Howth Yacht Club's Peter Freyne and Tris Nelson claimed victory in the Classic & Vintage International 14 POW Cup Race at Largs after the fleet finally enjoyed racing following two weather-disrupted days.
Old Meets New — A classic International 14 crosses tacks with a modern boat as the two generations of the class raced on separate courses during POW Day at Largs. Photo: Patrick Condy
Bright sunshine and a fresh south-westerly breeze greeted competitors for POW Day, with the Classic and Vintage fleet racing alongside the modern International 14s on a separate six-lap triangle-sausage course. After two days ashore because of either too little or too much wind, every boat launched, accompanied by a bagpiper from the modern International 14 fleet.
Forecast winds of 15 knots quickly exceeded expectations, with gusts topping 20 knots. Two boats suffered minor damage and were forced to retire before the race settled into a demanding test of boat handling.
Freebooter, the 1977 Classic International 14 sailed by Tris Nelson and Peter Freyne, thrived in the conditions. The Howth Yacht Club pairing opened a commanding lead and later reported reaching speeds of more than 12 knots on their way to victory.
Freebooter Flying — Tris Nelson and Peter Freyne of Howth Yacht Club power Freebooter to overall victory in the Classic & Vintage International 14 POW Cup at Largs. Photo: Patrick Condy
Second place went to Andy Bates and Everett McCoy of Kaneohe Yacht Club, Hawaii, sailing the restored 1952 Mordicus, chartered from the Classic Boat Company.
Historic Runner-Up — Andy Bates and Everett McCoy of Kaneohe Yacht Club, Hawaii, sailed the beautifully restored 1952 Mordicus to second overall after chartering the boat for the event. Photo: Patrick Condy
Paul and Karen Armitage, sailing the 1936 vintage boat Sayonara for Norwich Frostbite Sailing Club, finished third overall and were the leading Vintage entry. Ed Allen and Roger Wood of Blakeney Sailing Club followed in fourth aboard the 1935-built Whirlwind, underlining the competitiveness of the older boats.
Vintage Glory — Paul and Karen Armitage's 1936 Sayonara finished third overall while claiming the Vintage prize and Lady helm honours in testing conditions. Photo: Patrick Condy
Classic Spirit — Ed Allen and Roger Wood guided the 1935 Whirlwind to fourth overall, highlighting the enduring competitiveness of the oldest boats in the Classic & Vintage fleet. Photo: Patrick Condy
A second scheduled race was abandoned as the breeze remained consistently above 20 knots and an adverse tide built a steep chop across the course.
The Classic and Vintage fleet thanked Largs Sailing Club for hosting the separate event despite the challenging weather. Attention now turns to 2027, when the International 14 class celebrates its centenary as the first international dinghy class to reach the 100-year milestone.
