Weather can’t halt Narrows Regattas

19 July 2023

WHILE most of Europe sweltered in a heat wave, torrential rain and gale force winds made for appalling conditions for the competitors waiting for the start of the annual Bar Buoy Race on Friday night.

The precursor to the four-day festival of sailing that is the Narrows Series is a popular event every year, with competitors racing to the Bar Buoy and back testing their skills against wind and tide.

With a heavy heart, in the interests of safety, race officer Gerry Reilly made the call to cancel the event, a well validated decision as the winds continued to howl throughout the night.

Saturday proved a little better, but extremely strong winds still battered Strangford Lough deterring many from even trying for the start line.

On the main course, the strong breeze certainly suited Peter Holden’s mighty Go to Red in the IRC1 class as he claimed a first place on day one, which along with a second and a third over the next two days, lifted him to the top of the pile overall. Visitors took the next two spots, with Ryan and Brian Wilson’s Elixir in second and Trevor Darcy’s very racy VX in third.

In a much bigger NHC1 class, The Love Bug, under Jane Buchanan, took a first on Saturday. However, consistency across the event was key for an overall victory for John Dixon in Lion who snatched first, tied on points with Findlay/Ramsey’s

Self Expression in second with Michael Petticrew in Magdaleyne in third.

Nine Flying 15s braved the conditions on Saturday but it was the McCleery/Dougan combination who took first on the day – which they repeated again, and again at the Portaferry regattas, with three bullets putting them into an unassailable first overall. Roger Chamberlain in The Final Resort took second, while Peter Kennedy’s Team Ridgeway was third overall.

Many a fond heart watched Billy White’s Shanty romp home in the NHC2 class, with Billy’s grandson Brady Kelly following in his grandfather’s steps and guiding the stalwart Verl safely around the course. That’s one for you Billy!

Jack Kennedy’s Meltemi took second on the day, but also managed to bank first in the series, just one point ahead of Shanty, with Paul McKenna’s Traumerei in third overall.

Meanwhile Peter Thomson’s Alcyone took the first of her three bullets, giving her a first on the day and overall, ahead of Grant McCullough’s Imp in second and John Patterson’s Maverick in third. Three RS400s also braved the conditions but the reunited McMeekin brothers, Ben and Patrick, claimed a first, ahead of 1180 in second and the Gabbie Family in third.

Plenty of wind was still the order of the day on Sunday as Portaferry Town Regatta got under way, and the rest of the classes came out to play.

In a very under-represented NHCRS1 Zeelander, under Peter Niblock, took first ahead of Steven Dow’s Madrigal of Saltash in second with Maria McGrogan’s all-female Green Ginger in third, and that by virtue of being the only NHCRS1 boat to finish on Saturday – girl power!

Typically Kenny Smith was king of the River class again, with three bullets to prove it, while Henry Anstey in Glen Iris was the popular winner of the Glen class, despite the first places going to Glen Lark and Glen Orchy respectively.

Paddy Graham lifted the top spot in the NHCRS2 class in his new Intro22, Screwball, with Keith Carr’s Kestrel in second and Colin Jones’ Moonshadow in third, while Keith Nash in the last class battled on to take the Leisure 17 trophy in Orby II.

While the adults battled the conditions in the lough, the up and coming sailors of the future took part in a series of races over the three

days, all held in Castleward Bay, under the watchful eye of race officers Jordan Conway and Michael McCusker.

In the large dinghy handicap class a National 3475 came first, ahead of the McMeekin brothers RS400 in second and Anna Rose Kelly in a Fireball in third.

Despite the unseasonable conditions, race officers Gerry Reilly and John McAlea and their race management teams, provided three excellen days racing on the beautiful Strangford Lough.

The organisers would like to thank their sponsors, Freeman Fuels, The Cuan, Strangford and Ards Borough Council for their support in this event and look forward to better conditions in 2024.

Overall results

IRC1: 1st Going to Red, Peter Holden; 2nd Elixir, Brian and Ryan Wilson; 3rd VX1, Trevor Darcy.

Impala: 1st Alcyone, Peter Thompson; 2nd Imp, Grant McCullough; 3rd Maverick, John Patterson.

NHC1: 1st Lion, John Dixon; 2nd Self Expression, Findlay/Ramsey; 3rd Magdaleyne, M Petticrew.

NHC2: 1st Meltemi, Jack Kennedy; 2nd Shanty, Brady Kelly; 3rd Traumerei, Paul McKenna.

NHCRS1: 1st Zeelander, Peter Niblock; 2nd Madrigal of Saltash, Stephen Dow; 3rd Green Ginger, Maria McGrogan.

NHCRS2: 1st Screwball, Paddy Graham; 2nd Kestrel, Keith Carr; 3rd Moonshadow, Colin Jones.

Flying Fifteen: 1st Fast Antic, McCleery/Dougan; 2nd The Final Resort, Roger Chamberlain; 3rd Team Ridgeway, Peter Kennedy.

River: 1st Laragh, Kenny and Sonia Smyth; 2nd Faughan, Nixon & Lindsay; 3rd Shimna, Andrews & Andrews.

Glen: 1st Glen Iris, Henry Anstey; 2nd Glen Cuan, Roger Pannell; 3rd Glen Lark, Richard Aiken.

Leisure 17: Orby II, Keith Nash.

Large Dinghy Handicap: 1st National, Unknown; 2nd Evil Mom, McMeekin Bros; 3rd Fireball, Anna Rose Kelly.

Laser Radial: 1st 202052; 2nd 155999, Isabella Kelly; 3rd 107747.

Topper: 1st 46718; 2nd 41359; 3rd 44665.

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