Hot yoal action in Unst

THE UNST Yoal Regatta took place last weekend on a bright and breezy Saturday afternoon.

Ten yoals ventured north for a full day of activities ranging from yoal racing to bairns’ activities, and of course the annual tug-o-war.

The Friday night games were well attended, with five teams taking part although frequent rain showers stopped play every so often. The bairns’ winning team kept up with all the adults well and finished fourth overall.

The outstanding winning team consisted of people from as far north and south in Shetland as you can go – Balta Island Seafare, with help from Bigton folk.

The games consisted of barrel pushing, marble rolling and sewer pipe racing. Friday night was rounded off by the band ZE2 in the Baltasound Hall.

On Saturday the under-16 lasses raced first with the Unst lasses leading the whole way but sadly they didn’t have the stamina to keep ahead of Lerwick at the finish. Results: 1 Lerwick; 2 Unst; 3 Yell.

The under 16-boys were next with Vidlin taking an early lead and holding it to finish first ahead of Lerwick second and Burra third.

In the under-21 women’s race Yell were first followed by Nesting second with Unst finishing third.

The under-21 men’s race was next and Unst were leading until they had a problem with one of their oars where they lost time and places. Results: 1 Lerwick; 2 Aith; 3 Nesting.

In the veteran women’s race Burra led from the start and finished first with Aith second and Lerwick third, Unst finished fourth, just a second behind the Lerwick yoal.

In the veteran men’s race there was a good tussle between Burra and Aith with Burra breaking an oar and Aith getting the glory of first with Burra close behind in second and Lerwick third.

The women’s race had the most yoals racing with nine and also the most controversy. Burra were first followed by Aith second and Vidlin third.

However, Lerwick cut across the bow of Yell in full view of the large crowd and finishing committee. The outcome was that Lerwick lost a place so Yell finished fourth and Lerwick fifth.

The final race of the day was the men’s in which Yell gave a good fight to Burra who won, followed closely by Yell and Aith third.

While the yoal racing was taking place there were activities on shore too. The bairns’ tent was a huge success while the Unst crafts people made a name for themselves in the craft tent.

The Cullivoe Fiddlers and Unst Music and Dance Club kept a lively atmosphere in the beer tent where there was plenty of refreshments available as well as coffee.

The evening was rounded off with music from Jamieson’s Big Pockets and Fullsceilidh Speillemanslag in the Haroldswick Hall.