BELFAST Lough boats made their presence felt in style at the prestigious Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta last week.
Competitors were treated to some of the finest sailing conditions of the season — three days of glorious sunshine paired with consistent, race-perfect breeze.
In Class 0, local boats were up against some heavyweight contenders, but John Minnis’s Final Call II delivered a standout performance. Racing in a tightly contested six-boat fleet, Final Call II, despite being the lowest handicap boat, emerged victorious after a series of impressive outings.
Michael Browne’s Victric 3 held their own to secure a solid fourth place in the same class.
The largest class in the regatta, Cruiser Coastal IRC, saw 24 boats on the starting line — among them Shaun Douglas’s Game Changer, which turned in a steady regatta to finish a commendable joint seventh in a highly competitive fleet.
In the Sigma 33 class, Belfast Lough had strong representation with Elandra of Down, helmed by Vicky and Martin Dews, and Squawk, sailed by Paul and Emma Prentice. Squawk came out on top of the class, claiming overall victory, while Elandra finished in seventh place after some challenging conditions on course.
Another encouraging result came from John and Louise Burrows aboard their Bavaria 38, Elysium of Rhu, which was competing in the Introductory Cruiser Class. In what was their debut outing on the racing circuit, Elysium performed admirably, taking a well-earned third place in a diverse class of boats.
LOOKING ahead to this coming weekend, all eyes turn to the first-ever IRC NI Championship for cruiser/racer yachts being hosted at Royal Ulster Yacht Club.
The regatta, spread over two days, will feature windward/leeward course racing for the IRC Championship fleet, while the coastal fleet will navigate a more scenic route, taking in local club and navigational marks — and potentially even the Copeland Islands if conditions allow.
Fresh off their Dun Laoghaire success, Final Call II will be among the front-runners to watch. Joining them in the IRC fleet will be two Scottish challengers – Craig Corson’s J109 Salamander XXIII – Final Judgement, and John Stanley-Whyte’s Blue Jay, another J109. From Strangford Lough, Peter Holden’s Going to Red, also a J109, will be joining the fray.
A familiar face making a return to his Belfast Lough roots is Ian McMillan, now sailing the Beneteau 34.7 Daydream Believer. Another returning local is Martin Mahon, racing his speedy ¼ tonner Snoopy.
Among the Sigma 33s and Impalas, Davy Quinn’s Bonanza is tipped as one to watch, particularly after a strong showing in the recent Legacy Wealth Management Early Series at RUYC. Paul and Emma Prentice’s Squawk, buoyed by their Dun Laoghaire win, will also be looking to make an impact. And the trio of Coffey, Bell, and Taylor on Menace are always strong contenders when the pressure is on.
The IRC NI Championship is supported by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), the international governing body for IRC racing, along with North Sails, who are sponsoring two major prizes. This event also marks the final leg of the inaugural Irish Sea Nations Cup, following previous legs in Wales, Scotland, and Dun Laoghaire.
THE Rollins Insurance Copelands Race got underway in promising fashion on Saturday, with a fresh breeze setting the stage for what looked to be an exciting contest. However, in a cruel twist, the wind vanished completely mid-race, leaving the fleet becalmed and ultimately forcing all competitors to retire with no hope of finishing.
Sailing enthusiasts can still look forward to more action with Thursday evening racing continuing as part of the Legacy Wealth Management Late Series.
