It was with a great spectacle that the Fife Regatta returned after a nine-year hiatus, and 23 yachts visited The Clyde, Scotland, to celebrate the design and craftsmanship of the William Fife dynasty. The 2022 edition benefitted from the support of title sponsor of Richard Mille.
Race One – “The Rothesay Race”
Following a 24 hour delay due to high winds, race officer David Kent eventually got the fleet away on Sunday June 12th. Blustery westerlies, interspersed with heavy rain squalls, introduced the Fife fleet to Scotland’s summer fury in “The Rothesay Race”.
Class 1 set off in heavy rain, and quickly left the shelter of Largs Channel for the Firth of Clyde and a moderate swell. ‘Mariella’, with full sail and fully powered up, chased by ‘Mariquita’, led the fleet to the Inverkip turning mark, and led the fleet into Rothesay Bay.
For Class 2, the rain abated and wind dropped for their start. ‘Falcon’ led her fleet north to Inverkip. For these yachts, frequent wind squalls and heavy rain tested their boat handling and mettle. The sloops ‘Falcon’ and ‘Sonata’ led past Toward Point, fighting waves kicked up by the ebb tide and frequent gusts in the high-20s knots.
The smaller Class 3 boats had a direct route round the north end of Great Cumbrae. Crews had a lively sail in the gusty conditions, with the three similarly sized sloops ‘Lotus’, ‘Coralie’ and ‘Intombi’ each vying for the lead. After a short fetch from Ascog Patches to Bogany Point, the fleet had a short beat to the finish. A special mention to the powerful lugger and newly launched ‘Red’, who had a challenging maiden race, and finished smiling.
Race Two – “The Lay Day Race”
Following from Saturdays cancelled race, a special “lay day” course was set starting and finishing in Rothesay Bay. Monday dawned with a greyness, but quicky improved with glimpses of sun, a steady 12 knot westerly and flatter sea, offering a calmness much welcomed after Sundays harshness.
Class 1 were first to start, ‘Mariquita’ hitting the leeward end of the start line at full pace, leading ‘The Lady Anne’ and ‘Moonbeam IV’ on the short reach to the first mark. The fleet gybed and set spinnakers, down to the Skelmorlie shore. ‘The Lady Anne’, with her bowsprit flown spinnaker, hoisted first and held her spinnaker right down to the leeward mark, rounding first ahead of ‘The Lady Anne’, ‘Moonbeam IV’ and ‘Mariella’. She promptly tacked onto port for the long leg back to Rothesay Bay, ‘Mariquita’ electing to gauge to the south before tacking. With ‘Mariella’ and ‘Moonbeam IV’ hot on the heels of the leaders, ‘The Lady Anne’ held on to finish just 40 seconds in front. ‘Mariella’s upwind pace sees her lead Class 1.
Both Class 2 and 3 raced a shorter course within Rothesay Bay, stretching out on a beat to a laid mark in the East Kyle of Bute, before powering on a reach across the mouth of Loch Striven across the flat water. ‘Kismet’ led ‘Falcon’ to the leeward mark before a beat back to the finish. ‘Mikado’ and ‘Sonata’ share the lead after two races, both with four points.
In Class 3 the small boats pulled no punches, with ‘Intombi’ luffing ‘Ayrshire Lass’ and ‘Red’ head-to-wind to win the pin end of the start line. The Conway One designs led the smaller boats with the assortment of rig designs favouring the modern rigs and colourful spinnakers. ‘Lotus’ leads with two wins from two.
Race Three – “The Loch Fyne Race”
The Richard Mille Fife Regatta bid au revoir to fantastic host port Rothesay. With the “parade of sail” up the east Kyle, through the stunning Burnt Island narrows, the fleet mustered by Kames village for a 1230 start of “The Loch Fyne Race”.
In a light westerly wind, Class 1, under full sail, navigated the west Kyle of Bute searching for the best wind on this narrow high sided stretch of water. ‘Mariella’ and ‘The Lady Anne’ both started strongly. The winds headed the fleet in Inchmarnock Sound. A match race ensued – ‘Mariquita’ leading ‘Moonbeam IV’, covering her every tack. So focused were they on each other, ‘The Lady Anne’ could sail freely, tacked early to hug the south edge of Inchmarnock Island, and snuck round the two leaders with grace. She held her lead to the shortened finish line, awarding her the race win on corrected time. ‘Mariella’ still leads overall, previously unbeaten, having to accept third place today.
Class 2 fought hard for the perfect committee boat start. ‘The Truant’ and ‘Viola’ pushed hard, but ‘Sonata’, pushing hardest, was deemed over the line early, thus suffering a time penalty. The race progressed, and it was ‘Falcon’ who took the lead into Inchmarnock Sound. She held on to finish first on the water and on corrected time, on a shortened course. ‘Viola’ and ‘Sonata’ finished closely behind. ‘Falcon’ now leads on six points, with ‘Mikado’ on seven, ‘Sonata’ on eight.
