With three three race wins on Saturday Charles Apthorp and Alan Green were always going to be hard to stop for overall honours today at the Mitsubishi Motors Flying Fifteen East Coast Championships at the National Yacht Club. In the end the visiting world champion from Hayling Island Sailing Club won by a convincing margin of eight points.
Second overall was Sean Craig and Chris Doorly on 15 points, a single point ahead of host club club–mates Ian Mathews and Keith Poole.
Full results in the record FF turnout are downloadable below as a PDF file.
Apthorp and Green retained the East Coast championships in an exciting weekends sailing on Dublin Bay. In contrasting conditions, Saturday was wet and windy with winds from the N-NE while Sunday was sunny with the winds eventually coming from the S-SE.
An impressive 33 boats participated with boats travelling from Strangford Lough, Dunmore East and Lough Neagh adding to the strong local fleet. Apthorp dominated proceedings on Saturday in the strong Northerly winds with three wins. Behind it was a much closer racing with places up and down, the chasing group included Ian Mathews& Keith Poole (NYC) who was second overnight, Chamberlain & Hoarder (SLSC) in third with Craig & Doorly (NYC) fourth
Sunday we all arrived to a sunny morning with no wind so the AP was hoisted while ashore, a welcome respite for those that overdid Saturday night! The wind started filling in so off we went for a 1.00pm start. After the delay the fleet was a bit too keen and there was a general recall and the black flag was introduced for the restart where two boats got caught out and were disqualified. On the restart there was a strong out going tide, The fleet split up the beat, Mathews and Mulligan were among those that headed towards the shore and led at the weather mark closely followed by Craig. The gate prove to be the crucial moment, Mathews going left and Craig and Mulligan to the advantageous right, Craig took the lead which he kept to win followed by Mulligan & Court with Mathews third, O’Neill fourth and Apthorp fifth thanks to Statham getting a black flag.
Going into the last race things were more interesting as Craig or Mathews still had a chance if they won and Apthorp was sixth or worse. Alas it was not to be, on the second start after a general recall Mathew, Craig, Chamberlain and Martin were all disqualified under the black flag and headed in for an early shower as Apthorp wrapped up the series with a fifth, the race race been won by McCleery & Dougan (KYC) with Colman & Quinn(NYC) second and Statham third.
Class captain Joe Coughlan performed the prize giving thanking the sponsors, the PRO Brian Mathews and his team including those in the race office and the competitors who all helped make it an exciting and memorable weekends sailing.
There was a record 33–boat Flying Fifteen turnout
