Sunday Press Report

Bell Lawrie Tarbert Scottish Series
Tarbert Loch Fyne, Scotland
Sunday May 28^th 2000

An engaging English v Irish, pro v amateur battle is emerging  at the forefront of Class 0, the big boat prestige class at The Bell Lawrie Scottish Series on Loch Fyne with the common denominator shared by both protagonists being the skills of Cowes yacht designer  John Corby.  Victories today were split between the dark green hulled smaller Dublin based Corby 38 Gloves Off, owned and steered by Colm Barrington, which is a predominantly amateur crewed entry that has former 470 dinghy racer Nigel Biggs as tactician and owner-driver Richard Matthews' Barlo Plastics which has designer Corby plus round the world race skipper Joe English and key Admiral's Cup professionals such as tactician Harold Cudmore, navigator Ian Moore and crew boss Guy Barron at the heart of their attack.  With the winds rising from a mean 7-10 knots from a chill northerly direction, Barlo took the first race after requiring to take a penalty for a start line incident. They won by more than one and a half minutes from Gloves Off.

The Dublin boat then won the second race by a similar margin as the breeze piped up to a refreshing 18knots.

" I think we had marginally better pace when the winds picked up in the second race which we think may be in part due to our better heavy headsail." Said Warrington based tactician Biggs, who steered last year's class 1 winning Sigma 4000 Corwynt Cymru.  Possible main contenders for the overall Bell Lawrie Scottish Series trophy may be a duo of Slovenian built Elan yachts designed by Rob Humphreys.  Lossiemouth's Alan Wilson leads IRC Cruiser Class 2 in Be Traist, a new 36 foot Elan after posting four wins over this weekend, while Clyde based national Sigma 33 champion, veteran  Bill Mackay promises a swansong 'last ever' Scottish Series in Eland which leads CYCA Class 5 also scoring four winning guns at the weekend.

In the 23 boat 1720 Cork One Design fleet 19 year old local Tarbert helm Ruaraidh Scott leads a talent laden division which includes past Scottish Series trophy winner Steve Goacher in Luvly Jubbly and Irish champion Alan Espey in Red/Green.

Fort William's Alan Milton sailing his Sigma 33 Pepsi, the current Scottish Series trophy holder, retains the overall lead in the Sigma 33 class after a fourth, second and first place today.