04/06/2016
Scottish Championships East Lothian Yacht Club

Doug Horner from Swanage S.C. was the first of the few Streakers that took part in the Scottish Streaker championships held at East Lothian S.C on the 4/5 June. Conditions over the weekend were excellent with wall to wall blue skies, and a steady easterly breeze.

Three races were held back to back on the Saturday afternoon, in a moderating force 4-5, and a challenging easterly swell, ideal for downwind surfing and power reaching. The Streakers started with the Laser Radials, and in the second race Calum Robertson bravely took advantage of the port bias and cleared all boats on port tack over the line, only to be caught half way up the first beat: not bad for an old boat. Doug Horner won all three races convincingly, with Peter Lawson second and Calum Robertson third.

On Sunday morning the start was delayed an hour to allow the breakers to clear the ‘Fairway Channel’ to the side of the harbour which allows the fleet out to the Firth of Forth. In contrast to Saturday, the breeze and swell increased during the two back to back races. Doug Horner showed no signs of being tired after hiking all day on Saturday and won both races. The racing between Peter Lawson and Paul Noble for second was close, with Peter showing good upwind speed, and Paul being able to overtake on the downwind legs.

Well done to Doug Horner for winning the Scottish Streaker Championships and for making the effort to drive north from Birmingham, whilst all the other Streaker Sailors in Yorkshire and Lancashire were asleep in their beds. In second place was Peter Lawson a regular visitor to North Berwick, and third was Calum Robertson in his first Streaker travellers event.

Report by Paul Noble