The Portsoy Regatta this year was held as a stand-alone event, separate from the Boat Festival – and retained all of the fun and excitement of previous years!
Queensferry was joined by a group of rowers from Kinghorn for this regatta, so that a full range of crews could participate across the different race categories.
The regatta started with reasonably good weather on the Saturday morning, overcast but dry and not a lot of wind; the first race was the Men’s Open 2K race. Hotly contested by ten crews, and won by Golspie, in a time of 13 minutes 42 seconds, Queensferry came in 6th position, with a time of 14 minutes and 22 seconds. Altogether, there was only 1 minute and 18 seconds between 1st and last in a very exciting race.
Next up was the Women’s Open 2K race, contested by 9 crews. The Portsoy Quines won this race in 14 minutes and 37 seconds, with Queensferry crossing the line in 9th place with a time of 16 minutes and 18 seconds, just 3 seconds behind 8th place holders Findhorn.
The Mens 50+ 2K race was contested by 8 crews and won by Golspie in a time of 13 minutes and 42 seconds. Queensferry, although coming 3rd in their wave (fending off a very strong challenge from Portsoy over the entire race) ended up in 5th place, with a time of 14 minutes and 47 seconds.
By the time of the Womens 230+ 2K race conditions had worsened, with the wind picking up and the rain coming on. Queensferry were again in the second wave and had a fairly miserable time waiting to begin, however once the race had started Queensferry held on with the bunch up to about 300 metres to the turning buoy, at which point the wind really picked up and the rain got heavier. The ladies fought valiantly against the conditions but the pack got away from us and Queensferry had to deal with a much stronger wind on the approach to the turning buoy. Once round the buoy Queensferry came home in 8th place.
Following the Womens 230+ race an early lunch was called, in the hope that conditions would improve. Sadly, they didn’t and racing was cancelled for the rest of the day, when conditions became positively biblical in nature! One triumph for Queensferry was that our sturdy gazebo stood up when all others failed! Imagine solid rain flying sideways in a wind of 40mph in the gusts – in may ways it was a great relief when the team at Portsoy called a halt!
Sunday dawned fair but a northerly wind had set in, making the channel out of the harbour to tricky to attempt in rowing boats, so racing was cancelled for the day.
Despite the curtailed racing, an excellent time was had by all – Portsoy lived up to their reputation as a very hospitable club with superb food on offer at the Salmon Bothy and a most enjoyable 60s, 70s and 80s disco in the wonderfully refurbished Church Hall on Saturday evening (if only I had remembered to take the chest wig and gold medallion along!).
Altogether this was an exciting regatta and one that deserves a place in every Club’s calendar for next year!
Post submitted by Mike Breewood.
