The Moneley Oyster Pearl Dinghy Regatta in Carlingford Lough between Co Down and Co Louth was held last weekend, with racing on a windward/leeward course on both days. So close was the racing that Diarmuid and Aine Gorman, in their Flying Fifteen, just pipped Stephen Callan and Marcos Simpson.
Saturday started with a stiff breeze with gusts of force 6, making the conditions interesting but preventing the junior fleet from launching, so their event had to be postponed. The strong wind and the steep chop added to the difficulty of the tactical battle, which developed between the leading boats and the crews. The racing was tight, with the wins shared between the Flying Fifteens of Stephen Callan and Marcos Simpson counting two firsts and a second and Diarmuid and Áine Gorman with two seconds and a first. Racing was suspended after the third race.
Sunday started with a steady breeze, with the course set just outside the marina. The breeze held for the first race but then built to almost gale conditions in a strong squall, after which it died to a light breeze and then increased to force three for the fourth and final race of the event.
Racing was so close that the positions on the line had only seconds between boats. The story from the first day continued with helms Stephen and Diarmuid splitting the first three races between them to leave the scores tied with the event riding on the last race.
The outcome was in doubt all the way around the course, with the positions only being settled as Diarmuid and Áine stretched out a lead on the last downwind leg to take the win, the overall first slot, and the Moneley Pearl Dinghy championship.
