT

Animal wins the RC35 Makars Gourmet Mash Bar 2018 Championship © Jack Aitken

The GSS North Clyde Regatta in September brought the RC35 Makars Gourmet Mash Bar 2018 Championship to an exciting end. Consisting of 8 events from May to September with 6 to count.

The class competed for the Championship from the early season stalwarts of Kip Regatta and Scottish Series, going away from home for the inaugural Bangor Town Regatta and a new stand alone RC35 Scottish Championships in Rothesay, to Largs Regatta Festival and GSS at the end of the season.

Animal held a 1 point advantage over Banshee going into the final event after another consistent and hard fought year from both the teams. The mid fleet was equally close in this exciting class of 14 boats with 6 points covering 4th to 9th so plenty of bragging rights still up for grabs up and down the fleet.

The regatta was finely poised going into the final day with the main players all in contention. Sunday arrived with a solid 20 to 25 knots on the race course, it was going to be an exciting day. Jacob VII continued their solid performance with a well deserved victory in the only race on Sunday. Banshee missed out on the third place needed for the event win by only 3 seconds which meant Jacob secured their first regatta win and Banshee was second with Animal third. This left the Championship on equal points for first place and a countback was required. Animal took the overall victory with two event wins to Banshee's one.

What a great advert for this class to have the Championship going down to the final event, nay the final race, nay possibly the final gybe or tack. No season is complete without a prize giving and party. Everybody who was at the Makars Gourmet Mash Bar in Edinburgh, class sponsor, will agreed it was a fantastic end to a fantastic season. Well over a hundred owners, crew and friends turned out to cheer on Debbie Aitken (RNCYC) of Animal picking up the overall Championship win and David Kelly (HYC) of Storm picking up the Celtic Cup.

Storm wins the Celtic Cup - photo © Jack Aitken

Storm collected the inaugural Celtic Cup (a four event Championship in three countries) with a solid early season performance including two victories and a second place at Kip, Scottish Series and Bangor Town Regatta. It is a great achievement for this new class to be able to organise and execute an international regatta series in only their second year of existence. This is thanks in no small measure to the dedicated committee of Kevin Aitken, Craig Latimer, Christine Murray and John Stamp.

The class looks set to go from strength to strength is 2019 with multiple new boats looking to join the class in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Another exciting programme has been agreed with Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta and Welsh IRC Regatta again bringing an international flavour to this Scottish based class. The committee have hinted at there being close to 20 members for next season, so come and join the fun.

None of this would have been possible without the generosity of the class sponsors, Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, Luddon Construction, Helly Hansen, North Sails, Marlow Ropes, Harken, Silvers, Mast and Rigging Services and Great Harbour Yachts.

Congratulations to Debbie and David and here's to a great 2019.