Season at Killyleagh ends on a high note

Season at Killyleagh ends on a high note

19 September 2018

DESPITE the gales forecast for later in the evening, the weather was glorious on Saturday for Killyleagh Yacht Club’s annual Closing Day — and better still, the turnout was the best in almost a decade.

With stronger winds forecast for later in the day, light winds prevailed during the morning as 12 competitors lined up for the pursuit race. In an all-comers battle five of the juniors threw down the gauntlet to the NHC fleet and took off well ahead determined to preserve their lead.

First off was the victorious Topper fleet, who dominated the Youth Series this year, eleven minutes ahead of Adam Morrison in his Laser Radial. With the winds ping the Toppers took a spectacular lead, almost a leg ahead before Morrison even crossed the line.

Kyle Bolton’s Sabre 27, Backdraft, led the first of the seven cruisers into the chase, while Raymond Beattie and the crew of Tiger Lily could do nothing but watch the front runners power away as they waited another painstaking twelve minutes for their start.

As the race unfolded around a circular course, Sloe Gin, helmed by birthday boy Samuel Bennett, set his sights on the rest of the cruiser fleet, and made move down wind, picking off five rivals one by one by the end of the first lap.  Meanwhile, Tiger Lily was also starting to roar through the best of the rest of the cruisers, overtaking all but Sloe Gin 45 minutes into the race. 

With the cruisers sorted, both Sloe Gin and Tiger Lily set their sights on the dinghies which had massively benefited from the slightly stronger breeze in the first 15 minutes of the race.

Morrison, in the Laser, moved into second place overall, but a 500-metre lead held by Sarah Kelly in her Topper from the first mark was proving hard to catch. 

With Sloe Gin and Tiger Lily creeping closer minute by minute, Morrison made his move at the last mark, and, despite a magnificent effort from Kelly in the Topper, he took line honours and the Maguire Shield for the second year in a row.  Sarah Kelly was second, with Nikita Kirk, also in a Topper in third.

With wind conditions so hard to predict, prizes were also awarded separately to the cruiser fleet, with McGookin’s Sloe Gin in first, Beattie’s Tiger Lily in second and Mannanan Mac Lir, under Mark and Mandy Broughton, in third.

Even more competitors turned out for the three races in the afternoon, which along with a Dinghy class, saw NHC and Squib classes compete for the Critics and Marshall Cups.

In the all-comers NHC race, Raymond Killops forged ahead of the rest lifting the Critics Cup, with visiting sailor Jonathan Gifford and Apache in second and Tiger Lily in third.

All in all, it was a day for nostalgia in the NHC fleet, as not only was First Magic helmed by a crew of veteran Lightning sailors including Willie Lindsay, Jim Lindsay and Rob Lowry, the evergreen Morrison twins, David and Alastair, took to the water in Adam Morrison’s new Achilles 24, Kili. The Kelly family also tried out their Jaguar 22, Albedo, so cruiser racing at KYC is looking very positive for next year!

With five Squibs taking to the water, there was tough competition for the Marshall Cup and tight racing was the order of the day as the fleet contested the race with little to spare between them in the early stages. 

Overall, however, the Kelly family in Andromeda pulled away from the rest, leaving George Cromie and Robert McClay in Dotzboat in second, with Volante, under commodore Simon Watson and Ryan Withers, in third.       

As the battle unfolded on the larger course, a much smaller dinghy class stayed closer to home in the steady breeze.  After her close finish in the morning race, Sarah Kelly was determined that it wouldn’t happen again, setting off in style ahead of the rest and leaving her sister, Isabella, to take second this time, with Cormac Vint in third.

Once again the self-styled Knot for Sail critics very kindly again sponsored this year’s closing day events. Not only do these gentlemen represent decades of sailing experience at the club, their continued support is very welcome and it was fabulous to see them on the course attempting to win their own prizes.

All at KYC would like to offer them a massive thank you for providing a great day on Saturday.

Although Closing Day sees the end of weekly racing at Killyleagh Yacht Club, the club will again be running their DieHard Dinghy Series, with two races every Sunday, from October 7-28. The cold weather might not be for the faint-hearted, but everyone is welcome and remember – it’s not just for juniors.