Dumfries sailor Stewart Mitchell travelled to Denmark last week to compete in a prestigious international event which attracted entries from 28 different countries.
The 2019 Finn World Masters in Skovshoved near Copenhagen saw more than 240 sailors representing 169 sailing clubs around the world.
Stewart is a member of Annandale Sailing Club, Lochmaben and Solway Yacht Club, Kippford and races his Finn class dinghy (the class sailed by British Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainsley) at both.
Stewart said the week began with challenging shifty conditions, requiring resetting of the race courses and abandonments, but conditions improved as the week progressed, culminating in superb racing conditions on the Baltic, between Denmark and Sweden.
“Although there were spectacular thunder and lightning storms across the Baltic through the night, the sea sparkled in the sunshine under blue skies through the day for most of the week,” he said.
Having competed in the same event in Barbados in 2017, Stewart was keen to revisit the event and improve on his previous performance. He was delighted to finish 114 out of 248 sailors.
He said: “It was a real privilege to race with some of the best sailors in the world in such stunning conditions. Thanks to the Danish royal yacht club and all the team in Denmark for putting on such a great event.”
