West Highland Yachting Week

West Highland Yachting Week - Overall

by Alison Chadwick 9 Aug 2016 03:09 NZST 30 July - 5 August 2016

The top trophy at this year's West Highland Yachting Week (WHYW) was lifted by Rhu-based Jack Aitken on his family's First 36.7 Animal. With a score of 11 points counting three firsts and four second places, the Aitkens won Class 1 and were awarded the Peter Cocks Memorial Trophy for the best overall performance in the series.

Owned by Jack's parents Kevin and Debbie Aitken and now in a third season of campaigning, Animal has been a highly successful boat winning many major Scottish regattas.

And having competed in six WHYW events, always with the family, Jack (19) is no stranger to being a winning helm. He is a world class dinghy sailor and straight after WHYW left to compete in the Laser Standard under-21 World Championships in Germany thereafter heading to Croatia for the European Championships.

Father Kevin Aitken said: 'Jack was delighted to win both the class and the overall trophy. He's been training hard in dinghies at Weymouth but loves WHYW - it's the one event we can always sail as a family and we have competed over the years on Duckwall Pooley, then our Sigma 33 and the first Animal, our Elan 380. We love the event and it's one that all age ranges can be really involved in with great racing.' The Aitken's other son Finn (14) was also aboard on foredeck with mum Debbie on sail trim as well as regular team member Dean. Oban's Joe Penhall-Smith also crewed as well as James Chapman and Sean Jamieson who were aboard for part of the regatta.

Animal finished the series just one point clear of Allan Jeffrey and Paul Scutt's Carmen II, an identical First 36.7 with whom they have close rivalry. Despite breaking their carbon pole on the Sunday Craobh race, the team recovered well and sailed a flawless regatta with Jack particularly pleased with the double race win on Thursday off Tobermory.

Special Trophies

West coast boats also had an excellent regatta winning some of the 'special' trophies. Beppo Buchanan-Smith's Enigma recorded the fastest passage time from Craobh to Oban to lift the MacBrayne Centenary Challenge Cup. The Fyfe family from Lochaber, members of Glencoe Boat Club won Class 8 and lifted the Oban Bicentenary Cup for the best time from Craobh to Oban. Looking pristine, the forty-year old Popcorn has been lovingly restored and is now sailed by Angus, son of the original owner who formerly raced her so successfully on the Clyde. Hot Toddy took the John G Maxwell trophy for the best yacht in Class 8.

Murray Caldwell's Oystercatcher from Cove won the best passage on corrected time from Oban to Tobermory with the Angus Meldrum Trophy and The Iona Shop Trophy for the best time over the three passage races.

Isle of Man yacht Sea-Pie of Cultra took the silverware in the Tobermory to Oban race lifting the British Waterways Trophy and also winning Class 5. The Bradshaws on their Sigma 33 Busy Beaver were awarded the family trophy whilst the Endeavour cup was given to Malcolm MacGregor for his sterling work as Principal Race Officer over the last fifteen years.

Special Trophy Results: