MUSTO RYA Scotland Champion of Champions

Richard Stenhouse was the worthy Ovingtons of the MUSTO RYA Scotland Champion of Champions - this is the first time a visitor from South of the border has ever won this invitation-only event in it’s 25+ year history.

Conditions were distinctly un-favourable for skiffs and Richard was the only skiff-type boat in the running - the next placed skiffs were Ian Renilson in 16th place and Kit Stenhouse in 18th - both in Musto Skiffs. Last years winners Gavin Homer & Gavin Mackinnon were 19th in their International 14.

The top 10 boats were:

Musto Skiff
Albacore
GP14
Oppy
Oppy
RS400
Topper
RS200
Oppy
Oppy

Saturday was very light with the first race turning into a drifter, and the first two places went to Solos, followed by an Albacore and an Optimist - the first skiff-type boat was the Gavins in their Int 14 in 14th place, followed by Richard Stenhouse in 17th. Then racing was delayed until a gentle breeze filled-in late on in the day - that race was won by the Albacore to give it the lead overnight. Somehow Richard Stenhouse managed to squeeze-in a 5th place to keep him in the running when all the other skiffs were back in the teens - and beyond!

The wind on Sunday was a little better, with a gentle F2-3. But the strange-shaped very short courses were pretty difficult in skiffs, especially with the faster boats starting after the slow ones, so they had to sail through the slow fleets while they were still close together. This made for some interesting encounters - particularly downwind when the sailing area was further restricted by the proximity of the edge of the loch - where there was generally a calm patch.

Richard Stenhouse defied the conditions to score 1; 3; 1 and take the title - which is the first time in its 25+ year history that the Scottish Field Trophy has left Scotland.