IRISH pairing Sam Street and Josh Lloyd were the standout performers on day two of the GP14 World Championships on Belfast Lough, taking back-to-back race victories.
Irish Olympian Ger Owens and Mel Morris continued their impressive championship with second and third-place finishes.
Monday gave competitors and volunteers an unexpectedly relaxed morning ashore at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, while they waited for the forecast breeze to arrive.
By noon, conditions were beginning to improve, and race officer Ruan O’Tiárnaigh released the fleet to launch, setting the course in Helen’s Bay, approximately three miles east of the club.
The international fleet reached the race area at 1.30pm and, with a steady breeze established across Belfast Lough, race two got underway at 2.20pm.
Street and Lloyd claimed the victory in race two, finishing just six seconds ahead of fellow Irish pairing Owens and Morris, with Great Britain’s Oli Hale taking third alongside Harry Shaw, only 14 seconds behind the winners.
With the breeze holding, the race team was able to turn the fleet around for race three later in the afternoon.
Once again, Street and Lloyd proved the pair to beat, securing their second victory of the day. This time, Hale and Shaw moved up to second place, finishing just 13 seconds behind, while Owens and Morris finished third, just 27 seconds off the winners.
The close finishing margins demonstrated just how competitive racing has become among the leading boats, with very little separating the front of the fleet after more than an hour on the water.
Following two successful championship races, competitors enjoyed the long and scenic sail westwards, back along Belfast Lough, towards Cultra, arriving ashore after 6pm.
Local sailor Ross Kearney also enjoyed a strong day on home waters, recording fourth and 11th-place finishes and praising the race management team, courses and quality of racing.
Master boat builder Alistair Duffin was equally appreciative of Monday’s improved conditions, particularly after the relentless rain and cold experienced during Sunday’s challenging opening day.
Meanwhile, Hender Blewitt, of Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club in the North East of England, secured two mid-fleet results.
Blewitt credited some of his improvement to the mentoring and boat-setting advice of his dinghy-park neighbour, Ross Gingles, highlighting the camaraderie that has become as much a feature of this World Championship as the competition itself.
Monday’s racing was sponsored by Goacher Sails and Clamcleats, with both races successfully completed after the weather frustrations of the opening day.
After three championship races, the fleet has now experienced almost every side of Belfast Lough – from Sunday’s rain, cold and dramatic wind shifts, to Monday’s sunshine and steady breeze.
With Street and Lloyd recording two bullets in a single afternoon, the battle for the 2026 GP14 World Championship title is beginning to take shape
