After months of preparation, the day of the second Arran Coastal Rowing Regatta arrived on Saturday and began early in the morning with a hive of activity in the pouring rain.
As the last crews arrived on the first ferry, Lamlash Yacht Club was buzzing – gazebos going up, rowers welcomed with hot drinks, the course laid and the hard standing quickly filled up with a long row of brightly coloured skiffs belonging to rowing clubs from throughout Scotland – South Queensferry, Anstruther and Portobello from the East Coast, while the Clyde was represented by Stranraer (at their first ever regatta), Troon, Largs, Prestwick, Greenock and Cumbrae, and from Arran’s northerly neighbour came a team from Islay.
Despite the downpour and Holy Isle enveloped in mist, everyone was in good spirits and chatted with old friends and new, all the time crossing their fingers that the forecast for brighter weather later in the day would be proved right. By the time the first race started at 11 o’clock, the rain had eased up and the first open men’s race was set in motion on the 1.5km course around the moorings. Despite some strong rowing in the first of two heats, the Arran men put their winter training very firmly into practice by storming through in the second heat to a well-deserved gold medal.