It’s a story which has been waiting to be told virtually since 22 year old Ruairidh Scott had his first real taste of success in the 1720 Sportboat class, finishing fourth three years ago. All that was needed was the young local Tarbert sailor to win the highly competitive class.

Having finished runner up in both of the last two years – losing out in the final stages of the regatta – Scott and his crew finally completed the fairytale win so wanted by his local villagers who have played host to the regatta for the last 27 years.

Scott, steering King Quick – which he co-owns with his father Graeme, who does mainsheet – not only won the 20-boat 1720 class but was awarded the overall Bell Lawrie Scottish Series Trophy, the top award for the 202 boat annual regatta. Scott commented: “It is an amazing feeling. Of course you have ambitions in sailing but this is something special that I have always wanted to win ever since I used to come down before school to see the fleet going out and after school to see them come back.” Counting four first places a fourth and a fifth to win by two points from former multiple dinghy champion Mike Budd on the helm of Gul, coming out on top by two points after a nerve wracking day which culminated in the King Quick team having to take out Gul on the start line of the first race to secure the series, proved the maturity which now underpins the sailing of Scott and his long time tactician , Largs’ John Reekie. “It’s been tough being bridesmaids twice here, but I think we learnt from it. In the past we were probably a little too conservative, trying to play the averages a little too much but this time we really made a decision to go for the kill a little bit more and it paid off.”

A final race win and redress granted for the previous day’s second race incident when they hooked a stray 100 foot length of rope which was attached to the start line during the second round, ensured that Roy Dickson’s Corby 40 Cracklin’ Rosie topped the blue riband division, Class 1. With owner Dickson absent this year the eight year old boat – which has been to all of the Series since she was built as a replacement hull for Dickson’s two tonner – had UK McWilliam’s John Brinkers driving and Des McWilliam as tactician along with Jamie Boag. They finished five points clear of Keith Miller’s new Swan 45 Crackerjack.

In IRC Class 2 it was the 1997 Scottish Series winning Bateleur, the well sailed BH 36 of Chris Bonar which triumphed while veteran owner-helm John Corson steered his Elan 362 Salamander XVI to a popular win in IRC Class 3.

Overall Results

Henri Lloyd Fleet: IRC Class 1:

Race 1: 1 Cracklin’ Rosie (R Dickson) 2hrs 44mins 1sec, 2 Playing FTSE (J Anderson) 2:44.29, 3 Gloves Off (C Barrington) 2:44.55, Overall: 1 Cracklin’ Rosie (R Dickson) 14pts, 2 Crackerjack (K Miller) 19, 3 Gloves Off (C Barrington) 22

IRC Class 2:

Race 1: 1 Bateleur 97 (C Bonar) 2hrs 43mins 53secs, 2 Sloop John T (I & G Thomas) 2:45.42, 3 Kylidh (G Spurr) 2:46.21, Overall: 1 Bateleur 97 (C Bonar) 16pts, 2 Animula (D Grant) 20, 3 Jacana (B Douglas) 23

IRC Class 3:

Race 1: 1 Tundra (D Sharp) 2hrs 14mins 1secs, 2 Salamander XVI (J Corson) 2:15.20, 3 Hops (I McLean) 2:15.30, Overall: 1 Salamander XVI ( J Corson) 17pts, 2 Hops (I McLean) 20, 3 Tundra (D Sharp) 21

IRC Class 4:

Race 1: 1 Blue Berret PI (S Moran) 2hrs 13mins 32secs, 2 Rapparee (Hyde/Boulter/Woods) 2:14.04, EuRoBo (J Blair) 2:14.58, Overall: 1 Vaila (P Watt) 14pts, 2 Rapparee (Hyde/Boulter/Woods) 22, 3 Blue Berret PI (S Moran) 25

Tunnocks Fleet: CYCA Class 5:

