Solway Yacht Club's Prize-giving party for 2025
by Ian Purkis 19 Jan 14:26 PST
The 2025 Prize and Award winners of Solway YC © Nicola McColm
As is now customary, the Club held its annual mid-winter party, celebrating everyone who had participated on and off the water during the previous year, whether dinghy racing, support crews manning safety boats, cruising in bigger boats, or just helping the Club.
The event, held in the Village Hall, followed the Kippford RNLI's Soup and Sandwiches fund-raising lunch with many members supporting both and with which the Club has a long and close association.
With around sixty members present, the afternoon started with a welcome from the newly elected Commodore, Scott Train. The previous Commodore Scott McColm then gave a repeat showing of his AGM Report from last November, highlighting all the Club's and members' progress over the year. Concluding his two years in office, Scott Train presented him with his Commodore's pennant, to be proudly flown on special occasions.
It was then time for Prize-Giving proper with Scott Train presenting the results of all the Club's racing activities, starting with the river races last Easter and concluding with overall Club Championships. After an incredibly close series over many weeks, including courses out in the bay, long pursuit races and shorter river races, Toby Iglehart and Finn Harris were tied on equal points.
In the end, the Championship went to Toby but only on count-back. Both are Cadet members, so Toby also collected the Club Youth Championship trophy, and with both performing so well and being such good role models for the younger cadets, it is a great credit to them both. This was particularly reflected in them also being jointly awarded the Heather Dodds Sportsmanship Trophy for their fair but very competitive sailing, culminating in an incident at the final mark of the final course where no protest was needed, as it was resolved between the two of them.
Other awards went to Simon Blissett and Richard Bishop, Safety Boat helm and crew of the year respectively. David Reilly was recognised for his great support on the project to rebuild clubhouse facilities to accommodate the disabled, thanks to a grant from the Dumfries and Galloway Coastal Benefit Fund. Alec Glendinning was awarded the "Most adventurous passage" for his voyage around the Scottish coast from Port Edgar in the East to Kippford in the West aboard his 21ft Chinese junk rigged yacht "Tirrik". Peter Warner and Craig Fetherstonhaugh, joint owners, were awarded "Best Kept Yacht" for "Sonas of Craignish" while Kevin Farish got the similar "Best Kept Motorboat" award for "Serefe".
Saved to last was the most important award. Joanne Harris has served as the Club's Cadet Officer for the past seven years during which time several hundred young people have been introduced to sailing. Most go on, developing through the Club's progression scheme to club racing with several progressing further to racing and winning at Open level, others moving on to be Instructors and Senior Instructors, bringing television appearances, all building on the Club's continued success as one of Scotland's leading clubs.
Before her presentation, Willie Patterson, her predecessor and mentor, spoke very highly of her great achievements and the huge contribution she made, not just to the Cadets but to the whole Club and wider sailing community. All this came as a complete surprise to her; Scott Train then called forward two most important Cadets, her daughter Katie and son Finn, for them to present her with a superb Solway Yacht Club engraved vase and bouquet, to a standing ovation by many there. "Thank You Jo", what a great job done!
After all these and other awards, the members were treated to a delicious buffet prepared by Social Secretary, Liz Train and her team, before celebrations, fun and chat were enjoyed by adults and Cadets, well on into the evening.