Saturday Press Report

Saturday 27th May 00
Tarbert Loch Fyne, Scotland
Day 2 Tarbert Scottish Series

With the full 217 boat fleet assembling on the sun dappled waters of picturesque Loch Fyne for the first day of inshore racing at the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series, all three course areas enjoyed two testing traditional Olympic style contests in a modest and at times fluky north westerly breeze.

Blowing off the Kintyre hills the wind was peppered with big frustrating shifts in direction and sticky holes in the wind which, in both races, proved difficult to anticipate.

In the big boat division, Class 0, the predicted duel between two brand new John Corby designs warmed up, with the bigger 41 foot Barlo Plastics, owned by Richard Matthews with Harold Cudmore as tactician, keeping the upper hand to record two first places. In the second race Barlo Plastics not only won on handicap but pipped the Farr 50 Chernikeeff, scratch boat in the class, to take first gun on the water also.  Ballasted down by a poor offshore result Barlo lie third overall, while three second places for the smaller 38 foot Irish based Corby design Gloves Off, sailed by Colm Barrington, ensures they enjoy a two point overall lead.  "We're pretty happy and are really just warming the boat up having only just put it all together, so we know there is still speed to come." Said Cudmore. "This is never an easy place to sail at, and things can easily go badly wrong so we're just pleased to get it right today." With a few key professionals on board Barlo's crew-work was noticeably slicker.

In Class 1 the trip north from England's Hamble River looks a worthwhile endeavour so far for the Prima 38 White Knuckles II skippered by John Bainbridge. Like Barlo Plastics they landed two firsts in the trying 6-12 knot breezes. They lead overall by just one point from the new Australian built Titan 36 steered by sailmaker John Highcock who won the series outright in 1995.

In the 24 boat Sigma 33 class reigning Scottish Series champion Alan Milton and his crew of Pepsi retain the lead with a second and a fourth place, from the Simon Pender steered St Joan which have have a deficit of only two points.

In the 24 boat 1720 Cork One Design Class Steve Goacher steered Charlie Lippet's Luvly Jubbly to a first and a second to lead a closely fought class which has the biggest entry of the regatta.