A financial services company, IQ&Co, has been announced as Title Sponsor of Bangor Town Regatta which will be hosted by Royal Ulster Yacht Club on Belfast Lough from 23rd till 26th June.

Listed entries for the regatta are not only local, but expected from across the Irish Sea area.

Visiting entries from clubs in Strangford Lough, the Clyde, Larne Lough, Isle of Man and Dublin Bay, will join the local competitors in nine classes in what promises to be a memorable event.

East Antrim Boat Club has a proud record of top achievements in the sport of sailing and come Bangor Town Regatta at the end of June a flotilla of boats from the Larne based club will be hoping to be among prizewinners at that event.

Making the journey by trailer or by sea will be Ian Patterson and Sue Kitson in the Viper sportsboat Sid, featured recently in Afloat. Peter and his son Gavin Doig and their crew in Jack, a very fast J92; Gavin’s uncle Richard and his crew in the GK24 Sirius; Tom Jobling et al who have been regulars on the Belfast Lough Yachting Conference scene in the Bolero Prodigal, and a past World GP 14 champion Mark Fekkes in his standard First Class 8 Money for Nothing.

Long time EABC member and club historian Tom Jobling is looking forward to the event; “Although cruiser racing on Larne Lough remains as keen as ever, the crew of Prodigal, - my quarter-ton Bolero - are excited as indeed I am, to finally return to Belfast Lough - very much, our happy hunting ground. We are expecting nothing less than four days of champagne sailing and to enjoy RUYC’s renowned après sail. So, keep a weather eye out for the EABC flotilla which will arrive during the Wednesday before BTR opens its doors”.

Royal Ulster Yacht Club and Bangor Marina on Belfast Lough are gearing up for an influx of boats for Bangor Town Regatta at the end of June, with 55 currently entered.

The event of the same name was first sailed over 100 years ago and resurrected in 2018.

The regatta will run from 23rd till 26th June out of Bangor Marina with racing on various courses. Con Murphy of the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire is in charge as the principal race officer with a local team's support.

Jay Colville’s First Forty, Forty Licks from East Down

Entries vary from Fairies, day keelboats from Royal North of Ireland YC about five miles along the coast to the big hitters such as the Harrington/Mulholland/O’Tiarnaigh trio’s IMX 38 Excession entered under RUYC, Ballyholme and Sutton DC, Jay Colville’s First Forty, Forty Licks from East Down on Strangford Lough, Pat Kelly’s J109 from Howth YC and Rush SC and John Minnis’s Archambault 35 Final Call II, the latter two part of the six-boat RC35 division.

Pat Kelly’s J109 from Howth YC and Rush SC

But it looks as though Paul Prentice, Class Captain of the Northern Sigmas of the Sigma 33 Class, will get his ‘magic 15’ wish in what seems to be the largest class at the moment who will be competing in the Irish and Class Championships within the event.

At the moment, fourteen Sigmas are entered, but there is talk of Starshine Challenger, which has been ashore for some time, having been bought locally, so could it be that she will make up the 15 Paul wished for?

Con Murphy from the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour is an internationally known sailor and International Race Officer. So Bangor Town Regatta will be in safe hands as he will be the Principal Race Officer for the event to be hosted by the Royal Ulster Yacht Club at the end of June in Belfast Lough. He will have a local team helping cover the race areas.

During his long association with the world of sailing competitions which included Race Officer on the 49er course at the 2016 Rio Olympics, among other roles Con has been Race Director/PRO for Dun Laoghaire Regatta since its inception in 2011 also RO for the biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race for many years. But it’s not all Committee boat work. He has raced many different classes and now regularly competes in the Water Wags in Dun Laoghaire and Shannon One Designs from Lough Ree and Lough Derg Yacht Clubs.