In Class 3, the light beat down the west Kyle favoured the bermudan rigged boats, with ‘Lotus’ just piping ‘Intombi’ at the line after a close fought battle, with ‘St Patrick’ creeping up the mainland shore to claim third. ‘Ayrshire Lass’ put her big topsail to good use to finish first among the gaff rigged racers. ‘Lotus’ remains unbeaten in Class 3.
Race Report :: “The Bute Race”
“The Bute Race” heralded the departure from fabulous host Portavadie. A long day of challenging winds and enervating rain ensued.
Class 1 started in a solid 8-10 knot south westerly wind. ‘The Lady Anne’ and ‘Moonbeam IV’ took the advantage off the line, a daring port tack approach not quite paying off for ‘Moonbeam III’. The fleet quickly fetched southwards, the heavy clouds clearing. It developed into a speed race, ‘The Lady Anne’ to leeward, ‘Moonbeam IV’ to windward. However, adjacent Inchmarnock, the breeze shut down, progress halted.
‘The Lady Anne’, a slim and stripped-out racer, managed challenging 50° wind shifts well, and was able to pull out a significant lead over her longer but heavier rivals. She held this lead as the wind steadied from the south, and as conditions once again lightened in Largs Channel. It is tied at the top of Class 1, ‘Mariella’ and ‘The Lady Anne’ both counting four points into the finale, “The King’s Course”, tomorrow.
8 metre ‘Falcon’ led the Class 2 fleet from the start, even managing to pass ‘Kentra’ in Class 1 by Garroch Head. ‘Sonata’ and ‘Kismet’ were next to reach the south end of Bute after withstanding the light airs around Inchmarnock. Passing Garroch Head, she was freed to reach across to Millport. ‘Viola’ and ‘Mikado’ soon followed, while ‘Sybil of Cumae’ retired, though stayed to help with the small boats as the wind faded. ‘Falcon’ remains atop Class 2, counting three wins.
Class 3 boats had a challenging day today with the fickle Loch Fyne breeze. ‘Coralie’ lead the early race by gambling on offshore and stayed in the south westerly the longest, before the wind shut off. After a short tea break, the wind returned from the north west, allowing the fleet to show off their spinnakers, with ‘Fiona’ enjoying the downwind sailing to take the lead. There was a very nervous half hour at the end of this race when the northerly left and southerly wind became established, but ‘Fiona’ remained ahead on the water to take a third place on corrected time, behind ‘Coralie’ and ‘St Patrick’. A long day on the water with challenging conditions – sleep well Class 3.
Race Report :: “The King’s Course”
The Richard Mille Fife Regatta is about many things – a celebration of the dynasty which designed and built these beautiful craft, and the boats that survive to this day. The racing perhaps takes second stage to the spectacle. “The King’s Course” today delivered brutal and testing conditions as racing concluded.
Class 1 started under grey skies and interminable rain. In an 18 knot south westerly, perfect starts by ‘Mariella’, ‘Mariquita’, ‘The Lady Anne’ and ‘Kentra’ spread across the long start line. ‘Moonbeam III’ popped out ahead of her faster sister, ‘Moonbeam IV’, to the delight of some. ‘Mariquita’s’ downwind sail area saw her lead at the first mark, chased by ‘The Lady Anne’ and ‘Mariella’. A fetch brought the fleet towards Bute, in starkly deteriorating visibility. Rounding the second mark, the fleet fetched on port past Mount Stuart on Bute, with clearing skies, winds pulsing, weather front passing.
The passing front brought with it challenging heading gusts. ‘Mariquita’ held on, but ‘The Lady Anne’, flying a masthead asymmetric spinnaker, struggled to retain control. After one broach, spinnaker flogging, sheeting on, the shock load overcame her top mast which snapped like a twig. Going into today as regatta joint-leader, a devastating blow. ‘Mariella’, today’s victor in the murk, and for the week, bravo.
Colourful spinnakers adorned Class 2 as they followed Class 1. ‘Mikado’, with her red dragon spinnaker, led ‘The Truant’, ‘Viola’ and ‘Sonata’ at the start, overtaken by ‘Falcon’ and ‘Kismet’ on the run down the Skelmorlie shoreline. In the challenging, changeable conditions, ‘Falcon’ held off ‘Kismet’ and ‘Sonata’ to achieve line honours, and victory on corrected time. ‘Falcon’, this 8 metre sloop, deserves her win for the week.
For their final race, the smaller boats of Class 3 today enjoyed a rainy rip roaring reach to Rothesay and back. Disappointed, ‘St Patrick’ out before the start with halyard issues. On a course that favoured the powerful lines of the William Fife II design ‘Ayrshire Lass’, she quickly established a lead that was never threatened, with ‘Lotus’ taking the runner up prize and wrapping up the series overall. Congratulations ‘Lotus’.
Overall Results
To view additional photos of the 2022 Richard Mille Fife Regatta, please visit the 2022 Gallery.
Please also see:
The Fife Dynasty :: 2022 Regatta :: 2013 Regatta :: 2008 Regatta :: 2003 Regatta :: 1998 Regatta