Saturday on the Solway Firth was bright and sunny, as forecast, with a reliable Force 2-3 breeze from the south: a perfect sailing day for this joint N12 and Enterprise event organised by Solway YC.

The first race was a long beat out of Rough Firth into the Solway at Whiteport and then a run back to Rough. Phil and Helen David took an early lead and resisted consistent pressure from Bernard Clark and Richard Willatt in second place to hold on to the finish. Mark and Emma Simpson were third.

The second race of the day, now on the outgoing tide, was on a shorter course with a better balance of beat and reach. This race was decisively won by Mark and Emma who had the distinction of sailing through the entire Enterprise fleet which had started after the N12s. Bernard and Richard were again second with Howard and Thomas Steavenson third. Going into Sunday, there were now three boats with only a single point between them.

Sunday’s weather was a different, still sunny but with a stiff south-westerly kicking up white horses. Bernard and Richard were first to the windward mark, showing their determination to do well, then speeding off on the long planing reach to Castle Point. The beat back to Whiteport against the tidal stream was also long and testing, with a welcome rest on the run back to Rough and the start area. Mark and Emma held a consistent second and Howard and Thomas were promoted to third when Phil nosedived his Baggy near the end of the second lap.

The final race went to the furthest mark out in the Solway at Hestan Island, then a 2km reach across to Castle Point before heading back to the start area. Bernard was first again, Phil second and Mike and Emma third.

The overall winners of the Scottish Daily Express Cup were Bernard and Richard. Mark and Emma were second. For the third year in a row, Phil and Helen won the Mariner Mug for first single-bottom boat.

Overall Results

1st 3447 Bernard Clark/Richard Willatt

2nd 3472 Mark Simpson/Emma Simpson

3rd 3217 Phil David/ Helen David

4th 3353 Howard Steavenson/Thomas Steavenson

5th 3220 Alan Thomson/Campbell Benson

6th 3384 Ian Purkis/Margaret Purkis

7th 3475 John Hugo/Adam Firby