RYA Scotland Champion of Champions Trophy at Loch Tummel - Day 1

Steven McIntyre and Nathan Forester soak downwind in their RS800 on day one of the RYA Scotland Champion of Champions Trophy at Loch Tummel © Matt Toynbee

Tight battles all the way down the fleet as the Ewan Wilson and Peter Owen in RS Teras fight for position at the bottom mark on day one of the RYA Scotland Champion of Champions Trophy at Loch Tummel © Matt Toynbee

In spite of an uninspiring forecast, twenty-one boats from across Scotland assembled for the 2013 RYA Scotland Champion of Champions Trophy. With boats ranging from RS Teras to Solos and National 18s it was always going to be a battle of wits in the light and shifty conditions. Launching through the drizzle the mix of boats made an impressive sight spread across the loch from the towering rigs of the National 18s to the Tera's with their brightly coloured sails darting around the other boats.

With light winds forecast for the weekend and particularly light winds expected on the Sunday the Race Officer signalled his intention at the briefing to aim for four races on the Saturday. Unfortunately the fleet had other ideas initially with two general recalls for the first race before they finally made a clear start on the third attempt to begin the battle through the lulls to the top mark. Stuart Urquhart and Martin Cruden's National 18s together with Alan Henderson's Ospray made the early running on the windward-leeward course but with a wide range of handicaps across the fleet all was not yet clear how the results would pan out.

For the second race the breeze had strengthened a little to give great racing conditions, and a clear start saw the fleet straight into the action with the majority favouring the port end of the line. Those forced to tack off early ran had to dodge the lulls in the lee of the headland with a left shift further favouring those on the left during the first part of the race.

After a short break ashore the fleet launched again mid-afternoon aiming to complete two further races and a good breeze awaited the fleet as they made their way to the starting area. Indeed the breeze stayed in until the very end of the fourth race, just dying out as the slower boats completed the last few legs of the course.

A fifth race tomorrow would bring with it a discard so all is still very much to play for as all the sailors and volunteers tuck into dinner hosted by the club.

Results after Day 1:

The fleet work their way across the loch in the first race of the day of the RYA Scotland Champion of Champions Trophy at Loch Tummel - photo © Matt Toynbee