Lochaber Dinghy 3 Peaks Race

18th May 1997

Westies lost its grip on the winner’s trophy for the first time in three years to Fife AC – but not without a fight!

Eight boats took part this year with four Westies, two Fifers, one Carnethy, and one unattached runners doing the hard bits (running). The Rodgers team of Mary and Dave get special thanks for filling places at a moments notice.

Myself, Dave, and Alex McGuire of Fife were fighting over the top three places from the first to the last. But it turned out to be Fife’s day in the faster boat, ‘MCP’, helmed by Lochaber’s very competitive Hamish Loudon. I kept catching Alex on the hills only to lose time on the sailings. We both punched the last control on the last hill neck and neck, and Alex pulled away slightly on the descent. Dave was only a minute behind on the last top. The ‘sprint’ across Loch Linnhe was won by MCP with forty seconds between first and second.

My crew excelled themselves since they had only been sailing for a year and their boat, ‘Serendipity’, was by far the oldest boat in the fleet! Dave had a good run considering his 60 mile jog the week before! Kevin was a bit lethargic, by his own admission, and finished seventh; with an all ladies crew, with Mary running and Lesley helming in ‘Mr Blue’ (last year’s winning boat) taking up the rear. Classy t-shirts and prizes were courtesy of VW Nevis Garage. Hopefuly next year the trophy will return Westies bound.

1 MCP Alex McGuire Fife AC 2:09:49

Hamish Loudon & Chris Dodgshon

2 Serendipity Manny Gorman Westies 2:10:30

Mark Maylin & Heloise Maylin

3 Fantasia Dave Rodgers Westies 2:13:52

Kim Cameron & Gerry Evans

7 Golden Plover Kevin Doonan Westies 2:40:24

Duncan McPhee & Henry Methold

8 Mr Blue Mary Rodgers Westies 2:55:47

Lesley Hope & Dorothy McPhee