Wind doesn’t blow for Quoile Regatta

Wind doesn’t blow for Quoile Regatta

24 June 2015

SEVENTY boats started Quoile Yacht Club’s annual regatta on Saturday — but only half managed to make it to the finish line.

A day which promised so much ended in disappointment. With a steady breeze blowing from the west, regatta officials were confident the various fleets would get round their courses with plenty of time to spare.

However, the weather gods conspired to wreak havoc with a vengeance. The wind swung around and then disappeared, leaving huge windless holes across the lough.

Quite a few of the competitors understandably decided to pack it in and retire. The rest kept going and tried to get finished, but unfortunately some of them ran out of time.

In the big boat IRC 1 class, Peter Holden’s Go To Red, from Whiterock, was the only finisher. Stephen Lynn’s Mipaal, from East Down YC, won a reduced IRC2 class, while Jonathan Gifford’s Apache and Ronnie Crosby’s Mad Fish made it a Quoile 1-2 in the NHC1 category.

Ryan Kelly’s Ruffian 23, Wandering Angus, from Portaferry, took the honours in the NHS2 class ahead of Dennis Kirk’s Load of Mischief, from Whiterock, with Ronnie Baker, from the host club, third in Chips.

The restricted sail classes were won by Leo McCann, from Killyleagh, in Almaviva, and Keith Carr, from East Down, in Blathin.

One of the biggest cheers at the presentation ceremony was for Quoile teenager David Patterson, who was a delighted winner of the Topper dinghy class. Colin Crichton, also from Quoile, claimed top spot in the Topper 4.2s and Henry Greer, from Whiterock, won the Laser 4.7 class.

Irish champion Andrew McCleery, from Killyleagh, teamed up with Whiterock ace Roger Chamberlain to win the Flying Fifteen class. Kenny Smyth was the king of the River sailors once again and Richard Aiken was first in the Glens. There were no finishers in the Dinghy Handicap and Squib classes.

The club commodore, Marcus Crichton, thanked all the competitors and everyone who worked to ensure the day was a great success. The prizes were presented by his wife, Allison. The race officers were Richard Ferguson and Julian Sandford.

Results

IRC1: 1st Go To Red, P. Holden, SLYC.

IRC2: 1st Mipaal, S. Lynn, EDYC.

NHC1: 1st Apache, J. Gifford, QYC; 2nd Mad Fish, R. Crosby, QYC.

NHC2: Wandering Angus, R. Kelly, PSC; 2nd Load of Mischief, D. Kirk, SLYC; 3rd Chips, R.Baker, QYC.

NHC Restricted Sail 1: 1st Almaviva, L. McCann, KYC; 2nd Mañana, M. McKeown, DCC; 3rd Moonshadow, McNamara & Jones, KYC/QYC.

NHC Restricted Sail 2: 1st Blathin, K. Carr, EDYC.

Flying Fifteens: 1st Fast Antic, A. McCleery & R. Chamberlain, KYC; 2nd Ffrigit, P. Lawson & J. Bridges, PSC; 3rd No Excuses, P. & A. Sandford, SSC.

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

Glens: 1st Glen Lark, R. Aiken, SLYC; 2nd Glen Shiel, I. Gleadhill & V. Nelson, SLYC; 3rd Glen Cona, Messrs Bloch, SLYC.

Toppers: 1st D. Patterson, QYC; 2nd C. Cannon, QYC; 3rd E. McLaughlin, SSC.

Topper 4.2: 1st C. Crichton, QYC.

Laser 4.7: 1st H.  Greer, SLYC, 2nd A. Fermor, SLYC; 3rd S. Conway, SSC.