Portmadoc Sailing Club succeeded in out-sailing the five other Cardigan Bay sailing clubs to take the Squirrel Trophy in the inaugural team race event organised by the Llanbedr and Pensarn Yacht Club on a wet and windy day on Saturday 17 May 2003.

The race, the first of future team races commemorates the life of Eric Tutton who passed away on 8 November 2000 at the age of 89. Up to his death He was still sailing singlehanded in his yacht ‘Squirrel’ and as a former president of Porthmadoc SC and past Commodore of LPYC it was fitting that the Port club won the Trophy.

The 22-mile course was shortened due to the adverse weather but still provided a tremendous spectacle as the 18 yachts, which included the Swedish 41 footer sailed by Eric’s son, Ian, manoeuvred for position at the start line off the beach at Llandanwg. The course traversed the beach of Shell Island before running to a mark off Harlech beach, rounding the Portmadoc Fairway buoy in over 20 knots of wind, the big seas created by a strong wind over tide situation, soon spread the fleet out as it beat towards the finish line at Pwllheli Sailing Club.

The event was organised and the trophy was presented by the Commodore of the Llanbedr and PensarnYC, Bill Stacey, who competed with his grandson, Adam Caroll 14yrs, in his Pandora 700, Blue Tack.

Overall Results

1st Portmadoc SC 1st Quadrille 1st. Oisin 3rd. Morne Fortune 6th (total 10 points)

2nd Madog YC 2nd Madoc Maid 5th Steady Aim 7th Catrin 9th (21 points)

3rd Llanbedr and Pensarn YC 3rd Shoestring 2nd Blue Tack 12th (34 points)

4th Shell Island Sail and Power Club 4th Galatea 4th Bagpuss 15th Lulu 17th (36 points)

5th Merrionedd YC 5th Whiskey Mac 8th Aunt Bill 14th ‘Façade’ 16th (38 points)

6th Pwllheli Sailing Club 6th Cindy Lou 11th – no 2nd or 3rd boats 40 points – (51 points)