Prone – Holy Isle Challenge

Arran, Scotland

July 2024

Since 2013, Rhona and I have been regular visitors to Arran, participating in the Lamlash Splash sea swim from Holy Isle to Lamlash. So, when another excuse to visit Arran came along, we didn’t need to think twice.
This time, instead of swimming just over 2km, we would be paddling – 11km from Lamlash, out and around Holy Isle, and then back to Lamlash again – in the Holy Isle Challenge.
This year there was a record 66 participants paddling kayaks, surf skis, stand up and prone paddleboards. (Last year there had been just 1 paddleboard – Glen Sloss on a SUP. This year there were 19 SUPs and 2 proners.)
Just like the Lamlash Splash, there was a super friendly atmosphere. In the past, there has been a wee bit of friction between kayakers and paddleboarders, but just as I’ve seen at events such as the Moray Firth Challenge, and now the Holy Isle Challenge, that friction is long gone, and the atmosphere was nothing but positive!
In 2015 I had paddled around Holy Isle a couple of times and survived, but for this event, I thought it would be safer if I had a sighted guide. I spoke to Andy at Otter’s Tail Arran, and he said that he would ask around. Luckily for me, Andrew Binnie stepped forward to fill the role. Not only was he a great kayaker, but he works in marine conservation and Holy Isle is part of his patch. I couldn’t be in safer hands!
There was a staggered start, with paddleboarders setting off first, followed by the sea kayaks, and then the surf skis bringing up the rear. The staggered start, meant that we should all hopefully arrive back at Lamlash not too far apart from first to last.
The conditions for the paddle couldn’t have been any better, with almost zero wind and hardly any movement on the water.
On the way round Andrew described the scenery to me, telling me about the wildlife and landscape. Sadly, although I was using my Milo comms, when I’m lying down on my board, just a few inches from the water, it isn’t always easy to hear what is being said. But Rhona, who was on her SUP, also had a Milo with her, so she was able to take full advantage of the guided tour, until she paddled out of range.
The event went really well, with new time records being set in all categories. There were 2 of us on prone boards, and I came second. The awesome, (fellow Highland Prone Paddler), James Fletcher beat me by 18½ minutes, but he was on his new super-fast board. I know if I’d been on a similar board, he would only have beaten me by 18 minutes! (And keeping it in the family, James wife Kate won the women’s touring kayaking division.)
Rhona and I had a fantastic time, and it looks like we may be taking 2 trips a year to Arran from now on.
Thanks to Andy, Otter’s Tail Arran, and all the volunteers, and of course the wonderful Andrew Binnie. Maybe see you again next year Andrew!
And also, thanks to R.S. McLaren Photography for the majority of the pics.

RESULTS
00:53:51 Andy Preston Ski Veteran M 1st overall
01:00:36 Leslie Kirkpatrick Perf Masters M 1st Master
01:03:21 Kevin Bonfield Ski Masters M
01:03:25 Andrew Morton Perf Masters M
01:03:30 Gilbert Speirs Perf Masters M
01:04:22 Calum McNicol Ski Masters M
01:12:06 Andrew Bunting Tour Open M 1st Tourer/1st Local
01:12:20 Andy Burrows Sup Masters M 1st SUP
01:12:40 Ken Scott Tour Masters M
01:12:56 Glen Sloss Sup Veteran M
01:14:17 Glen Parry Ski Masters M
01:15:06 Rhodri Herapath Tour Open M
01:15:08 Rory Cook Tour Open M
01:15:30 Niall Colquhoun Sup Masters M
01:19:50 Christain Roots Tour Veteran M
01:20:05 Steven Young Tour Masters M
01:20:54 Katherine Fletcher Tour Veteran F 1st Female
01:21:12 James Fletcher Prone Veteran M 1st Prone Board
01:21:28 Jaya Chandola Sup Veteran F 1st Female SUP
01:22:00 Peter Darwell Tour Masters M
01:22:27 Bill Robinson Tour Masters M
01:23:41 Anne Stoddart Tour Masters F 1st F Master
01:23:58 Angela Kerr Sup Masters F
01:24:09 Ronald Parker Sup Veteran M
01:24:11 Calum Macleod Tour Open M
01:24:32 Elanor McNamara Tour Veteran F 1st Female Local
01:26:23 Mark Bentley Tour Masters M
01:27:43 Jennifer Ng-Armstrong Sup Veteran F
01:29:04 Martin Kerr Sup Masters M
01:29:27 Ebby Sigmund Tour Masters F
01:29:40 Rosie McNamara Tour Under 18 F 1st Junior
01:29:53 Iain (Rusty) Pittams Tour Masters M
01:31:33 Sarah Herapath Tour Masters F
01:31:40 Richard Herapath Tour Masters M
01:32:02 Lindsay Thomson Tandem Masters F 1st Tandem
01:32:02 Malcolm Thomson Tandem Masters M 1st Tandem
01:33:07 Ralph Armond Tandem Open M
01:33:07 Jessica Dunlop Tandem Open F
01:33:48 Rhona Dunbar Sup Veteran F
01:34:38 Carol Miller Tour Masters F
01:37:53 Matthew Clark Tandem Open M
01:37:53 Laura Clark Tandem Open F
01:38:29 Fiona Kearsley Sup Masters F
01:39:48 Dean Dunbar Prone Masters M
01:39:48 Andrew Binnie Tour Masters M
01:40:17 Hamish Riddle Tour Open M
01:40:51 Mark Berry Tour Masters M
01:43:37 Paul Graham Tour Masters M
01:44:56 Findlay White Sup Masters M
01:45:39 John Gannon Sup Veteran M
01:50:00 Chloe Riddle Tour Veteran F
01:50:54 R Wilson Sup Masters F
01:52:03 Rosie Wilson Tour Masters F
01:52:03 Sandra Drummond Tour Masters F
01:52:16 Jane O’Neill Tandem Veteran F
01:52:16 Matthew O’Neill Tandem Under 14 M
01:57:00 Jamie Cowan Sup Veteran M
01:58:58 Suzie Dick Tandem Veteran F
01:58:58 Robert Dick Tandem Under 12 M
02:02:21 Jennifer Smith Sup Veteran F
02:03:27 Bron Alt Sup Veteran F
02:05:06 Fiona McCulloch Sup Veteran F
02:05:15 Adam Fitchet Sup Veteran M
02:05:20 Bill McGregor Tour Masters M
02:05:30 Seria Hogg Sup Masters F
02:15:20 Carol Albison Sup Veteran F