West Highland Yachting Week - Overall
by Alison Chadwick 7 Aug 2011 04:56 AEST
29 July - 5 August 2010
Fairlie Yacht Club’s Ruaridh Angus and his crew on Misjif lifted the top prize at West Highland Yachting Week last night when he took home the Peter Cocks Memorial Trophy for the best performance of the Regatta Points Series.
It had been a close decision between Angus and Lochaber’s Roddy Campbell who tied on points at the end of the week with his new Sun Odyssey 42i Windmark II. But the decision went in favour of Misjif, a Hustler SJ30 steered by Ruaridh with his father Roddy aboard.
At Friday’s prize-giving held in Oban, Ruaridh’s father Roddy Angus who also races the boat, said the team had been trying to win the overall for some time. ‘We have been inching closer and closer each time we compete and this year we managed it. We are delighted with all due credit to my son Ruaridh who skippered – I was only here as chaperone!’
He added that he had been coming to West Highland Yachting Week for years and the event was a great training ground for the family. ‘It’s a brilliant regatta for bringing all the family along and Ruaridh, who is now 20 first sailed West Highland Yachting Week as a twelve-year-old. Helming Misjif the team recently won the Scottish IRC Championships and the first two points series at Fairlie Yacht Club as well as organising the wining team for West Highland Yachting Week. It’s a great achievement.’
Meanwhile Chris Tiso’s Farr 40 Thunderbird of Rhu took the MacBrayne Centenary Challenge Cup for the fastest passage in the Craobh to Oban race with the Port Edgar based Blue Funk owned by Higgins and McLure winning the new Oban Bicentenary Trophy for the best corrected time. David Cooper from Glencoe with his Trapper 28 Redwing won the Tennent Caledonian 25th Anniversary Silver Salver and the Iona Shop Trophy for the best corrected times in the passage races.
The West Highland Week Family Trophy was awarded by the Chalmers family on their Sigma 400 Sunrise.
The 64th regatta which took place from July 29 to August 5 saw conditions ranging from strong breeze to flat calms over the week with the Oban to Tobermory race abandoned due to lack of wind. On Tuesday the Argyll fleet for restricted sail also failed to find enough wind to race, a first in the event’s history.
But the final race from Tobermory to Oban sponsored by Thomas Tunnock Ltd brought the fleet back down the Sound of Mull in excellent sailing conditions to end the series on a high note.
Full results on www.whyw.co.uk