Con’s wife Cathy will be helping as a Timekeeper in Bangor. She has been sailing since a teenager and raced a 470 at the Seoul Olympics.  She crewed with Con on Steve Fossett’s record-breaking trimaran Lakota in the 1993 Round Ireland Race and is now very active in the Water Wag and Shannon ODs classes.  

Con says he is “looking forward to Bangor Week - we've done many Laser and Multihull and SB3 events on Belfast Lough over the years and have happy memories of camping on the RUYC Tennis Courts to the east of the clubhouse”.

In this post lockdown era, there are so many events on offer that sailors keen to compete in the big competitions are spoilt for choice, and this has never been so true as with the Sigma 33 class this season.

This year’s Irish and Class Championship will be included in Royal Ulster’s Bangor Town Regatta in late June; but for some, it may not be possible to do more than one regatta. There’s the Scottish Series in early June and the coinciding Howth’s Wave Regatta; on 25th June the regatta of the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, home to several of the class Cork Week in July (for which there are already a total of 89 entries), and for some who are lucky enough to race in more than one class, the Squib Nationals at Kinsale on the same date as Bangor Town Regatta.
But Paul Prentice, Class Captain for Northern Sigmas is hopeful of reaching what he calls the ‘Magic15’. He says “There was a good base of a class of at least 10 for the cancelled BTR 2021.

The 'Insider' crew, winners of the 2021 Irish Sigma 33 Championships Photo: Mark Mackey

There are some who have let the entry rollover, and with the passage of time, some have been sold, so reducing the possible entry. Despite this, we are hoping for a good turnout this year in what are some of the best racing waters in the British Isles. I am keen to see who will enter”.

At the moment there are 14 on Paul’s wish list, several of whom have actually entered, others who are planning to come.

Leaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper, Eric Robertson and Kirsty Robertson) from Cove SC, Argyll

Last year’s Irish champions, Stephen Mullaney and Ian Martin’s Insider from Howth will I understand be racing, as will of course runners up Paul and Emma Prentice’s in the local Squawk. Several who finished at the top in the 2019 Irish Championships at the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta have expressed interest. Winner Leaky Roof 2 (Alan Harper, Eric Robertson and Kirsty Robertson) from Cove SC, Argyll, runner up James Miller in Mayrise based at Helensburgh, third-placed Busy Beaver (Mark Bradshaw and Jack Gallagher from Fairlie) and fourth-placed Sea Pie of Cultra (Jerry Colman Manx S & CC) are all looking hopeful. Another welcome visitor will be Avril Banks in Quattro from Pwllheli Sailing Club in North Wales. Also, Donald McLaren’s Sigmatic from Helensburgh is planning to make yet another trip across the North Channel and locals Michael and Chris Johnston from Ballyholme are keen to enter Impulse.

Hopefully, there’ll be an additional local showing from Belfast Lough from Meka 2 owned by Jim Shields of Carrickfergus and Kevin Byers and Michael Russel’s Signet from Ballyholme.

So there are the makings of a really competitive fleet, with top-class one-design racing.

The RC35 class look like putting up a great show at Royal Ulster Yacht Club’s Bangor Town Regatta in June. At the moment the regatta website says, “We look forward to seeing all the entries and will be posting the entry list as soon as possible”, but thanks to Robin Young, Chairman of the RC 35 Class who has listed his “current best idea” of boats planning to attend, we do know already that eight Scottish competitors plan to make the trip along with, he reckons, two Co. Down boats and possibly one from Dublin Bay. Competition in IRC 2 will be top class.

