Ceilidh Cup / Scottish Student Sailing Match Racing Championship - Preview
by Craig Macdonald 6 Oct 2016 12:36 BST
8-9 October 2016
Ceilidh Cup 2015 © Neill Ross /
www.neillrossphoto.co.uk
Scottish Match Racers contend for the Ceilidh Cup,
together with Scottish Student Sailing Championship
This weekend marks the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club's Annual Ceilidh Cup match racing event, held in the waters of the Clyde near to Rhu, Helensburgh in Scotland. The Ceilidh Cup is Scotland's only match racing event, where competitors face each other in a round robin of one-on-one races in the club's identical Sonar yachts, with 4 or 5 persons per boat.
The Ceilidh Cup is held in association with Scottish Student Sailing (SSS), and, therefore, welcomes eligible University teams to compete for the SSS prize. Indeed, the Ceilidh Cup is first competitive competition in the SSS calendar and offers teams opportunities to trial new helms and crews in different positions. With the event forming part of the RYA National Match Racing Series, the winner automatically qualifies for the finals to be held in Weymouth on 18 – 20 November.
This year, the Ceilidh Cup was over-subscribed, so competition was hot for the nine selected teams, which ensured representation from all interested Scottish universities, as well as two non-SSS entrants. Notably, among them defending champion Nicole McPherson has relinquished her helming role on the RNCYC team in favour of Mark Greenhalgh. Among the university competitors, Joe Penhaul Smith is helming the University of Highland & Islands first competitive entry to an SSS event;
Strathclyde University will be hoping to capitalise on their two entries, helmed by Peter Cameron and Ewan Rycroft. Alex Ekstrom marks a return to academia by turning out as helm for Edinburgh University rather than his alma mater, St Andrews University. Indeed, St Andrews are introducing experienced Hungarian Nacra 17 sailor Balázs Gecse to match racing this weekend. The remaining entrants represent Aberdeen University, Glasgow University and St Mary's Loch Sailing Club, helmed by Thomas Jaysakara, Louis Sisk and Ali Morrish respectively.
On the race course, international chief umpire John Doerr, fresh from the Paralympics in Rio, and his team of umpires will be keeping the competitors in check. Meanwhile, with light winds forecast for the weekend, RNCYC will be hoping that the breeze holds in order to undertake the planned 45 races can be undertaken.
The entrants list is:
- Peter Cameron (Strathclyde Univ SC/BLUE)
- Alex Carter (St Andrews Univ SC)
- Alex Ekstrom (Edinburgh Univ SC)
- Thomas Jaysakara (Aberdeen Univ SC)
- Mark Greenhalgh (RNCYC)
- Ali Morrish (St Mary's Loch SC)
- Ewan Rycroft (Strathclyde Univ SC/RED)
- Louis Sisk (Glasgow Univ SC)
- Joseph Karl Penhaul Smith (Univ of Highland & Islands W&WC)