Race 1: 1 Border Reiver (Scott/Wilson) 1hr 19mins 15secs, 2 Megaera (J & K Orr) 1:19.18, 3 Swedish Lady (I Harris) 1:20.36, Overall: Scanne (G Aikman) 8pts, 2 Swedish Lady (I Harris) 9, 3 Reiver Border (Scott/Wilson) 11, CYCA Class 6: Race 1: 1= Ailish II (W Malone) 1hr 18mins 1sec, 1= Mosika Alma (M Goodwin) 1:18.01, 3 Valhalla of Ashton (F Dunnet) 1:19.09, Overall: 1 Ailish (W Malone) 6pts, 2 Valhalla of Ashton (F Dunnet) 15, 3 Mosika Alma (M Goodwin) 14

CYCA Class 7:

Race 1; 1 Upstart (E Thomas) 57mins 43secs, 2 Sula (C Davidson) 58.19, 3 Quintessence (D Moss) 58.34, Overall: 1 Upstart (E Thomas) 5pts, 2 Mow Ming (R Clegg) 11, 3 Sula (C Davidson) 19

CYCA Class 8:

Race 1: 1 Aztec (J & H Connelly) 1hr 21mins 33secs, 2 Skerryvore II (E Buchanan) 1hr 23mins 51secs, 3 Sea-Quin (M Broadbent) 1hr 27mins 54secs, Overall: 1 Aztec (J & H Connelly) 5pts, 2 Sea-Quin (M Broadbent) 9, 3 Skerryvore II 14

Talisker Fleet: Sigma 33 Class:

Race 1: 1 The White Tub (J McDonald) 1hr 3mins 57secs, 2 Pepsi (A Milton) 1:04.05, 3 Carman (P Scutt) 1:04.13, Race 2: 1 Odyssey (H Hood) 1hr 10mins 5mins, 2 Pepsi 1:10.23, 3 The White Tub 1:11.21, Overall: Pepsi (A Milton) 12pts, 2 The White Tub (J McDonald) 24, 3 Sigmatic (D Mclaren) 28

National Sonata Class:

Race 1: 1 Saraband (M Taylor) 45mins 19secs, 2 Pied Piper (A Harper) 46.33, 3 Scruples (C Tait) 48.35, Race 2: 1 Pied Piper 1hr 1min 11secs, 2 Scruples 1:1.49, 3 So (McLure/Stewart) 1:02.16, Overall: 1 So (McLure/Stewart) 15pts, 2 Pied Piper (A Harper) 18, 3 Scruples (C Tait) 19

Cork 1720 Class:

Race 1: 1 King Quick (R & G Scott) 59mins, 2 Martin Reilly Motors (D Maguire) 1:00.14, 3 Corwynt IV (S Evans) 1:00.29, Race 2: 1 STBD (S McLean) 1hr 09mins 13secs, 2 Aquatack (D Faherty) 1:10.39, 3 Hibernian (Cagney & Lennon) 1:11.37, Overall: 1 King Quick (R & G Scott) 19pts, 2 Gul (Budd/Woosey) 21, 3 STBD (S McLean) 29

Sportsboat Class:

Race 1: 1 Off Limits (A Burgess) 34mins 53secs, 2 No Limit (G Edmondson) 35.38, 3 Impetuous (N Morton) 36.33, Race 2: 1 No Limit (G Edmondson) 50mins 8secs, 2 Off Limits 50.20, 3 Impetuous (N Morton) 51.06, Overall: 1 Off Limits (A Burgess) 14, 2 Impetuous (N Morton) 14, 3 No Limit (G Edmondson) 16

Laser SB3:

Race 1: 1 McCready Sailboats ( B Spence) 1hr 7mins 12secs, 2 Carolyn (N Rosie) 1:07.17, 3 Cardinal Puff (R Beaman)1:08.16, Race 2: Laser Scottish Office (S McPhail) 57mins 4secs, 2 Cardinal Puff 57.39, 3 Baloo (L Ross) 57.57, Overall: Laser Scottish Office (S McPhail) 21pts, 2 Carolyn (N Rosie) 21, 3 McCready Sailboats (B Spence) 24