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SB20 Midlands Regatta Won By 'Dinghy Supplies' Crew At Lough Ree Yacht Club

29th September 2014
SB20 Midlands Regatta Won By 'Dinghy Supplies' Crew At Lough Ree Yacht Club

#sb20 – On a weekend of glorious late September weather a competitive fleet of 10 SB20's made the journey midland for the championships in the always welcoming environment of Lough Ree Yacht Club.
With the forecast pointing towards no wind on the Sunday race officer Geoff O' Donoghue made the decision to hold 4 races on the Saturday to ensure a full series would be raced.

Race 1 was started in unseasonally warm weather with winds of 10-15 knots. Dinghy Supplies helmed by Darragh Sheridan won the race with Alert Packaging helmed by Justin Burke second and Should Be... helmed by Michael O' Connor third. Race 2 was again won by Dinghy Supplies with Yachtsman.ie helmed by David Taylor second and Should Be... third. The third race completed a hat-trick of wins for Dinghy Supplies with Corona Extra helmed by Graeme Grant second and Yachtsman.ie third. The fourth race became a bit shiftier with places changing regularly Yachtsman.ie sailed well to come through to win with Alert Packaging second and Dinghy Supplies third.

At the end of the first days racing Dinghy Supplies were leading by 3 points from Yachtsman.ie second and Alert Packaging third. The class were treated to the hospitality of Lough Ree Yacht Club on the Saturday Night with a very enjoyable meal and some late night socilaising.

Sunday saw more wind than expected and race officer Geoff O, Donaghue took the fleet out for 2 races in lighter winds. It was going to turn out to be a day that demonstrated that no overall lead is safe within this fleet. Both Dinghy Supplies and Yachtsman.ie were seen as the strong front runners and both contrived to make it all go to the wire. Race 5 saw The Bear helmed by Kieran Dorgan win with Monkey helmed by Keith Cassidy second and Should Be.. third. With both Yachtsman.ie sixth and Dinghy Supplies eight the regatta was open to the last race. Race six saw 2 boats over at the start with Yachtsman.ie going straight back and Dinghy Supplies having to hoist gennaker to go back when their number was called a minute into the race. This led to a tense race in shifty conditions for the overall pace setters. Corona Extra sailed clever and won the race with Monkey capping off a well sailed day in tricky conditions with another second and Should Be.. capping off a consistent series with another third. Dinghy Supplies moved from dead last around the first mark to finish seventh and with Yachtsman.ie finishing sixth this meant it was enough for Dinghy Supplies to clinch the title by a point.

Overall it finished Dinghy Supplies first, Yachtsman.ie second and Should Be.. third. With The Bear winning the silver fleet.

Published in SB20
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SB20 (formerly Laser SB3) information

Designed by Tony Castro, the SB20 is a British-built strict one-design 6.15m keelboat conceived as a wide appeal, affordable, competitive sportsboat for teams of three or four sailors. It is also, arguably, the most successful sportsboat in the world with 800 owners competing regularly in a programme of exciting local, national and international events.

Originally known as the Laser SB3, the SB20 continues to deliver on its pioneering promise: a boat that is fun, fast and easy to sail by anyone of any age; the best value-for-money sportsboat in the market.

The Laser SB3 was designed by Castro and launched in 2002. In 2007 the Laser SB3 was awarded ISAF Recognised Status and the first World Championships were held in Ireland in 2008. In 2012, Tony Castro appointed a new builder, Sportsboat World. At this time, the Laser SB3 was renamed the SB20 and building was returned to the UK from Malaysia. The ethos of the class continues.

The boat is a strict one-design class, economic to buy and campaign, easy to sail with a simple deck layout and electric downwind performance delivered by the generous sail plan. The boat has a lifting keel, can easily be launched from a slipway and towed behind a family car.

Previous SB20 World Champions

2008 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan

Host National Yacht Club, Dun laoghaire, Ireland

2009 GBR: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heeley

Host Clube Naval de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

2010 GBR: Jerry Hill, Grant Rollerson, Joe Llewellyn

Host Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy

2011 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills & Emma Clarke

Host Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK

2012 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Lesley Dhonau, Roger Hudson & Asenathi Jim

Host Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Queensland, Australia

2013 GRB: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heley Host COYCH Club, Hyeres, France