Record turnout and some 1960s revelling combine well in Skeld
Reawick and District Boating Club’s 77th regatta was a resounding success due to the amount of boats and crews attending, the exceptionally good weather conditions and the tremendous community effort.
It all started off on Thursday night with the Eela Competition. Forty-five keen fishermen (and women) took their boats to sea, some came from as far afield as Burra, to fish.
Steven Anderson had the heaviest basket for the men with 53lbs, Amy Anderson for the women with 58lbs. It Gary Johnson for the boys with 57lbs, Emma Cree Hay for the lasses with 9lbs and Ryan Leask had the heaviest fish which was a 14lb cod. The heaviest overall catch of the evening came from a Burra boat with 209lbs. A tasty fry up was enjoyed by all later on in Da Sail Laft.
Friday night’s points rowing races proved to be a very busy with 60 different teams taking part. With a light headwind from the north, seven boats set off for the first race. The results were as follows: Under-16 girls – 1 Nesting 6.41; 2 Yell 6.56.5; 3 Lerwick 6.57.
Under-16 Boys – 1 Lerwick 6.05; 2 Nesting 6.22; 3 Bigton 6.50; 4 Vidlin; 5 Burra.
Under- 21 Girls – 1 Nesting 6.17; 2 Yell 6.29; 3 Unst 6.40; 4 Burra; 5 Bigton; 6 Vidlin. Under 21 Men – 1 Nesting 5.28; 2 Lerwick 5.38; 3 Burra 5.59; 4 Bigton; 5 Whiteness and Weisdale; 6 Vidlin. Veteran Women – 1 Nesting 6.05; 2 Burra 6.13; 3 Aith 6.16; 4 Lerwick; 5 Yell; 6 Bigton; 7 Vidlin; 8 Whiteness and Weisdale.
Veteran Men – 1 Burra 5.33; 2 Lerwick 5.36; 3 Bigton 5.40; 4 Aith; 5 Nesting; 6 Vidlin; 7 Trondra. Open Women’s –1 Burra 5.50; 2 Aith 5.53; 3 Lerwick 5.55; 4 Vidlin; 5 Yell; 6 Bigton; 7 Whiteness and Weisdale; 8 Nesting; 9 Ollaberry.
Open Men’s – 1 Lerwick 5.30; 2 Burra 5.31; 3 Yell 5.33; 4 Nesting; 5 Aith; 6 Vidlin; 7 Reawick; 8 Bigton; 9 Trondra; 10 Whiteness and Weisdale; 11 Nort.
As darkness fell the prize giving was held which saw Lerwick, Nesting and Burra pick up a lot of silverware. Following that a good going GTL disco played to an extremely excitable tent of dancers until the early hours. As always the atmosphere was brilliant and all had a fantastic night.
Saturday morning saw seven boats set off to compete for the Malakoff & William Moore cup with a north-north-westerly wind: 1 Rebellion (Peter Robertson); 2 Cyanara (Joe Irvine); 3 Moody Snoopy (Robert Anderson). Four dinghies turned up to compete for the Dinghy Cup, which is something that has not happened in Skeld for several years: 1 Harum Scarum (Graham and Darren Forrest); Clueless (Kirsten Napier and Shona Duerden); 3 Maximus Spreeus (Maggie Adamson); 4 Don’t Panic (David Hopwood and Ross Mustard). Only one Mirror turned up so that race was not held.
Sixty or so sailors came ashore to enjoy a fine lunch of mince and tatties, followed by delicious Skeld home bakes. This year’s theme day was the 1960s, and by lunch time the beer tent had miraculously transformed into Wastside Woodstock. As always the exceptional amount of time and effort put in by all boating club members and local community was evident. Sunglasses were the order of the day as the sun shone, but you may also have needed them because of the amount of bright 60s attire people wore! There were Wastside Woodstock souvenir photos being taken and printed off as you waited, and Brian Gifford came with his 1960 classic car which really added to the atmosphere.
Hom Bru played throughout the afternoon and kept everyone’s feet tapping. Plenty of food was on offer with Ian’s barbecue, the teas tent, Café Consulate, slush juice drinks, ice creams and the ever popular candy floss. When the bairns thought they had had their fill of ice creams, candy floss and all the sideshow fun and games there was the ever so popular land sports cup to compete for. Every effort was put into the races with all the younger bairns doing really well.
A huge crowd gathered to spectate and just as it was half way through Oscar Charlie came in for a fly over. There was great excitement at that.
A new age group was added to the land sports last year, the under 21s. They seemed keen to join in again, and this turned out to be really entertaining, with races such as wheel barrow, three legged and biggest skipping – in which Jenny Fraser was crowned skipping queen. The winner of the land sports cup was Lyall Polson, aged five, from Quarff.
Seven boats set sail in the afternoon to contest the Speedwell Cup. The wind had backed in a westerly direction by then, but the results were exactly the same as the morning race: 1 Rebellion; 2 Cynara; 3 Moody Snoopy.
The second dinghy race set off to compete for the Umphray Cup and again it was a repeat of the previous dinghy race – 1 Harum Scarum; 2 Clueless; 3 Maximus Spreeus; 4 Don’t Panic.
The Leonard Anderson Memorial Trophy for the best overall performance went to Rebellion (Peter Robertson). He was also the winner of the fun race that was held from Walls to Skeld.
As things started to wind down at Wastside Woodstock everyone made their way up to the Skeld Hall where The Gordon Tulloch Experience put on an excellent night of entertainment.
To round off the regatta a well attended Songs of Praise Service was held in the marquee on Sunday afternoon, lead by Chris Jackson, with readings from Tom and Tori Richardson. A full house enjoyed singing but also had the pleasure of listening to Liam Anderson’s fiddle tune composed especially for the regatta and aptly named Skeld Regatta, and the beautiful voice of Erin Sandsion accompanied by Jack Jamieson, Gary Johnson on mandolin and Bryden Jacobson on accordion. Sunday teas were served following the service.
A spokesman from the club would like to thank everyone who attended the regatta and helped in any way to make it such a success. Also to all who entered into the spirit of the event with good humour, sportsmanship and energy.
