After several weeks of weather enforced cancellations, it was another pretty miserable morning when competitive sailors arrived at Solway Yacht Club ready to prepare for the penultimate weekend of the 2022 season.
However, the wind was favourable and the rain came and went as the fleet launched at Kippford.
Race officer Keith Veasey and his assistants set a course south before turning towards Rough Island and back to the start line for each lap.
The dreich really set in as the first race start approached but an encouraging fleet for a late season event all got clear away as the flag dropped.
The first race had the Flying Fifteen of Scott Train and Anne Stewart lead from early on with Stephen Gaughan and crew close astern in their fast Osprey class dinghy.
The Laser ILCA7 of Rhys Williams followed in a close group, mixing it with the Finn of Stewart Mitchell and Vortex of Alec Glendinning.
Further back Finlay Train, Laser Radial ILCA5, led Toby Inglehart the leading Cadet in his Topper.
At the finish it was a win for Train/Stewart with Williams second.
Race two and again the Train/Stewart Flying Fifteen was up front but Mitchell was finding his form chasing close behind while the Gaughan Osprey’s challenge faded.
This time it was a race win for Mitchell with Train/Stewart second.
Sunday morning and less wind but more rain and a slightly larger fleet, including three Olympic Finn class singlehanders, sailed out to the start, this time under race officer Lindsay Tosh’s control, assisted by Willie Patterson. The wind was now a tricky easterly with conditions significantly lighter inshore around the start line but much stronger further out.
Cadet member Toby Iglehart made an excellent start in the first race of the day, leading the whole fleet as the flag dropped.
He remained in close touch with the much more experienced sailors right out to the first turning mark, before the much faster boats pulled away.
As the race progressed the Glendinning Vortex developed a big lead, chased by the rest. However, after handicap corrections, Williams had the advantage and won with Mitchell second.
With conditions still testing and less than pleasant, the ebb tide and competitive fleet caught out both the Glendinning and the Train/Stewart crew, both over the start line and being recalled, so starting late, allowing the rest to get clean away.
The second race of the day already had one of the Finns non-starting with a second retiring mid race.
The outstanding performances of the weekend, finishing well in all four races despite the conditions, was Toby Iglehart. His performance underlined his long-term opportunity to perform at higher levels and follow predecessors from the Solway Yacht Club who have enjoyed successful national and international careers.
To support his and other Cadets’ development, the club is hugely grateful to the Stewartry Sports Council for their grant to fund advanced race coaching for the club’s most promising young members during the early parts of 2023.
