Musto Skiff Scottish Championships 2004
Great Sailing - Close Racing - and a worthy Champion

The photography below was supplied by NDK Photography www.n-d-k.com

There are some great MPS shots on Nick's site, take a look!!!

The very first Scottish Champion in the Musto Skiff class is Ian Trotter from Derwent Reservoir SC. He won a close-fought regatta in wonderful conditions at East Lothian Yacht Club over 5th & 6th June, with 3 races each day.

Saturday provided a stiff force 4, gusting 5, and the sailors revelled in the fresh sea conditions. In the first race Ian Trotter and Ian Turnbull rounded the first windward mark together, closely followed by Ian Renilson. Turnbull pulled a lightening-fast hoist and powered away, only to spoil it by capsizing in a careless gybe, which left Trotter to sail away to Ovingtonsy. Turnbull recovered well and fought back to take second place from Renilson on the next run.

Race 2 again saw the three Ians fighting it out at the front. Ian Turnbull got the initial edge out of the start, and Ian Trotter sailed too far inshore up the first beat, leaving Ian Renilson in second place. The top three boats were very evenly matched for speed, and sailed the rest of race in that order with very little between them.

The final Saturday race was again dominated by Turnbull, who powered away into an unassailable lead in the stronger breeze. Behind him Trotter was able to pull away from Renilson downwind, and Renilson fought back upwind to keep in touch, but he couldn’t make up enough ground and the finishing order was Turnbull - Trotter - Renilson.

Sunday morning dawned bright, with a gentle breeze, but with an ominous glassy-calm area out to sea.

The first Sunday race started in light and shifty conditions, and then the wind filled-in and swung to make the course one-sided. Renilson led at the windward mark, followed by Trotter and Turnbull. Trotter sailed past Renilson on the run by soaking lower to get the inside track, but he was foiled at the leeward mark by having to round outside a slow RS400 sailing on the same course - letting Renilson past. Renilson held-off Trotter upwind by covering closely on the one-sided course - knowing that Trotter could easily pass given half a chance, but there was nothing he could do to stop him passing on the next run - Trotter just sailed lower and faster - how does he do that? Turnbull was always close behind, but could not quite get through, so at the finish it was Trotter - Renilson - Turnbull.

The breeze filled in at a moderate force 4 for race 5. Trotter again got away well, and was chased by Turnbull and Graham Oliver, but both Turnbull and Oliver messed up tacks and let Martin Boatman through to lead the chase. Trotter got well away and led the race in style. Boatman looked to have sewn-up second place, but Renilson was fighting back and when Boatman overstood the finish line and got caught in the traffic of other boats, Renilson snuck in to the opposite end of a biased finish line to steal the second place.

Going into the sixth and final race, Trotter had a good lead overall, but Turnbull could beat him by winning, if Trotter was worse than 4th. It was a tall order and the pressure told on Turnbull - who (along with Renilson) capsized tacking up the first beat. That should have been the end of it, but Turnbull fought back. Boatman led from start to finish in fine style, and Trotter was content to follow him round. Turnbull recovered well to squeeze Trotter back to third place on the line, but it was not enough and Trotter gained a well-earned Ovingtonsy by one point from Turnbull, with Renilson 3 points behind in third - Ians all three!

Overall Results:
1st Ian Trotter (Derwent Reservoir SC)
2nd Ian Turnbull (Sunderland YC)
3rd Ian Renilson (Dalgety Bay SC)
4th Martin Boatman (Sunderland YC)
5th Graham Oliver (Whitstable YC)
6th Richard Purdy (Sunderland YC)