National 12 Scottish Championship at East Lothian Yacht Club

Day 1 of the National 12 Scottish Championship © Steve Fraser

The Scottish & Northern 12 fleet travelled to East Lothian Yacht Club for the third year in a row to enjoy the excellent sea sailing this venue has to offer as part of their annual regatta. Only three 12s made the trip so we shared the start line with the D Zero and Aero fleets sailing on the East Course towards the Bass Rock.

On Day 1 we were put afloat in fairly uninspiring looking conditions and, with what appeared no wind in the offing, sent ashore after an hour for an early beer. Naturally this prompted a light westerly to appear and eventually settle and we watched the West Course getting some racing in on our way ashore.

National 12 Scottish Championship - photo © Angus Beyts

Day 2 and the consensus in the forecasts of 12-18 knots from the West along with some sun turned out to be about right. Perfect North Berwick conditions for four races!

In race 1 Iain Macintyre and Fi Grieve started from the middle of the line and led from start to finish, chased all the way by Philip David and Jacqui Massie with Tim & Chris Hampshire in third.

Tim and Chris swapped over for race 2, with Chris taking up steering duties but would he fair any better than his dad? The wind had gone left so the pin was favoured. Iain and Fi started closest to the pin to lead round the first lap before being caught out by a wind shift at the leeward gate resulting in a double gybe and a spin for hitting the mark. Philip and Jacqui faired even worse taking a swim at the gate, leaving Chris and Tim to take the lead and showing impressive upwind speed in a building breeze to win from Iain and Fi.

Rounding the windward mark during the National 12 Scottish Championship - photo © Steve Fraser

Race 3 and with the line reset Iain and Fi started in the middle and led round to take another win this time chased hard by Chris and Tim.

By race 4, with the ebb tide running it paid to go left. Iain and Fi along with Philip and Jacqui took this side with Chris and Tim going right to find the tide and a left-hand shift left them with too much ground to make up. Philip and Jacqui picked their way through the shifts and the tide up the second beat to put pressure on Iain and Fi who held on to take their third win and the Scottish Championship.

Overall Results: