Running
Repairs and Revised Results
Wednesday at the race finish has been a quiet day, though
the weather is still lively with wind and rain whipping
across the exposed position of the Corpach Lock, which is
at the end of the Caledonian Canal. Ités a magnificent setting
though, with a sweeping view across Loch Linnhe to Ben Nevis.
All the yachts which have arrived so far are now safely
inside the lock basin, courtesy of the British Waterways
Board and making running repairs ready for sailing back
to their home ports. Some of them have a very long way to
go.
In the early hours of the morning two more yachts came in.
'Farthing' was first to arrive at 00.08 followed by Assent
at 01.11 but conditions were terrible. Andy Green, the skipper
of 'Farthing' went up Ben Nevis with co-skipper Andy Parkhouse
to complete the Tilman Trophy, and Willy Ker, the 77 year
old skipper of Assent, set off with Tom White to do the
same. Unfortunately, the weather was too much for Willy
who quickly got soaked and tired, and unlike the runners
wasnét moving quickly enough to keep warm. Fortunately,
Tom White is a doctor and he insisted they turn back to
turf Laurence Ormerod and Rob Mulvaney out of their sleeping
bags and send them up instead.
Sadly for Caol Ila our earlier report of them winning the
Tilman Trophy was wrong. They didn't, although they were
first boat entered for it to finish. Some peculiar new rules
have been introduced for the 25th anniversary including
completing a crossword during the trip and handicaps for
the age of the boat and the age of the runners. The upshot
is 'Stormcruiser' have won the Tilman trophy, mainly as
their runners were older.
When they returned there were only 2 boats left out on the
water and the first to appear was 'Positive Impact' who
arrived at 15.37. As they came down Loch Linnhe with 20
knots of wind Eddie Kitchen took the helm for the final
run in to Corpach before Dean Townend and Heath Reilly set
off up the mountain. They were cheered by a small crowd
as they landed on the pontoon at the lock side and should
make the climb and descent of the mountain inside the hours
of daylight.
The only remaining yacht now out is 'Mew Gull', which sheltered
in Ramsay on the Isle of Man for 36 hours, but is expected
to finish this evening and will win the 'Last Inn Cup'.
In the previous race the winner didn't come in until Friday
and this year all the yachts will have completed by Thursday
morning! |
