Accomplished victory for Laura (12)

Published 28 Aug 2009 11:13

Sailing

The Gareloch One Design ladies' race took place on the Gareloch last week.

Race officer Luke Dicken set a course with a beat across the Loch to D, north of Clynder.

Athene (Laura Jackson) set her stamp on this with Hermes (Carol Rowe) not far behind.

Thalia (Francoise Proctor), Catriona (Jennifer Darley) and Zoe (Jean Mackay) arrived at D close together.

Iris (Elizabeth Henderson) had gone up the wrong side of the loch on the beat and together with Ceres (Margaret Isaacs) was not in the points.

Off wind across the loch to G, Thalia did not set a spinnaker, while Zoe gave a fine display of vexillology.

The usual skippers are rarely good on the foredeck. Catriona got on terms with Hermes and crept ahead with a better gybe at G. In a spinnaker duel towards the line, Zoe got past Hermes as well. Athene was still comfortably ahead, though.

The second round began with the boats hardening up for a fetch to A, among the club moorings. Athene went for the wrong mark to begin with.

That and the vagaries of the wind brought Catriona up. For the second beat to D, the two went towards the Clynder shore.

Catriona was a few boat lengths further in and seemed to catch lifts which eluded Athene. Catriona had the lead at D. Thalia, meanwhile, went closer still to the Clynder shore. She looked strong for a moment but found no wind there.

Off wind to the finish Catriona was comfortable until wind died near the line. Athene had found a line of pressure and looked dangerous.

She too found the hole. Some defensive sailing from Catriona kept her at bay. In all the concentration, the leaders lost sight of the time limit, which had expired.

Results were taken at the end of the first round, with an accomplished victory for 12 year-old Laura Jackson. Catriona was second and Zoe third. So it would have ended except that the dates of the

ladies' race and cadets' race had been changed.

Your correspondent was remiss in not posting the change on the club notice board, as is required by the sailing instructions.

The organising authority, The Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club, cancelled the race.

Catriona handled the terrible conditions on the Loch on Sunday, beating Iris and Hermes at the finish line.

Catriona was keen to reverse her recent lack of form but she was single-handed so that seemed unlikely. On the water race officer Gordon Mucklow set a course with a beat to A, a run up the loch to D, north of Clynder and a beat back. Wind was strong now. Iris and Catriona were both early for the favoured pin end of the line.

Catriona should have had the advantage, but she hardened up poorly and Iris was able to cross and so be first at A. No one set a spinnaker, which turned out to be the correct decision. Wind strengthened more. Near to D, boats were on the cusp of broaching with only two sails. After she had rounded D, Iris had to concentrate on surviving. Her crew are well practised in the art of bailing. Hermes thought better of it and turned for home.

In the bar afterwards, there was talk of Force 7 and how much we had enjoyed it. The final results were: 1 Iris, 2 Catriona, Hermes DNF.

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