Largs Regatta Festival 2026 Coastworks Scottish Two Handed Race
by Carolyn Elder 31 Aug 15:53 AEST
21-30 August 2026
The final event of the ever popular Largs Regatta Festival (21 - 30 Aug) is the Scottish Two Handed Race, now well established in the calendar with a unique race course of either round the Isle of Arran or the shorter route around Holy Island.
his year all 40 competing yachts were fitted with Yellow Brick trackers, generously sponsored by local marine workboat company, Coastworks. The trackers proved invaluable to keep a watch on all yachts over the 2 race courses.
With a break from tradition the race officer set 2 different courses due to the very calm conditions and unchanging forecast with Class 1 sailing a 40 mile course up into Loch Fyne and circumnavigating the island of Inchmarnock. Fortunately for the 17 entrants, who had entered to sail around Arran, the wind appeared sufficiently to allow the fleet to complete their route with the leading boats drifting over the finish line just after dark. Class honours and the magnificent Viking Sword trophy went to last weekend's winner, Sunrise (father and son Chalmers).
However in classes 2,3 and 5 the lack of wind and strong tides, particularly through the Tan channel between the Cumbrae Islands, proved challenging on the 35 mile course with several boats retiring before darkness fell. Those who managed to cross to the Bute shore were treated to the appearance of a hump back whale and many porpoises, followed by a spectacular sunset, but even this brought no evening breeze and yachts had to work hard at keeping moving against the tide and in the dark. The heavy overnight rain killed any hope of light airs to help everyone reach the finish line. As a result only 1 finished in class 5 (St Bridget I and B Nicolson), no finishers in Class 2 and 2 in Class 3 (winner Minx Glen Fullarton). Special commendation must go to these 3 finishers who persevered through a very wet night to finish all after 7am on Sunday morning.
Sole finisher in class 5 was St Bridget sailed by father and daughter, Ian and Beth Nicolson, they also took the special prize, the Mallie shield, for highest combined age with skipper Ian, aged 98, holding up the numbers.
The family prize went to Puilldobhrain (David and Uta Wilson)who finished 2nd in class 3.
Thanks to race officer Pete Wright who stayed up all night to man the finish line and all volunteers supporting the regatta and to sponsors Coastworks, as well as Arran Malts and Arran Sense of Scotland for their great product prizes.
For full results please see largsregattafestival.com/lrf-noticeboard (scroll down to the results section)