Scottish Students March Forth to BKL 2024 Finals
Inverkeithing Bay on the Forth was the backdrop for the BKL Forth/Scottish Student Sailing Keelboat Championships over the weekend of 16-17th March, organised by Scottish Student Sailing and Port Edgar Yacht Club.
The first day brought excellent conditions with good wind and sunny weather. Race Officer Eilidh Millar elected to begin racing in Inverkeithing Bay to avoid the full strength of the tides. The wind continued to build with the teams acclimatising to the boats this was not without mishap with James Gifford of Strathclyde managing to lose his spinnaker halyard on his first mark rounding forcing the subsequent few races to be run without spinnakers until there was a lull in the weather and it could be retrieved. With 14 races competed the sailors returned to PEYC for a well-earned drink!
On the morning of Sunday, there was optimism in the air despite the lack of wind on the water and in the forecast. The competitors were therefore towed to the racecourse in the hope that the wind would fill in. However, despite perseverance from the race committee, a five-minute glimmer of hope and a few wind dances it wasn’t to be and Sunday ended with no racing.
Strathclyde University, with two teams in 1st and 2nd place therefore qualified for one place to participate in the BKL finals in September, whilst Dundee University claimed the 2nd. The two Scottish University teams therefore join the two Schools teams, Ryde School with Upper Chine and Sherborne School at the Royal Southern Yacht Club on the 27-29th September.
Full results can be found by following this LINK
Scottish Student Sailing gives its thanks to all those who made the event possible including Eilidh Millar, Port Edgar Yacht Club, K-Sail, RYA Scotland, Tunnocks and all the volunteers that put in a monumental effort both in the build-up and during the event.
Report written by Nathan Dickson
Photo Credits Noa Crowley
