Scottish Solo Championships 2024 at Largo Bay Sailing Club – HD Sails Event

HD Sails Scottish Solo Championships 2024 at Largo Bay Sailing Club

HD Sails Scottish Solo Championships at Largo Bay

This year, the HD Sails Scottish Solo Championships took place at Largo Bay, a club known for its wonderful waves and sunny weather. Saturday’s conditions were ideal, with a pleasant F2/3 breeze from the southeast that was expected to build throughout the day.

Race officer Pete Malcolm, known for his punctual starts, provided clear instructions during the briefing, emphasizing that competitors must cross the finishing line at every beat. The enthusiastic youngsters from the club offered their assistance even before the boats were launched. The racecourse was conveniently positioned just a short distance from the beach, featuring triangle/sausage courses that matched the day’s conditions perfectly.

An initial hiccup occurred when Kenny Manderson missed the first start due to an issue with his gooseneck, but with quick thinking, Calum Gibb provided a replacement from another boat, allowing Kenny to continue in the next races. The start line was just sufficient for the fleet, and during the first race, two boats were over the line and had to return.

Keith Milroy, who arrived just before the race, initially took a commanding position but ended up sailing incorrectly due to missing the sailing instructions. This mishap allowed Willie Todd to move ahead, followed closely by Tony King and Ross Watson. The first reach was exhilarating, with waves offering excellent surfing opportunities.

In the second race, conditions improved to a solid F4 wind. Key competitors Willie Todd, Tony King, and Ross Watson started well, but Keith quickly took the lead at the windward mark. Willie capsized while in second place, leaving Tony to follow Keith, while local sailors Kevan Gibb and Nigel Orkney capitalized on the challenging conditions.

The third race saw the wind strengthen to around 25 knots. The exhilarating conditions made for thrilling downwind sailing, though racing upwind became trickier, particularly on port tack as competitors faced incoming waves. Keith was once again leading, followed by Willie and Tony. However, mishaps struck, with Ross and Tony both capsizing at critical moments.

The following morning brought a different atmosphere, with a moderate F3 breeze but lacking Saturday’s sunshine. The first race of the day consisted of two laps in consistent F4 conditions. The leading boats battled fiercely down the first reach, with Keith consistently outperforming the competition.

Keith’s advantage solidified his position as the clear winner of the championship after the first two races. In the final race, adjustments were made to the course due to fatigue among the sailors. Despite challenges faced by various competitors, Kevan Gibb led from start to finish. The final results saw Keith Milroy emerging victorious, with Tony King and Ross Watson rounding out the top three.

The championship overall results are as follows: