THE annual Easter Monday Ran Dan Race from St Anthony on Gillan Creek to Helford Village took place on a beautiful evening in perfect conditions.

It is a pursuit-style race with the slowest boats starting first and the fastest last. Race organiser, Keith Morgan, had certainly got his handicapping right. The first three boats each contained different types of crews.

A record turn-out of four working boats and nine skiffs took part. First boat home was the working boat, Persevere, crewed by Steve Alan, David Muirhead and Jan Wilkin, last year's runners-up. She was closely followed by a skiff crewed by last year's winners, the mixed crew of Tamsin Gates, Martin Langdon and Aaron Gates. Third place was taken by a working boat with a mixed crew of Stuart George, David Holyer and Emma George.

At a reception in the Shipwright's Arms after the race, the Ben Collins Shield was presented to the winning crew by landlady Maria Herbert.