Stromness Sailing

 

This report covers the racing held at Stromness SC on Sundays, 25 September and 2 October. On both afternoons the wind was from the south/southeast and the first races used marks 7, 2, 6 and 1 and the second races used marks 7, 3, 6 and 1.

 

On 25 September, only two Snipes took part in the Silver Snipe races; Go Faster Blue (Thorfinn Johnston and Pete Tipler) and Bonxie (James Burgon and Aidan Morrison). The first race was over two laps and it was Bonxie that came through to win. The second race was over three laps and this time it was junior helm, Thorfinn Johnston that brought Go Faster Blue through to win, although there were some hairy moments as the boat nearly capsized on the approach to the finish line.  Nathan Omand and Ed Johnstone sailed the Pico over the same course but were not in the race.

 

On 2 October, there were again just two Snipes on the water; Kontiki (Neil and Glen Foubister) and Go Quickly Red (Malcolm Tipler and Donnie Hall). Both races were over three laps and there were some very close battles between the boats. 

 

In the first race, Kontiki had led for some of the race but was overtaken by Go Quickly Red but then at the final mark of the course, Kontiki came through and went on to win.  Determined to make amends for losing out in the first race, Go Quickly Red attempted a flying start but was over the line when the starting signal sounded for the second race and had to return and round the end of the start gate to restart, giving Kontiki a good advantage. Go Quickly Red clawed back the lead by the end of the second lap and then held on to win the race.

 

Three junior sailors, Griogair and Aidan Morrison and Eilidh Leiper, had separate races in three of the club Toppers, while three of the other juniors were off competing in a junior intercounty training and sailing event in Shetland. 

 

In the first race, Eilidh made a good start, followed by Griogair, but Aidan got stuck in irons before crossing the start line and it was a while before she managed to get going in the race. Meanwhile, Griogair had forgotten to put the bung in his Topper before leaving shore so the hull filled with water, perhaps contributing to his capsize on the leg from 7 to 2. He had to return to shore to empty the boat and put in the missing bung while Eilidh went on to win the race with Aidan second. Another lesson learned!  

 

In the second race, it was Griogair who took the lead and went on to win. For most of the race it seemed that Aidan was going to take second place but then she was overtaken by Eilidh just before the finish line.

 

Thanks to Malcolm Tipler and Chris Moore for manning the support boat on 25 September and to James Burgon and Finley Hall for doing the honours on 2 October. Isobel Tipler was the starter on both dates.

 

The final races of the Silver Snipe series are due to take place on Sunday, 9 October, weather permitting. 

 

 

 

Isobel Tipler

 

 

 

4 october 2011