Scottish Optimist Travellers at Clyde Cruising Club Bardowie
by Alec Logan, IOCA Scotland 14 Apr 2010 13:10 PDT
10-11 April 2010
IOCA Scotland – An Apology
Well, we’d promised 100 Scottish Oppies by Easter, and we’re a week late. Sorry. But new boats at Strathclyde Park, Helensburgh, and Loch Lomond in the last week. The 100 is up! What number by Easter 2011?
30 Scottish Oppies turned up this weekend at CCC Dinghy Section Bardowie Loch, just north of Glasgow, in the shadow of the Campsie Hills, for the first in what will be a ground-breaking Scottish Traveller series. Light wind, glorious sunshine.
Three races completed on Saturday. Nip and tuck, silly wind shifts. Patience and head-out-boat paid. Jamie Calder, warming up for the Selections, went 1/1/2. Jack Gillespie in lovely new boat second, Rachel Mawer third.
Regatta Fleet stunning, and won by Rory Harper, chased home by Rebecca Bryant and Finn Mitchell. What strength in depth we now have! – Loch Tummel, Largs SC, CCC, Loch Lomond SC, and Annandale.
Special mention for Coach Prizes: Boo and Chloe for racing Oppies for the first time and coping with strange conditions, and Sandy from Annandale who is a brilliant 8 year old. (Are you hearing us clearly in Lerwick? Want to bring Scottish-Scandanavian Oppie event to Shetland in 2011…)
Jamie, first winner’s speech of the season, pressed the right buttons. All best to him and Callum Airlie and Ali Gray for the UK Oppie Selections starting at Weymouth weekend coming.
Next up – Trav 2, shared with Topper chums, Annandale Sailing Club, APR 24-25. Camp in a field with Vetta horses, or book a Travel Lodge. The choice is yours!
Coaching de-brief at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttrcV3moeoU and www.youtube.com/watch?v=U49nIeSx0BI&feature=youtube_gdata
IOCA Scotland would like to thank CCC Bardowie for organising Traveller 1, and especially Race Officers and the amazing diner effort. Thanks also to our regatta fleet race coaches this weekend, Robert Gibson and Dean Gillespie. For prizes and general support, thanks to Scottish Oppie sponsor JP Watersports.
Overall Results:
Main Fleet
1st Jamie Calder (Loch Tummel SC)
2nd Jack Gillespie (Largs SC)
3rd Rachel Mawer (CCC)
Regatta Fleet
1st Rory Harper (Loch Lomond Sailing Club)
2nd Rebecca Bryant (Annandale Sailing Club)
3rd Finn Mitchell (Annandale Sailing Club)
Full results at Scottish Oppie website.