Enterprise Scottish Championship & UK Masters Championship at St Mary's Loch Sailing Club

Ges Brown & Julie Moore crossing the Race 5 finish line ahead Of Tim Sadler & Clarissa and Charles Morrish & Luke Hartshorn during the Enterprise Scottish Championship & UK Masters Championship at St Mary's Loch © Katie Masterton

Sponsored by Noble Marine and HD Sails

The fleet had gathered at St Mary's Loch in the Scottish Borders and waited patiently for the wind. The forecast was not promising but eventually it came, light and from the north, while the clouds were drifting from the south - it shouldn't hold, but it did!

Saturday: Course: Windward/Leeward; wind: Northerly F1/2

Race 1: Ges Brown & Julie Moore read the conditions perfectly picking all the shifts to lead the fleet and take the gun. Behind them Tim Sadler & super light local novice crew, Clarissa, though not quite as quick, were beyond the reach of others in the fleet. They were followed by Morven Dunn crewed by dad Euan coming in, a creditable, third, with Philip & Rosie Wilson fourth.

Race 2 starts in the grandeur of the Scottish Borders during the Enterprise Scottish Championship & UK Masters Championship at St Mary's Loch - photo © Lisa Griffin

Race 2: Again Ges & Julie showed the way with a minor panic metres from the finish when they sailed into a hole. Tim & Clarissa were closing ominously but the breeze returned just in time for Ges & Julie to take a second win. Behind these two there was much entertainment on the final beat as Charles Morrish & Luke Hartshorn battled with Keith Milroy & Claire Watson for third place. After rounding the leeward mark Charles & Luke tacked off to clear their wind; the roll tack was a little extreme and it turned into an elegant capsize accompanied by cheers from the rest of the fleet! Needless to say Keith & Claire sailed on serenely to take third place with Morven & Euan in fourth.

Fun and games at the leeward mark during Race 2 of the Enterprise Scottish Championship & UK Masters Championship at St Mary's Loch - photo © Lisa Griffin

The fleet then returned to shore to enjoy the bar, a hog roast, and a rumbustious Ceilidh, with some competitors not reaching their beds until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Sunday: Again there was a wait for the wind to fill in, this time it came as forecast from the south, though stronger than predicted.

Course: Windward/Leeward; Wind: Southerly F3

Race 3: A one sided right hand beat meant whoever won the start would be well placed for the race overall. Nigel Orkney & Sam Jones arrived at the windward mark just inside Charles & Luke. Nigel then turned immediately downwind, missing the spacer mark, sporting shouts got him back on track in second place but it was all to no avail as he had been OCS at the start. Charles & Luke were never headed with Ges & Julie taking second place, Tim & Clarissa third and Morven & Dad with another creditable fourth.

Race 4: The course was reset to account for the previous starboard hand bias. Charles & Luke again got away well at the start and were first to the windward mark. Pulling away from the rest of the fleet particularly on the upwind legs. Behind them Keith & Claire took second ahead of Tim & Clarissa with Nigel & Sam coming through to fourth.

Race 5: Any one of three boats could still win the event, but Ges & Julie were best placed unless they had a serious mishap. Charles & Luke again lined up next to the committee boat, got stuck in irons and were going backwards fast as the gun went. They crossed the line a full minute after the fleet had departed. Ahead things were interesting. Ges & Julie got to the windward mark first closely followed by local sailors Dan Swaffield & Duncan Willoughby. On the downwind leg the fleet stacked up behind Ges as he went high to protect his wind. Meantime Dan had gone low and reached the leeward mark just head of Ges and the rest of the fleet. A slow rounding with many boats having to give room to others enabled Charles & Luke to close the gap. At the top of the course Ges had regained the lead with Tim in second; behind them Dan & Duncan had slipped to fifth with Keith & Claire third and Charles & Luke fourth. By the leeward mark Charles & Luke had pulled through to third while Ges and Tim were tacking it out to the finish. Ges held on by half a boat length with Charles & Luke coming in just a couple of boat lengths further back and Keith & Claire in fourth. Those, perhaps appropriately, were the final positions for the event overall.

Congratulations to Ges Brown & Julie Moore on deservedly becoming Enterprise Scottish National and UK Masters champions!

Congratulations also to James Holdaway on winning the draw for a jib provided by HD Sails and financed by Noble Marine.

An excellent event run by all at St Mary's and a great weekend's racing expertly managed by PRO Andrew Hewitt.

Overall Results: