Solway Yacht Club launches into 120th anniversary year
by Ian Purkis 29 Jan 06:02 PST
Solway Yacht Club annual Prize Giving: Scott McColm, (centre) the new 2024 Club Commodore after being presented with his 2023 sailing prize by Liz Train (left) © Nicola McColm
A very busy Village Hall in Kippford first hosted the great RNLI SOS lunch before handing over to the Yacht Club for their annual Prize-giving party, celebrating everything achieved in 2023 and looking forward to the new season.
After introductions from the Club's new Commodore, Scott McColm, his immediate predecessor Scott Train summarised the achievements and highlights from 2023. These included hosting the very successful Scottish Flying Fifteen Championships as well as open events for the past-Olympic Finn class, National 12s, OKs and ILCA Lasers. As always, the very successful Cadet and Kippford Weeks also featured strongly.
After a presentation about future options for the clubhouse development, the prize-winners for the Club events were celebrated with many awards being presented including the Club's own Cadet and Senior Championships. For the second year running Toby Iglehart was Cadet Champion with runner-up, Lucy Leyshon. In the Seniors it was another double Championship win for Stewart Mitchell with runner up, the combined crew of Colin Filer and Jamie Gascoigne. Special prizes went to Finn Harris, awarded the Cadet's Boat Handling Trophy, next, the combined crew of Tamsin Wallace and Kieran Ganeri, awarded the "Heather Dodds Sportsmanship Trophy" and finally to Liz Train, the "Sailing By" vase for her outstanding contribution to the Club by a non-Committee member. Well done to all!
Then for some party fun! Looking to the coming year and to mark the 120th anniversary, a challenge was set to the almost sixty members present, cadets and seniors, to design a suitable T shirt, recognising the many different types of boating enjoyed at the Club. Split into teams this quickly became a competitive event leading to some energetic designing! Transferring designs onto unused T shirts from a previous event, a member from each team was "volunteered" onto the "catwalk" to model their design, being judged for style and high fashion.
With much extrovert modelling and great merriment, the Commodore, using his own "clap-o-meter" judgement, determined the winners but with so many great designs, the top prize was shared between three teams while all the models, young and not-quite-so young, were rewarded with their own little prize and a big thank you to all from the organisers, Margaret and Ian Purkis, for being so willing to enter into the spirit of the challenge.
With a buffet meal provided by The Anchor Hotel, a particularly sociable start was made to the new season. It does however remain to be seen whether the Committee will approve any of the T shirt designs to be put into production for sale!
2023 Club Prize Winners:
Cadets:
Lucy Leyshon - Topper (2nd Cadet Championship)
Toby Iglehart - Topper (2023 Cadet Champion)
Special Awards
Finn Harris - ILCA4 Laser (Cadet Boat Handling Trophy)
Tamsin Wallace / Kieran Ganeri - RS Feva (Heather Dodds Sportsmanship Trophy)
Seniors:
Richard Colbeck - Buzz (Spring Pursuit)
Scott McColm - Finn (3rd Palnackie Pursuit)
Stewart Biggar - ILCA4 Laser (2nd Palnackie Pursuit)
James Bishop - ILCA7 Laser (Easter Trophy)
Keith Veasey - Finn (4th Club Championship)
Stephen Gaughan, with Richard Colbeck and Lynda Gaughan - Osprey (3rd Club Championship)
Colin Filer & Jamie Gascoigne - Flying Fifteen (2nd Club Championship)
Stewart Mitchell - Finn (2023 Club Champion and multiple race / series winner)
Special award:
Liz Train - "Sailing By" Vase, outstanding contribution trophy