Results / Scottish Single Handed Championship and Travellers Event 3 Largo Bay SC - 25/06/2005

Scottish RS 300s at Largo Bay RS300 racing at its most perfect. Blue skies, sparkling sea, a friendly club, nice breeze competitive racing, and bikini clad Enterprise girls sunbathing on the beach. This all came together for the third round of the RS 300 Scottish Travellers at Largo Bay Sailing Club on 25th and 26th of June. Six 300s, including 3 from Prestwick, joined a handicap fleet of 28 to fight for the honour of being RYA Scottish Singlehanded Champion. The 300s all piled in at the top of the prize list over the weekend with 5 finishing in the top 7 overall. That's an impressive performance in a fleet that numbered past National, European, World and Endeavour Prize winners. Starting in a fleet that ranged from Toppers to foiling Moths demands that you stay out of trouble, and get into clean air quickly. John Wilson from Prestwick did just that in race 1 and, although fairly new to the boat, showed the old guys no respect with boat speed that no one could live with. However, after a lap and half leading from the front, the pressure began to tell and he was slowly reeled in by his clubmate Neil Beveridge. John eventually cracked under pressure, and after an altercation with an Enterprise (not the girls), left Neil to take first place, with National Champion Ian Baillie second. This race showed that nobody was going to get it all their own way in the 300 fleet, and that continued through the weekend. Race 2 was lead from the front by Ben Yates from Chanonry, hotly pursued by Baillie and Beveridge. Our National Champion gave everybody a coaching session (in how to right the boat after a swim at the gybe mark) and Beveridge slowly gained ground on Yates who held on to win by about a boat length. For race 3 Ian found another gear in slowly increasing wind, and in a pattern that was emerging, lead from the start with Beveridge second. At the end of the first day this left Neil Beveridge leading in the 300s, and the Singlehanded Championship. Sunday was even better, with perfect wind all day, and clear blue skies. The race officer set a very port biased line that Ben Yates could not resist in race one. However when faced with being gobbled up by the oncoming fleet he had to bail out and OCS. Baillie also started on port but was more conservative to blast through in a space. He was never caught again. Race 4 saw Gavin Marshall from St Mary's Loch try the same trick, and it worked until he was hunted down by the pack. Baillie took the line with Beveridge second again. Baillie completed his domination in the final race to take the event, but excellent boats speed from up and coming youngsters Gavin Marshall and John Wilson showed that the Scottish fleet is improving with every event. The Nationals at Filey better watch out, the Scots are coming!