#flyingfifteen – An emphatic win for Dun Laoghaire duo John Lavery and David O'Brien on Strangford Lough yesterday keeps the Irish Flying fifteen title at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire for another year. The pair took five straight wins in the 23–boat fleet keeping the local challenge from Brian McKee and Steve Martin firmly at bay.
Racing over six races in a variety of conditions from 5-15 knots from Strangford Lough Yacht Club (SLYC) McKee and Martin in turn had a comfortable lead over club mates Roger Chamberlain and Charlie Horder in third with fellow Strangford pairing Andy McCleery and Colin Dougan of Killyleagh YC fourth.
SLYC's Aiistair and Mark Fletcher were winners of the silver fleet.
In 2011 the title was won by Dun Laoghaire's David Gorman and Chris Doorly who were not defending.
The three day event included a unique presentation of Strangford Lough archive yachting footage from the 1930s-70s. Footage included early cine reel of 12 metre and J class yacht racing from a private collection. There were rare glimpses too of early Flying fifteen keelboat competition and a talk by local sailor Peter Browne, who with brother Max, built the first Fifteen in Ireland in 1952. Early black and white images documented the boat under construction and photographs of the maiden sail on the Lough showing the boats wooden spars and cotton sails and a central winch for the jib, a chance for today's fleet to see how much the now fully carbon built Flying fifteens have changed over 60 years.
Next event for the Irish Flying fifteens is at Carrickfergus on Belfast lough on September 15th. The season ends with the East Coast Championships at the National Yacht Club on October 6th.
