The Narrows Series draws competitors despite gales

The Narrows Series draws competitors despite gales

22 July 2015

IT was a case of four seasons over the four days of the 2015 Narrows Regatta Series.

Torrential rain, gales, sunshine, showers and the doldrums greeted the large number of competitors who made the annual pilgrimage to Strangford and Portaferry. In fact, just about the only thing missing was snow.

Conditions on Thursday evening meant a shortened Bar Buoy Race with the fleet sailing out to a mark off Rock Angus in the Narrows before returning to the finish off Strangford village.

With 40mph winds howling, Friday’s Strangford Regatta was cancelled in the interests of safety.

The best of the conditions were on Saturday for Portaferry Town Regatta and although the sun shone on Sunday, the wind disappeared which turned Portaferry Sailing Club’s big day into a drifter for the 100-plus boats taking part.

At the end of it all there were some familiar faces — and some new ones — at the top of the leaderboard.

Raymond Killops’ Movistar Bleu once again took the honours in the big boat IRC 1 class, with two wins in the two regattas. Ernie Kelly, from Ballyhenry Boat Club, was second in What’s The Rush II and Peter Holden’s Go To Red finished third overall.

Peter Thompson, from East Down Yacht Club, dominated the IRC 2 class in his Impala Alcyone. His clubmate, Stephen Lynn was third in another Impala. Mipaal, with Quoile Yacht Club’s Jonathan Giffford sandwiching them in second place in his Albin Express, Apache.

The McLarnon and Wilkinson-owned Rock ’n’ Goose gave Portaferry Sailing Club something cheer by winning the NHC 1 class, while the honours in the NHC 2 category went to James Heron’s Straiddorn of Down, from Quoile Yacht Club.

Robert Clegg’s Sigma 33, Salena, from Strangford Sailing Club, took top billing in the first of the restricted sail classes ahead of Leo McCann’s Almaviva, from Killyleagh, and Michael McKeown’s Mamana, from Whiterock.

The second restricted sail class was won by the McGookin and Bennett-owned Sloe Gin, from Killyleagh, with Robert Dow, from East Down, second in Sea Borne, and another Killyleagh sailor, Mark Bridges, third in Extreme.

In the River class, Russell Skillen’s Quoile deposed Kenny Smyth’s Laragh to claim the overall prize with the Edwards, Hinds and McKnight-owned Strule in third.

Patrick Storey was the king of the eight-strong Glens fleet, just edging out John Pannell with Richard Aiken not far behind in third.

Simon Watson, from Killyleagh, was once again the best of the Squib helms, with club mates Robert Marshall and Stephen Bridges second and third respectively.

There were ten boats in the Flying Fifteen class and leading the way were husband and wife team Philip and Anna Sandford, from Strangford Sailing Club, with a bit of assistance from Flying Fifteen guru Gerry Reilly. Andrew McCleery and Colin Dougan, from Killyleagh, were second, while Roger Chamberlain and Richard Bolton, from Whiterock, were third.

Once again, there was a sizeable dinghy fleet racing in Castleward Bay and the number of juniors shows that sailing in Strangford Lough remains in rude health.

Results

IRC 1: Movistar Bleu, R Killops, KYC; 2nd What’s the Rush II, E Kelly, BBC; 3rd Go To Red, P Holden, SLYC.

IRC 2: 1st Alcyone, P Thompson & M Watson, EDYC; 2nd Apache, J Gifford, QYC; 3rd Mipaal, S Lynn, EDYC.

NHC 1: 1st Rock ’n’ Goose, K McLarnon & J Wilkinson, PSC; 2nd Katerina, P. Storey, SLYC; 3rd Scampede, J McAlea, PSC.

NHC 2; 1st Straiddorn of Down, J Heron, QYC; 2nd Wandering Angus, R Kelly, PSC; 3rd Triad, R Darnley, SLYC.

NHC Restricted Sail 1: 1st Salena, R. Clegg, SSC; 2nd Almaviva, L McCann, KYC; 3rd Mañana, M McKeown, SLYC.

NHC Restricted Sail 2: 1st Sloe Gin, D McGookin & J Bennett, KYC; 2nd Sea Borne, R Dow, EDYC; 3rd Extreme, M Bridges, KYC.

Flying Fifteen: 1st No Excuse, P & A Sandford, SSC; 2nd Too Fast and Furious, A. McCleery & C Dougan, KYC; 3rd The Final Resort, R. Chamberlain & R Bolton, SLYC.

Glen: 1st Glen Elg, P. Storey, SLYC; 2nd Glen Cuan, J Pannell, SLYC; 3rd Glen Lark, R Aiken, SLYC.

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

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

Dinghy Handicap 1130 and under: 1st R Ramsay (Laser full rig), EDYC; 2nd J Crichton (Laser full rig), QYC/SSC; 3rd B O’Neill (Fireball), EDYC.

Dinghy Handicap 1131 and over: 1st A Ferris (Laser Radial), KYC; 2nd W Browne (Laser Radial), SLYC; 3rd W. Findlay (Laser Radial), SSC.

Laser 4.7, Topper, Topper 4.2, and Mirror: 1st O Mooney (Topper), SLYC/QYC; 2nd B McMeekin (Topper), SSC; 3rd P Crichton (Topper), QYC/SSC.

Optimist: 1st L Nelson (SSC).