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Wilburn Homes Scottish Solo Travellers
Following a successful training day on Saturday the first Scottish Solo Travellers event of the year was held at Bardowie Loch near Glasgow on the 26th April.
Fifteen visitors and six local helms sailed three races on a tight olympic triangle course in a shifty southerly breeze.
Race one with the freshest breeze of the day had boats planing on the reaches and scribes on the committee boat frantically scribbling sail numbers as the helms tried not to get dizzy and remember whether the next leg was a reach or a run! Unfazed by it all Andy Hutchinson of Dalgety Bay SC fought off the challenge of Kevan Gibb of Largo Bay SC to lead at every mark and take the first bullet. Kevan was overtaken by Richard Bolton of East Lothian YC on lap three but fought back to take second place with Robert Signer of Loch Ard SC winning his tussle with Richard Bolton to snatch third pace on the last lap.
Despite the shifty wind race two was notable for the fact that the first four finishers held their positions unchanged throughout the race with Kevan beating Andy to first place followed by Keith Milroy of East Lothian in third and club mate Richard Bolton in fourth.
With all to play for Kevan and Andy faced up to the final race. Kevan was first round the windward mark with Andy only fifth. A tight fleet and shifty and disturbed air thwarted Andy’s attempts at a comeback whilst local sailor Ali Gordon made up for his capsize in the first race by finishing second following a race long tussle with Keith Milroy.
Overall Kevan Gibb was a clear and worthy winner with Andy Hutchinson second and Keith Milroy third. Yet again local Solo Rep. Ali Gordon finished fourth and out of the prizes!
Alistair Angus
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