JP Watersports RS200 Scottish Tour at Port Edgar Yacht Club

Grey skies and drizzle greeted the RS200s at the second Training & Traveller event of the year at JP Watersports training centre at Port Edgar on 10th May. Fortunately things brightened up before the boats headed out and the fleet got two good sessions in, with a steady force 2 blowing down the Fourth. After the hard work done at Fisherrow on starting practice, the fleet concentrated on boat speed upwind working in groups on upwind runs. Downwind the fleet concentrated on "soaking" to the leeward mark.

Sunday and the boats from Saturday were joined by a few more making a total of 10 for the traveller event. Conditions were somewhat different to Saturday with the 200s sailing over in Inverkeithing Bay along with the 400s and handicap fleets. They were greeted by a rather gusty and shifty Northerly and with lots of opportunities to get stuck the wrong side of a shift or in a big hole sailing conditions were pretty tricky.

After a short delay whilst the race officer attempted to predict what the wind was going to do race one got away cleanly and Bess Homer/Kirsty Higgins showed early pace to lead round the windward mark followed by Ronnie Miller (with Tor back in the front of the boat, having left baby Georgie at home with Granny). Fiona Rigg was third having convinced husband Paul to stand in at the last minute after her usual crew Ashly Martin tried to slice off her thumb (an occupational hazard of being a hairdresser!)

Some good pace downwind allowed Team Rigg to sneak into the lead by the leeward mark which they held to the finish. On the final run Team Miller managed to find one of the many black holes that were around and got sucked backwards down the fleet whilst Stuart and Kirsty Teasdale zoomed through to take second with Bess/Kirsty in third.

Race two and the pin end was the place to be, with the gust factor increasing staying in the breeze downwind was critical. By the final run Bess/Kirstie and Team Rigg had managed to pull out a small lead from the rest of the fleet. Team Rigg just managed to take the lead at the final leeward mark and hold it to the finish. Bess/Kirstie held onto a clear second with the Teasdales in third.

The wind continued to clock right and after the course had been re-laid for the third time the fleet got away for the third race. A very starboard biased line led to a big bunch at the committee boat - Bess/Kirstie and Chris Perry/Kirstie Lytton were a little too eager resulting in an individual recall. This left the path clear for Team Rigg from the second row to hit the right and lead round the first windward mark and a more consistent breeze allowed them to sail away from the pack. Chris/Kirsty had their best race of the day to finish second and Allan/Amy Lennox followed their fellow ASYC'ers in to third.

With three wins under their belts Paul called time and Team Rigg headed home. A few other boats also decided that was enough and headed back to shore. The Teasdales managed to take advantage of there being less boats around to win the final race giving them second overall. The ASYC boats of Allan/Amy and Chris/Kirsty swapped places from race three to finish second and third respectively and Bess/Kirsty's fourth was enough to give them third in the event.

The fleet then headed home with tired brains to match their tired limbs.

After two events Fiona Rigg leads the series with two wins. Ronnie Miller and Stuart Teasdale occupy second and third, both currently on eight points.

Thanks must go to Port Edgar for putting on a great event and most importantly to JP Watersports for providing sponsorship and a demo boat for the fleet.

Next stop a two day racing extravaganza at East Lothian Yacht Club on 7/8 June. With the back drop of the Bass Rock, great hospitality, dancing, and the title of Scottish Champions to race for what could possibly keep you away! Online entry is now open and with the regatta likely to hit the 140 boat limit I recommend you get your entry in soon - see you there!

Overall Results: