Scottish Schools Championship at Loch Earn Sailing Club

The Topper fleet during the Brown Cup 2009 Scottish Schools Championship on Loch Earn © Alan Forsyth

Loch Earn Sailing Club celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Brown Cup on Monday the 15th of June. 59 boats turned up for this annual Schools Championships hosted by LESC since 1959.

Dr Kinloch very kindly provided sponsorship for this year's event, providing commemorative 50th anniversary medals, rash vests, t-shirts for all the competitors and helpers plus some fantastic prizes for the winners.

Thanks must also go to Musto, gforce sailing, RYA Scotland, Laser Scotland & www.goape.co.uk, who supported the event and helped Loch Earn Sailing Club to celebrate the 50th anniversary in style.

The event was split into two classes; the Toppers and a General Handicap class, competing in 3 races throughout the day. The Brown Cup Schools Championship goes to the best team of 3 boats.

Conditions were near perfect for the event with a light easterly for race 1 building to a steady easterly force 2-3 for the afternoon races. 28 Schools were represented this year with 9 schools providing at least one team of three boats.

The idea of widening the sailing competition beyond club membership to local schools was the idea of Jack Brown, who was the Commodore of Loch Earn Sailing Club from 1960 to 1962. He put up the Brown Cup for annual competition in 1959. Thus the Club began hosting a June regatta, specifically for sailors still at school. We were delighted that Jack's son Graham was able to attend this year, joining Dr Kinloch to present the prizes.

Overall Results:

Toppers (39 helms)
1st Alexander Still, Topper 43581 (Gourock High School)
2nd Emily Robertson, Topper 45772 (Mary Erskine)
3rd Calum Tait, Topper 45726 (Mackie Academy)
4th Aaron Murray, Topper 44782 (Commercial Primary)
5th Emma Palmer, Topper 46363 (St Georges School for Girls)
6th Callum MacIver, Topper 44359 (Fortrose Academy)

Handicap (16 Laser Radials, 2 Oppies, 1 RS800 & 1 Feva)
1st Jack Evans, Laser Radial 185610 (Fortrose Academy)
2nd Lorenzo Chiavarini, Laser radial 189068 (Lomond School)
3rd Ross Carmichael, Laser Radial 184295 (Wallace Hall Academy)
4th Sean Tait, Laser Radial 192992 (Mackie Academy)
5th Andrew Chapman, Laser Radial 176706 (Oban High School)
6th Katie Milford, Laser Radial 184324 (Blairgowrie High School)

1st Primary School Competitor
Aaron Murray Commercial Primary

Brown Cup Scottish School Champions 2009
1st Lomond School, 17 points
2nd Mackie Academy, 20 points
3rd Hermitage Academy, 31 points
4th Fortrose Academy, 35 points (on countback)
5th Oban High School, 35 points
6th Blairgowrie High School, 36 points