IN the two decades or so of the offshore races from Gourock to Tarbert, Loch Fyne which kick start sailing's prestigious Scottish Series, there has rarely been a perfect one, writes Andi Robertson.

Through Thursday night and into yesterday the middle distance courses, which were set to test the 170 or so crews who departed from Gourock on Thursday evening on their annual moonlit tour of Firth of Clyde landmarks, proved virtually as good as it gets. Almost throughout, they were blessed with a moderate north westerly breeze which only faltered in the chilly dawn early yesterday morning.

After a long, but mostly agreeable, night in winds which mustered 20 knots at times, for many of the quicker handicapped boats it meant a frustrating spell almost parked up between the Cock of Arran and the entrance to Loch Fyne as the field compressed as the breeze faded.

This left little opportunity to rebuild the required time margins over the slower rated boats, and many were left only with the

compensation of still arriving in Tarbert early enough for breakfast before the pubs opened.

After a tight reach to depart from the Cloch, spinnakers were held on a tight power reach - for the bigger boats - to turn at Hamilton Rock, by Lamlash on Arran, followed by another equally tight reach across to Irvine Bay where they gybed and headed to DZ mark, off the Heads of Ayr. This was their southernmost turn for home, for a long true windward leg back to Tarbert.

Richard Loftus' majestic Swan 65 - Desperado the biggest boat in the entire 231 boat regatta - made the early pace, but made the error of straying too far right - towards the Ayrshire flank - when it was the left, Arran, side which paid with a sometimes benevolent bend in the wind. This mistake left Desperado back slugging it out with the pack, while Yorkshireman Tony De Mulder's Ed Dubois designed 37 footer Victric opened with the victory in Class 0.

In Class 1 the combination of a long brisk beat and a slightly slower finish proved almost ideal for Ian and Graham Thomson's Swan 40, Sloop John T which had no margin for error in finishing just 21 seconds clear of three times Scottish Series winner Jonathan Anderson's First 42s7 Duckwall Pooley.

In the 24 strong Sigma 33 Class defending champion Simon Pender, steering St Joan, proved sharpest away from the Gourock start line and was seven minutes clear by the finish. Results:

Class 0: 1. Victric 4, T de Mulder, Corrected Time 13hr:07min:37sec; 2. Eclipse VII, A Duffus, 13:19:04; 3. Wolf, G Williams, 13:36:26. Class 1: 1. Sloop John T, I & G Thomson, 13:18:26; 2, Duckwall Pooley, J Anderson, 13:18:47; 3. Corwynt III, G Evans, 13:20:11; 4. Local Hero, G Howison,13:25:05; 5. Pinocchio VII, P & D Fairley, 13:27:35; 6. Bateleur 97, C Bonar, 13:35:17. Class 2: 1. Moonshine IV, J & P Fowler, 11:37:09; 2. Cracker, B Curran 11:49:30; 3. First by Farr, I McNair, 11:50:01. Class 3: 1. Tundra, D Sharp, 11:18:52; 2. Desperado, J & H Connelly, 11:22:30; 3. Just Magic, C Frize, 11:26:51. Class 4: 1. Charity, C Harvey, 11:45:10; 2. Diamond, G Dawson, 12:03:26; 3. Smokey Too, J Allen, 12:11:28. Class 5: 1. Scanne, G Aikman, 09:26:04; 2. Crusader, J Corson, 09:37:10; 3. Sea Runner, W Carrick, 09:46:48. Class 6: 1. Flying Squad, G Campbell, 09:36:25; 2. Fumarole, A Malcolm 09:40:25;

3. Mallie, McClelland/McFadyen, 09:44:54. Class 7: 1. Southern Comfort, B Bocker, 08:09:18; 2. Whistler, D Williams, 08:21:01; 3. Lindisfarne II, J Pearson, 08:32:59. Sigma 33: 1. St Joan, I Nicolson. 13:00:26; 2. Sigmatic, D McLaren, 13:07:42; 3. Boojum, A Hogg, 13:09:36. Sonata: 1. Kooshtie, G Campbell, 12:36:08; 2. Moonlight, Harris/Hayworth, 12:36:52; 3. Jennyanydots, D Tunnicliffe, 12:38:40.