Celebrating William Fife’s Classic yacht design, this year’s Fife Regatta set sail for the first race of the week tour along Scotland’s Clyde coast. This is the fourth edition of the event, which will be marked by amazing racing from some of the world renowned Fife yachts.
The Fife Regatta 2013, Classic sailing on the Clyde Day 1 - Photo credit Marc Turner /PFM
Put these beautiful yachts against the stunning backdrop of Scotland’s west coast and you have a recipe for one of the top, classic sailing events of the year.
Astor, Latifa, superyacht Kentra are some of Fife’s finest along with smaller yachts such a mignon which was created as a scale model to create the famous charter yacht Shamrock which completed in the America’s Cup. Astor was built for the first Commodore of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Sydney, and this is her first time back in the Atlantic since her delivery to Australia in 1923. She has competed in and won the America Schooner Cup five times in succession. She has also won the Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s Opening Day Race eight times. She has been based in the Pacific for and has come back to the Clydeto celebrate her 90th birthday which is a great honour for the Fife Regatta Committee. The skipper kindly invited double gold medallist Shirley Robertson onboard as she is attending the regatta to compose a legacy film piece for CNN.
The race started in a south westerly with light, challenging conditions and throughout the day local knowledge came into play. The Truant, skippered by Ross Ryan of Crinan Hotel, took the early advantage from the tide close to the shore. As the breeze built the 8 metre Saskia, moved out ahead and her crew of upper Clyde sailors applied their skill and experience of their home waters to their advantage. In class three, the smaller Fifes, were in close competition and at the end of the day Mignon, owned by renowned yachting journalist Bob Fisher, secured first place. Among the Mignon crew is Largs based sail maker John Highcock whose local knowledge of the Clyde waters would be invaluable.
William-Fife designed Yacht Saskia built in 1931 - Photo credit Marc Turner /PFM
With a great day’s racing, circumnavigating Great Cumbrae was an excellent way to kick off the event. The results of the day represent the local input with Class 1 winner Saskia, Class 2 winner The Truant and Mignon leading Class 3. Tomorrow the yachts will cast off and race to Rothesay before venturing through the Kyles on Monday.
