Relief As First Race Gets Underway

After losing the first day’s at Ballyholme due to lack of wind, there was great relief yesterday (Tues) when the breeze filled in enough to allow one race. However, this does mean that the scheduled programme is now three races in arrears.

The easterly breeze hardly ruffled Belfast Lough but it did get up to 7 knots at times and the two hundred sailors in three fleets completed one race over a trapezoidal course. After a further wait of one and half hours, the breeze shifted to ENE and went light and Race Officer Alan CROSBIE from Cork decided to send the fleet home.

The fleet is split randomly into three for the first four days and then on results into Gold, Silver and Bronze divisions. Five qualifying races constitute a championship.

Winner of the Blue fleet was nineteen year old Keir CLARKE, formerly from Northern Ireland but now living in England and sailing for GBR. Coming from fourth round the weather mark to first at the gybe, he held his lead until the end, finishing 21/2 minutes ahead of Jure ZBOGAR of Slovenia and one of the sponsors, Steve COCKERILL of Rooster Sailing (GBR). In the Red fleet Marion CHAIX (France) led Georgios MARKOGIANNIS from Greece over the line and another French sailor, Benoit RAPHALEN took first in the Yellow fleet ahead of Fred CUDMORE (Ireland).

Three races are scheduled for today. Full results are available on the class website at the address below.

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