Sailing: Mackay and J97 Jackaroo edged out by Irish crew

None of the top seeds in the main IRC handicap classes managed to emerge from the first day of racing at the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series with a perfect score of two victories.

Hamish Mackay and the crew of the J97 Jackaroo came closest. They won the first contest in light to moderate north-westerly winds and intermittent rain and drizzle on Loch Fyne, but in the second race an Irish crew who won the IRC Class 4 got the better of the former double Scottish Series Trophy winner by a matter of seconds.

Defending Scottish Series Trophy holder John Corson jumped the start gun of the second race on Salamander XX. After winning the first race, sailing very much to their seeding as favourites to triumph in IRC Class 3, Corson's crew had to return and re-cross the line before chasing their fleet upwind. As they turned at the first buoy Corson judged that they were more than two minutes behind the race leader. Coming back to fourth ensures they share the overall lead in their fleet.

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"We were always going to be early but I guess there was not much that we could do once we were going. It was a mistake but we did well to get back up through the fleet to where we got on," explained owner-skipper Corson who won the top trophy last year.

Meanwhile, fifth place in Race 1 in the IRC Class 1 was not an ideal opener for Cork's Anthony O'Leary who has won the major prize twice before, but in the variable breezes off Kintyre which lay directly upwind on the course, it was never going to be a gentle start to the event.