British Soling Nationals at the Royal Forth Yacht Club

Action from the British Soling Nationals at Edinburgh © Duncan Hall / www.hallmarineimages.com

The Soling Nationals were held at the Royal Forth Yacht Club on July 21st-23rd. The sleek keelboats were craned in, having travelled from Scotland, England and Wales. One team – the World and European Champions Roman Koch and crew – flew in from Germany bringing their own new sails to use on Hamish Loudon’s Romance.

There are some regattas where things come together to produce a really enjoyable event: the venue, the weather, the race organisation and the good fellowship after sailing. This was such an event.

The first day saw GBR 170 Foxy Cockatoo winning all three windward/leeward races on the Forth in sparking sunshine and interesting, shifty westerlies. This team of Bryan Bottomley, Mike and Ron Preston has led the British Soling fleet for some years, and it was good to see them back in action after Bryan had taken time off to get his knee replaced. The Welsh boat GBR 171 Seven was not far behind with two 2nd places. Owner Mark Fisher has been an anchorman for Solings in Wales for the past two years and he sailed consistently fast throughout the three days of racing.

Day two dawned murky with sea mist lying across the firth. This cloud burned off as the fleet left the harbour and racing started in light easterlies with the hope that the sun would draw in more easterly sea breeze. Now the racing hotted up: Seven won a race, as did GBR 160 from Blackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club, sailed by Nick Holt. Long standing Scottish sailor Hamish Loudon also won in GBR 161 Solaris. The weather, however, did not hot up. The fog drifted back in and the third race was sailed in impenetrable murk with the fleet using compasses less for tactics and more to stop themselves getting lost. Not only were both shores of the Forth invisible; both windward and leeward marks vanished into the grey and towards the end the last boats going up the beat peered anxiously into the smoky mist hoping to see the leaders coming back down the run – at least that would give us some idea of where the mark might be found.

Day three brought no such problems: a 10-13 knot westerly and a clear day. Hamish Loudon and Mike Preston both won a race; the German champions continued with their consistent thirds. The results were that Mike Preston’s team won overall with Mark Fisher second. Roman Koch won the Classic Boat trophy for the best Soling over twenty years old with his third place overall; and Hamish Loudon was the Masters’ Champion in fourth.

The Edinburgh Nationals were one of the happiest regattas for some years; next year’s Nationals will also be in the north, at the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club, Blyth. See www.britishsolings.org.uk

Overall Results: