JULY
Craig Pirie secured an unprecedented third Cumbrae Cup win in a row at Millport Golf Club with a two over par total of 138. It was his fourth title in total. 
Despite a surprise stutter to lower league opposition in Gartcairn, Largs Thistle got their season off to a flyer with a series of impressive pre-season victories. Thistle looked to be in fine fettle with 5-1 and 5-0 victories over St Cuthbert's Wanderers and Greenock Juniors respectively, with new striker Scott Adam scoring two consecutive hat-tricks.
The Firth of Clyde Coastal Rowing Club played host to their first ever Youth Regatta as part of a series of events staged around the country to showcase the talents of young rowers. Rowers travelled from Prestwick, North Berwick, Queensferry, and Deveron to take part in the contest. The racing initially over a 500 metre sprint course was later shortened to reflect the worsening conditions as the skiffs burst over some decent swells and rowers battled hard into strong head winds.
A Largs based charity - and a national charity who work with them - had their funds boosted to the tune of £40,000 thanks to the Scottish Open Golf at Dundonald Links with both Gillian's Saltire Appeal of Largs, and Maggies Centres benefitting. Maggie's Centre send people recovering from cancer to homes in Largs and Millport run by the Saltire Appeal to provide rest and recuperation.
AUGUST

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In an amazing story, a Fairlie man had to overcome a heart transplant to win some major cycling honours in Scotland, and on the international scene. Steve Donaldson achieved a bronze in the Time Trials and the Road Race in the British Transplant Games in North Lanarkshire, just a matter of weeks after achieving success in the World Transplant Games in Malaga, where he was the fastest heart transplant patient in both the time trial and the road race.
A special football match took place at Barrfields Park to raise funds for an important charity which benefitted one year old Ross Lundy. Dawson, who is the son of Ross and Carla, was born with a rare condition with a hole in the diaphragm, Dawson's dad Ross is a goalkeeper for Largs Thistle FC and supporter Alex Anderson came up with the idea of the fundraiser, with over £1000 raised for the charity.
Largs Thistle's Ardagh Cup campaign included an impressive 3-1 win over Premier opposition in Kilbirnie. Victories over Dalry and Winton secured passage to the quarter finals where Thistle were unfortunate to go out to Hurlford United 1-0.
Thistle's new assistant boss Martin Crawford transferred from the terracing as a supporter to the management dug-out! Martin had been a former regional scout for Liverpool, Reading and Millwall, and was a former semi professional player for Epsom and Ewell based in Surrey.
The overall winner of the Enterprise Ayrshire Rosebowl for the best performance over the Cumbrae Regattas sailing weekend was Brian Kelly and Lorna Dryburgh in their Merlin Rocket.
SEPTEMBER

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In tennis, defending champion Malcolm McAulay took on first time finalist Blair Cunningham in the Largs Gents singles final. In a thrilling final, with both competitors displaying some top class tennis, Blair eventually got his hands on the trophy winning 6-2, 6-4. The inaugural Murray Cup saw members play a series of qualifiers throughout the season, and the eventual victors were Sarah Cunningham and Crawford Boyd.
The Ladies Singles was a family affair, contested between first team mother and daughter partnership, Lesley Maclellan and Sarah Cunningham. In a closely fought battle, it was experience which shone through as Lesley Maclellan prevailed the eventual winner over two sets, 6-2, 7-5. The Ladies Doubles was won by Janie McKenzie and Margaret Gibson.
Largs Colts 2002s recorded a 9-0 win over Prestwick CFC, and retiring head coach Morris McTaggart got a great send off at the end of the game being presented with a bottle of whisky by Captain Jonny Irvine.
Mrs Nora Malcolm of Largs Halkshill Bowling Club was a member of the successful Ayrshire Bowling Association ladies team who won the Inter County Championship in Inverness. 
It was a topsy-turvy month for Largs with two 4-1 defeats to Troon and Petershill at the start and end of the month, and sandwiched in between were two solitary goal victories over Larkhall and Shettleston.
Saltire swim winner Scott Deans received his trophy from Scott Ward on behalf of Gillian's Saltire Appeal following the impressive Cumbrae-Largs swim. North Ayrshire Swim Club had swimmers from Senior, Synchro and Masters squads who took on the Cumbrae to Largs swim. Some great swims and all very credible times. 

Sailing... The best Two Handed Race ever” declared the competitors of this year’s annual two handed race around either Arran or Holy Island. In it’s 30th year this fiercely fought race puts boats of all sizes on an equal playing field with only 2 sailors per boat. The winner of the Viking Sword was Samurai J (McLeod/Knowles) and overall Yacht of the Week Nemo (A Malcolm).
OCTOBER
Largs Golf Club finished the season as 2017 Ayrshire Senior League winners following an extremely close battle with Kilbirnie Place which was only decided at the last fixture of the season, delivering a 4-1 victory.
Thistle suffered defeats against Renfrew and Cumbernauld as their league form took a dip, although they recorded draws against Beith and Port Glasgow in midweek friendlies. 
Largs Thistle AFC amateurs overcome Port Glasgow at the second time of asking in a Scottish Cup replay. Darren Bogle and a David Mills double sealed a 3-1 win at Bowen Craig.
There were some 'wacky races' on the high seas during the RYA Scotland Champion of Champions trophy at Largs Sailing Club. The autumnal conditions provided with competitors with a stiff easterly wind, and the title was retained for the third year by the National 18 Ultra three man crew, helmed by Stuart Urquhart and Phil Hermiston from Findhorn YC.
The Firth of Clyde Coastal Rowing Group recorded a success at a regatta hosted by Prestwick Coastal Rowing Club featuring teams from Carrick, Troon and Renegade. The mixed open winners were Elizabeth Pratt, Andrew Vost, Gary Watkins, Melanie Grey and Cameron Hughes.
The terrible weather conditions affected golf courses across the west of Scotland with a number of junior academy classes cancelled at Largs. Millport Golf Club also had to contend with drainage issues, and had to dig a 12 feet deep trench on the 18th to resolve issues between the burn and the green.
Pink Day at Skelmorlie Golf Club raised a total of 1920 for breast cancer charities.
NOVEMBER

An enthralling mixed doubles final brought the Largs Tennis Club championships to a close at Inverclyde Sports Centre. The final saw husband and wife duo Gavin and Lesley MacLellan on opposite sides of the net, as Lesley and Andy Auld took on Gavin and Deborah Brown. The assembled crowd certainly got their money’s worth, as the finalists battled it out over 2.5 hours with Gavin and Deborah emerging victorious 6-4, 6-7, 7-6. In the Gents doubles final, Calum Corral and Malcolm McAulay were the winners.

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Thistle had a better month with a draw against Darvel after a surreal first half in which Thistle were 2-0 up but found themselves close to going 4-2 down by half-time, but Ross Lundy saved a penalty, before the Barrfields side netted a dramatic equaliser in the 2nd half when down to ten men. Largs beat Bellshill in the first round of the West of Scotland Cup.
Despite the winter chill, the Ayrshire Padel Tennis rankings has been heating up in recent weeks thanks to some Spanish flair, with a new number one in the form of Mercedes Perez. Mercedes showed the men how it is done by hitting the top of the APT seedings in a sensational opening few weeks with a sizzling six wins in a row.
Thistle U17s advanced to the semi-final of the Presidents Cup with a late winner, in a bad tempered game, at Townhead Park in Cumnock, winning 6-5.
DECEMBER
Kane-do attitude ... Largs teen swimmer Abby Kane broke the S13 World Record for 100m backstroke this month. Abby recorded an impressive 1:09.50 at National Para Swimming Championships held at Manchester Aquatics Centre.

Largs and Millport Weekly News: And brother Fraser Kane impressed in the International Paracycle championship at the British National cycling centre in Manchester last month.

The event is the equivalent to the world cup for mainstream cycling, and encouraged representation from all over the world as far as Ghana and Greece.
Fraser finished a respectable seventh in the overall event, after making it through the qualification heats, and there was only 30-50cm difference between the two front wheels in crossing the finishing line with the winner.
Largs Thistle recorded an important 1-0 victory over Rutherglen Glencairn as they finish the year in fifth spot in the McBookie.com First Division.
West Kilbride's John Byrne finished the year ending number one in the Ayrshire Padel Tennis rankings at Stevenston Industrial Estate.

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