Skip to Content

26 July 2007

UK Flying Fifteen Nationals

Flying Fifteen UK National Championships

Sponsored by Easyjet

26-29 July 2007

The Flying Fifteen National Championship got underway today, 26th July, at Largs. With 37 boats entered and near perfect conditions the fleet launched and headed for the race area off the North end of Great Cumbrae.

The course was set with about 11 knots of breeze from the SSW. Both the open and classic fleets got off to a clean start with no penalties at the scheduled start time, 1400hrs. The sportscotland National Centre Cumbrae had their new work boat put to the test laying the full course with good angles and distances. Chris Nichol, Chief Instructor, said “I am very pleased with the new boat and it is the ideal equipment to support the mark laying for large championship events.”

The racing was close throughout the fleet and the sailors were challenged further by a wind shift to the west. The course was altered to suit the conditions and the first boat finished after 1 hour and 49 minutes of racing.

Irish pair, Brian McKee and Ian Smyth, Strangford Lough, dominated the race right from the start with a port end start then tacking to cross in front of the whole fleet. They sailed extremely well securing 1st place and closely followed in 2nd by Peter and Sue Bannister, Hayling Island. European Champions, Steve Goacher & Phil Evans finished in third place. In the classic fleet Andrew McKee, the defending champion and youngest helm at 21 years of age finished in first place.

Two races are scheduled for tomorrow and there is a competitive atmosphere in the dinghy park but much more relaxed approach around the bar.



Results Day 1:

Open fleet: 1st Brain McKee & Ian Smyth, 2nd Peter & Sue Bannister, 3rd Steve Goacher & Phil Evans.

Classic fleet: 1st Andrew McKee, 2nd Jeremy Arnold & David Brown, 3rd Norman Hamilton & William Rutherford.

The full results are posted on www.scottishsailinginstitute.com


Ends

Image attached: Flying Fifteens racing from Day 1, Thursday 26th July 2007. Courtesy of Fotoboat/Alan Henderson

Contact details:

Joanna Turner
Scottish Sailing Institute
Largs Yacht haven
Largs
T: 01475 670011 M: 07786 736907