Raymond is king of the big boats at Narrows Regatta

Raymond is king of the big boats at Narrows Regatta

13 July 2016

THE Narrows Regatta Series on Strangford Lough had everything a sailor could want — except sunshine.

The rain poured, the wind blew and the sun hardly ever made an appearance during four days at Strangford and Portaferry.

Even so, it was another memorable sailing festival and at the end of it all the usual suspects were at the top of the leaderboard.

Raymond Killops and the crew of Movistar Blue, from Killyleagh, once again dominated the big boat IRC 1 class, winning two of the three races to finish well clear of the chasing pack headed by Darren Martin’s high speed SB3, Shark Bait, and Liverpool visitor Jim Cartwright’s Daydream Believer.

Stevie Martin’s Sigma 33, Signet of Kip, took the honours in the IRC 2 class from fellow Whiterock sailor Brian Corry’s RS Elite, Tuppence, while Jonathan Gifford’s Apache, from Quoile Yacht Club, was third.

Another Quoile sailor, James Heron, led the way in the NHC 2 class in his Moody 33, Straiddorn of Down, while Raymond Beattie’s Tiger Lily, from Killyleagh, was the top boat in the NHC 1 category.

Michael McKeown’s Manana from Down Cruising Club was the leading boat in the first of the restricted sail fleets, holding off Leo McCann’s Alamviva, from Killyleagh, and Ian Bogie’s Drumlin, from Whiterock.

The honours in the ultra competitive Flying Fifteen fleet went to Roger Chamberlain and Charlie Horder, from Whiterock.

Former Irish champions Andrew McCleery and Colin Dougan were second and in third place were Shane McCarthy and Jeremy Rogers, from Portaferry.

Kenny Smyth was the king of the River class yet again, Corin Mackenzie took the silverware in the Glens and Simon Watson, from Killyleagh, was at the head of affairs in the Squib class.

Castleward Bay was the venue for the junior sailing and once again the youngsters showed that sailing in Strangford Lough has a vibrant future.

Results

IRC 1: Movistar Blue, R Killops, KYC; 2nd Shark Bait, D Martin, SLYC; 3rd Daydream Believer, J Cartwright.

IRC 2: 1st Signet of Kip, S Martin, SLYC; 2nd Tuppence, B Corry, SLYC; 3rd Apache, J Gifford, QYC.

NHC 1: Tiger Lily, R Beattie, KYC; 2nd Rock ’n Goose, Messrs McLarnon & Wilkinson, PSC; 3rd Scampede, J McAlea, PSC.

NHC 2: 1st Straiddorn of Down, J Heron, QYC; 2nd Loads of Mischief, D Kirk, SLYC; 3rd Wandering Angus, R Kelly, SLYC.

NHC Restricted Sail 1: 1st: Mañana, M McKeown, DCC; 2nd Almaviva, L McCann, KYC; 3rd Drumlin, I Bogie, SLYC.

NHC Restricted Sail 2: 1st Seaborne, R Dow, SLYC.

Flying 15: 1st The Final Resort, R Chamberlain & C Horder, SLYC; 2nd Fast Antic, A McCleery & C Dougan, KYC; 3rd Final Fling, S McCarthy & J Rogers, PSC.

River: 1st Laragh, K & S Smyth, SLYC; 2nd Quoile, R Skillen, SLYC; 3rd Strule, Mesdames Edwards, Hinds & McKnight.

Glen: 1st Glen Moyle, C Mackenzie, SLYC; 2nd Glen Shiel, I Gleadhill & V Nelson, SLYC; 3rd Glen Lark, R Aiken, SLYC.

Sonata: 1st Triad, R Darnley, SLYD; 2nd Hi-Note, C Markwell, SLYC.

Squib: 1st Volante, S Watson, KYC; 2nd Slipstream, R Marshall, KYC; 3rd Firecracker, S Bridges, KYC.

Laser Radial: 1st Patrick McMeekin, SSC; 2nd Ben McMeekin, SSC; 3rd Paul McMeekin, SSC.

Topper: 1st Evie McLaughlin, SSC; 2nd Philip Crichton, QYC/SSC; 3rd Colin Crichton, QYC/SSC.

Optimist: 1st George McBratney, 2nd Josh McMullan, 3rd Sam Warby.