This race between teams from Lloyds, the London Stock Exchange and the Baltic Exchange, is run over a course out to the Nab Tower and back.

This year Lutine, Domaine, Babylon and Pollione were the Lloyd's team.  The following is a log from Lutine:

After picking up the boat on Friday night, practicing spinnaker hoists in the dark, and seeing more stars than we had for a long time (well us city dwellers anyway!), we settled into the Anchor on Cowes for a quiet beer with some of the other crews.

Saturday morning saw an early start, as we wanted to get some more practice in.  This was all well and good, but we were concentrating so hard on the practice that we were late across the start line, but once Lutine had gathered boat speed, we pointed high above the rest of the fleet, aiming for the middle of the channel to avoid the worst of the tide.

Crew member Graham Spark trimming - September 2006

Just before Browndown, Lutine, traveling at an average of 8.5 knots passed Anthony Llewellyn Davis and Big Doris, then, as we headed toward the mainland shore, waved to the crew on Babylon as the tide started to push against us.

After an hour and twenty minutes of racing, Lutine passed the forts at about 9.1 knots.  We tried not to tack too often as it certainly takes some time to re-build boat speed, so held out to the mainland and overtook a 40.7, but with the wind decreasing, and the Nab tower approaching, we knew our luck wouldn't last.

After rounding the Nab, and a slow Spinnaker hoist, we set off - the wind veered behind us and with a maximum speed of 9.8 knots, we headed toward Bembridge.  Babylon pushed up their yellow spinnaker and was soon on our tail. 

Heading back towards Cowes, we managed to get plenty of gybing practice in and crossed the finish line in 5 hours, 5 minutes and one second.  Just after crossing the finish line, the shackle from the traveler on the mainsail cracked - thankfully it wasn't during the race!

That evening's dinner, organized by the tock Exchange as the previous years winners, was held at The Prospect on Cowes High Street.  A wonderful super was laid on, and drinking continued at the Corinthian until the early hours.

The Lutine Finn Trophy Crew - L-R; George Beevor, Geoff Spiteri, Graham Spark, Gail Payne, Nikki Oxford, Liz Lotz (ffront), Peter Young, David Liddell, Philip Oxford - September 2006

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