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GJW Direct 2024 Dinghy

Scottish Optimist Travellers at Prestwick sailing Club

by Ditta Neumann 20 Sep 2011 13:25 BST 17-18 September 2011
Scottish Optimist Travellers at Prestwick © Alan Henderson / www.fotoboat.com

Following in the torrential rains of Hurricane Katrina, 28 Oppies from all over Scotland headed towards Prestwick sailing club for the seventh and final Scottish traveller of 2011. Everyone arrived to find a stiff SW breeze had whipping up a substantial swell near the beach. The 14 main fleet sailors joined the big boys and girls out on a large course, while 14 regatta optimists stuck on a smaller course closer to shore.

On Saturday, sailors experienced uncomfortable sharp and choppy waves with more wind further out to sea (F4-5).

Rachel Mawer led in the main fleet, winning 5 out of 6 races. At some point the entire fleet was lost at sea as the visibility dropped drastically as more rain showers arrived.

In the regatta fleet, Lewis Forbes, Calum Cook, David Rosie and Grace Laverty battled it out for the medal positions, while the back of the fleet was fighting just to stay afloat. Conditions proved too much for the six least experienced sailors who retired after the first race.

Sunday could not have felt more different. Sailors awoke to glorious sunshine, little to no wind and small wavelets lapping against a gloriously sandy beach. Sandy Simpson, during his first outing with the main fleet, showed his light wind skills by coming third in the first race, before slipping once more down the field as he struggled in increasing wind conditions. There course had to be reset for race 2 as the wind had backed to the NW and increasing to F4+.

In the regatta fleet racing once again saw close racing with Lewis Forbes winning one race and Callum Cook winning two. The lighter end of the fleet again struggled to cope as the wind freshened up.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoHelmClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
Main Fleet
1st6105Rachel MawerCCC/lLargs1-211115
2nd5878Nico VettaAnnandale SC-63223414
3rd5807Rory RoseAberdeen and Stonehaven-81882221
4th5945Iain SwordLoch Tummel SC563-75322
5th5159Fiona MacKayToward SC4444-7723
6th5916Rebecca BryantAnnandale SC397-124629
7th6060Rory HarperLoch Lomond SC77568-1033
8th6006Chris CrockettLoch Lomond SC28610-13935
9th5961Finn MitchellAnnandale SC1059-1312541
10th6005Harris CartwrightLoch Lomond SC11-1311561144
11th6073Sandy SimpsonAnnandale SC12101339-1447
12th5305Isla HarperLoch Lomond(DNS)1110911849
13th5918Anna ProtheroeLoch Lomond SC9-121211101254
14th5977Stuart BeattieLoch Lomond SC(DNS)DNSDNS14DNF1372
Regatta Fleet
1st5726Lewis ForbesLoch Lomond SC31231-410
2nd5287Calum CookNairn Sailing Club-42314111
3rd5413David RosieHelensburgh SC231-52513
4th5781Grace LavertyHelensburgh SC1-4443214
5th6062Rebecca ColesAnnandale SC5552-6320
6th5254Scott ForbesLoch Lomond SC776.575-932.5
7th5988Anna SturrockLoch Tummel SC-106967634
8th6068Finn AitkenHelensburgh SC688-109839
9th4613Catriona WarburtonLoch Venachar8(DNS)DNS88DNF54
10th5496Cameron AuldPrestwick9(DNS)DNS911DNF59
11th5743James ForsythHelensburgh SC(DNS)DNSDNSDNF10762
12th2Cameron McIntyrePrestwick(DNS)DNF6.5DNFDNSDNS66.5
13th4720Jamie WarburtonLoch Venachar(DNS)DNSDNS1112DNF68
14th1Thomas BeardPrestwick11(DNS)DNSDNFDNSDNS71

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