Killops coasts to impressive double at Quoile Yacht Club

Killops coasts to impressive double at Quoile Yacht Club

11 September 2013

DESPITE a forecast of strong winds, a light and variable breeze caused headaches for race officer Jonathan Gifford as Quoile Yacht Club hosted the third leg of this year’s Round the Lough series.

Fifteen competitors in four classes lined up to take their chances with the fickle winds and it was patience and light wind tactics that proved key on the day.

In the big boat IRC1 class, Raymond Killops made it two for two as he coasted to an easy victory, almost nine minutes ahead of the best of the rest.

The current leader, Ernie Kelly in What’s the Rush II, held on to a second place, just thirteen seconds ahead of Mike Spence and the crew of Le Basculer, who finished in third.

A better turnout in PY1 saw Raymond Beattie’s Tiger Lily and Messrs Barr and Bowsie’s Cheval de Mer provide James Curran’s Gaelforce with some competition this week.

However, Gaelforce maintained last week’s winning form, with another first putting them in a very strong position to take the series overall.

Tiger Lily snatched a second in their debut race with Cheval de Mer back in third.

In PY2, Billy White and Shanty claimed their first win of the series. However, yet another second from the ever consistent Digit under Colin Patterson has put them at the top of the leader board overall.

Shanty and Ryan Kelly’s Wandering Angus are currently just behind on seven points each but after missing last week’s race, a third on Sunday for James Heron’s Straiddorn has left him slightly behind with only two races to go.

Once again, the biggest turn-out was in the restricted sail class where Finola’s Wing, under Messrs Galloway and Thompson, continued their domination of the event with yet another first place.

Jones and McNamara’s Moonshadow claimed a close second, their best result in the series so far, while another third kept Leo McCann and the crew of Almaviva in second place overall.

The penultimate race will be hosted by East Down Yacht Club this Sunday with racing commencing at 1pm. With a race discard about to come into effect, it is still all to play for in many of the classes.

IRC1 overall results: 1st What’s the Rush II, Ernie Kelly, 5 points; 2nd Movistar Bleu, Raymond Killops, 7 points; 3rd Le Basculer, Mike Spence, 9 points.

PY1: 1st Gaelforce, James Curran, 3 points; 2nd Cheval de Mer, Barr/Bowsie, 10 points; 3rd Tiger Lily, Raymond Beattie, 12 points.

PY2: 1st Digit, Colin Patterson, 6 points; 2nd Wandering Angus, Ryan Kelly, 7 points; 3rd Shanty, Billy White, 7 points.

PYRS: 1st Finola’s Wing, Galloway/Thompson, 3 points; 2nd Alma Viva, Leo McCann, 8 points; 3rd Moonshadow, Jones/McNamara, 9 points.