The annual Scottish Series boating event due to be held next month on Loch Fyne has been cancelled and replaced with smaller regatta.
A lack of resources has been blamed for the move with about half the usual 150 teams not attending.
The Scottish Series, known as the “premier regatta” in Scotland, brings competitive yachting teams together at Tarbert on Loch Fyne.
Likened to Formula One but with sail boats, up to 150 teams battle it out annually for the coveted Alfred Mylne Trophy.
Organised by the Clyde Cruising Club (CCC), the Scottish Series was due to take place on the weekend of June 3, which coincides with the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
This, and the lack of resources to deliver the usual premier-level event, has forced the CCC to replace the event with a Platinum Jubilee Regatta.
The new event will provide a more family-friendly atmosphere with less emphasis on the competitive nature of short-course racing.
The hope is to attract more families and visitors to the event, while trying to offset the loss of nearly half the teams due to compete in the Scottish Series.
Funding for the event has been steadily decreasing over the years, and several factors in 2022 have meant it dipped below the minimum amount to stage the event.
‘An incredibly important event for Tarbert’
Vice-commodore at the CCC, Glen Porter, said: “Coming back post-Covid and combined with the Jubilee bank holiday extended weekend, what we have found is we have been skirting close to the minimum we need to deliver the premier aspect of the event.
“This means we cant deliver the Scottish Series as billed, so instead we will deliver a Jubilee regatta, which will be a more casual style of competition and not so much like Formula One style.”
The new event will mean that short competitive races will be replaced with longer more leisurely races over three days instead of the usual four days.
Mr Porter confirmed that many of the shore-side events that were previously planned for the Scottish Series will still go ahead.
Speaking about why the CCC switched to the Platinum Jubilee Regatta as opposed to cancelling the event entirely, Mr Porter said: “We want to be able to help people enjoy their time on the water.
“Yes there will be some people who do not want to participate as it is no longer a premier, high-end event, and they only come to it to win the trophy, but we fully expect the majority to come and enjoy themselves.”
Those who have entered the Scottish Series will be offered a full refund due to the event’s cancellation.
Scottish Series to be replaced by Platinum Jubilee Regatta
During the Scottish Series, the small village of Tarbert becomes a hive of activity with as many as 1,800 competitors alone staying in guest houses and boosting the local economy.
Mr Porter added: “It’s an incredibly important event for Tarbert. The event has often been the kickstart to the summer season.
“It’s the same for any of these big events that come to small villages, and especially sailing has an incredible ability to support small, often remote communities on the west coast.
“Events like the Scottish Series are one of the best ways to support rural economies including island and coastal communities that are often hard to reach by car.”
While Mr Porter acknowledges that the CCC is disappointed with the cancellation of the Scottish Series, he is pleased to present an alternative that he hopes people can enjoy.
