The Royal Yacht Squadron's Graham Bailey, racing the restored Dragon Bluebottle – by Royal Appointment – with Will Bedford and Killian Boag, leads the Edinburgh Cup after the first light airs race at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club at Abersoch in North Wales.
Racing began at the 76th Cup after a three-hour postponement in only two to three knots of wind and a strong tide across the race course.
Lying second in Cardigan Bay is Gavia Wilkinson-Cox from Royal Torbay, sailing with Mark Hart, Jake Hardman and Ffon Wood. Recent UK Northern Championship winners at the same venue, Glandore Harbour's Lawrie Smith, Goancalo Ribeiro, Ruairidh Scott and Martin Wrigley lie third.
Bluebottle GBR 192 sailed by Graham Bailey, Julia Bailey, Will Bedford, and Killian Boag were the first race winners at the 76t Edinburgh Cup in Abersoch
Of the four Irish competing, Denis Bergin, Joey Bergin and Rory Byrne are in fifth place in the 31-boat fleet.
It is the second time Bergin and his Sir Ossis of the River IRL 161 team have travelled to Abersoch for the Cup. In admittedly tough conditions, he commented on his fifth place; “Today was trying, light, hard going in the boats, hard to keep the boat tramping along. We got a good start, stayed out to get clear air and managed to stay ahead of the big pack and that helps. We hope we have more wind tomorrow and the rest of the week too. We hope for stronger winds.”
Races two and three are scheduled to run as planned on Wednesday (July 10) with a first race warning signal of 1055.
Download the results below.
