Anthony O'Leary, who has Colm Barrington's new Ker 39, campaigns with Rob and Peter Greenhalgh, bidding to win the Trophy for a third time. After winning in 2004 and 2006, O'Leary could equal Scot Jonathan Anderson as the only owner-skipper to win the prestigious trophy three times.
In his favour O'Leary and his team are well acquainted with the idiosyncrasies of the Loch Fyne waters' often capricious breezes.
Dave Dwyer brings a Crosshaven crew which is augmented by Britain's 2000 Soling Olympian Andy Beadsworth as tactician on his Mills 39 footer Marinerscove.ie. Having just defeated Ireland's best at the Irish Saab Cruiser-Racer Nationals last weekend Dwyer and his team are up for the challenge of Loch Fyne.
"To be honest the boat has been going quicker and quicker this season. We took last season off and have worked on the boat a lot. Tarbert is a serious goal this season and we will be out to do our best." Said Dwyer.
The defending Scottish Series champions (who won last year with six straight wins) are Conor Phelan and crew on Jump Juice, the Ker 39. Jump Juice have Jochem Visser overseeing the programme and optimising the boat as well as trimming the mainsheet and have helm, Mark Mansfield, and North Sails' Ruairidh Scott, who was brought up locally in Tarbert, on board again.
Also new to Tarbert, in the 15-strong Class 1, will be George Sisk's new Wow, the Austral Yachts' Farr-designed 42 footer.
But the Irish will have a taste of what faces them on the Solent next month at the Rolex Commodore's Cup when they race against the new Briand-designed First 45 Lady Courrier of Gery Trentesaux. The captain of the France's double winning Commdore's Cup team is no stranger to the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series. He returns with a potent handicap and an excellent team. After finishing second six years ago when he lost out to a crew number infringement when he took a guest on for an afternoon race, the ebullient French entrepreneur has unfinished business.
While the Irish contingent will contribute heavily to what promises to be the most competitive IRC Class 1 battle on Loch Fyne since the days of IOR, Class 2 is bigger and not much weaker.
The twenty three boat class contains at least four past holders of the Scottish Series Trophy, including Nick and Miles Stratton. Miles won on Eclipse in 1994 while his father Nick skippered his Hydro Djinn to win outright in 1977. They race a new Archambault A35, Another Djinn. Nick Stratton has participated in all Scottish Series regattas since the series started back in 1975.
Irish hopes are strong in this class with Roy Dickson's Howth based Corby 36 Rosie one of the pre-regatta favourites. They were narrowly eclipsed last year by Blondie which does not race this year.
Among the other Scottish Series winners Steve Goacher, the Lake District sailmaker has just won the warm up Savills Kip Regatta on the Clyde with Keith Lord's A35 A-Crewed-Interest. But they have two Irish A35's to contend with Peter Beamish Aztec and Tony Fox's Gringo.
Entries for the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series, which starts Friday and finishes Monday, stand at 170 boats with the IRC fleets standing up particularly well this year.