J109 No Worries (Jim Dervin) competing at Largs Regatta Photo: Marc Turner

Among the eight Scottish visitors will be the 2021 winner of the RC 35 season-long Championship, Kevin and Debbie Aitken’s First 36.7 Animal, also 3rd at the last Town Regatta in 2018. John Stamp’s Corby 33, Jacob was runner up last time and Robin and Christine Murray’s First 35 Triple Elf, who finished 4th in 2018 is also hoping to be in Bangor. Fifth in 2018 was Charlie Frize’s Corby 33 Banshee and Robin Young’s J109 Jings, third in Class 2 at last year’s Scottish Series plans to be part of the strong Scottish contingent which includes Jono and Ben Shelley’s J109, so new to the class that it hasn’t been named yet, the J109 No Worries owned by Jim Dervin and John Mill’s Elan 37 Vamp. Taking on that formidable contingent will be the local Archambault 35, John Minnis’s Final Call II, and probably the Strangford based Ker 32 Hijacker (Stuart Cranston). Yet to show his hand is the 2018 IRC 2 winner Pat Kelly from Howth in the J109 Storm.

Final Call II (red assymetric) and the IMX 38 Excession

John Minnis and the Final Call II team are pleased and excited to be racing in the June regatta; “I’m very proud to see RUYC host such a top-end event and all credit to the BTR team for their organisation of an exciting programme of racing over three days. The waters of Belfast Lough provide some of the very best yacht racing and it’s fantastic to see so many Scottish and Irish competitors making their respective passages to be at this event. I understand there will be more entries across the classes from Southern waters which is fantastic, I’m thrilled to see the RC35 Class creating such great competition”.

Robin Young’s J109 Jings

And Robin Young says; “The RC35 class and owners are looking forward to getting back to Bangor for some great close racing in a fantastic piece of water and the fun shoreside hospitality."

A ‘Town’ Regatta at Bangor on Belfast Lough was first held over a century ago and saw reincarnation in 2018. Subsequent planned events fell foul of Covid 19 but Royal Ulster has just announced the welcome return of the regatta in June of this year. It will incorporate the Sigma 33 OOD Irish and Class Championships and count towards the six-part RC35 Championship. There will be ten classes racing for four days from 23rd till 26th June and included will be RS Elites and the Classic Boats, the Waverleys and Fairys.

The event will take place out of Bangor Marina in three race areas in Belfast Lough. The lough is a superb virtually tide free racing location with open waters and few hazards.

Forty Licks (left) and Final Call II

Boatfolk’s Bangor Marina will be supporting the event within the Marina complex with the bonus of shoreside facilities in and around the area. Harbour Master Kevin Baird is looking forward to welcoming the competitors and visitors; “We look forward to offering a very warm welcome to all yacht owners, crew and supporters who will be taking part in the Bangor Town Regatta. The very best sailors from around Ireland and the UK already know that Bangor Bay has some of the finest sailing waters in Europe; this four-day event is sure to offer exhilarating racing and we can guarantee there will be memorable times socialising ashore."

"The event will take place out of Bangor Marina in three race areas in Belfast Lough"

And Gavin Watson, Event Chairman, is excited about the 2022 event. “We are hoping for a fantastic yachting event this summer. Please submit entries as soon as possible to avail of early discounts. We will be continually updating you regarding this year’s sponsors and entertainment, so keep coming back to the site to find out more. We will also be posting on our Facebook page, so please follow us and get up-to-date info on this premier regatta”.

Gavin Watson, Bangor Town Regatta Chairman

Among those who have said they are entering are, in the RC35 class, Bangor based John Minnis in his Archambault 35 Final Call II; and in the Sigmas, David Eccles’ Mungo Jerrie from Royal North; Rusty McGovern of Sail School NI will race his new Tripp 40 in the Coastal division and Jay Colville has his First 40, Forty Licks, entered in Class 1. Jay says, “ The event is well-positioned in the calendar to do the Scottish Series in early June, then Bangor Town Regatta, and Cork Week in July – but it also feeds into the Bangor Portaferry race on 2nd July – I’ll do this on my way to Cork”. Forty Licks is going to be busy! And Gus McRobert, Impala Class captain of the East Down Yacht Club fleet on Strangford Lough, which is showing healthy growth, tells me that at least three or four owners are showing interest in entering.

Impalas racing at East Down YC Photo: courtesy Gus McRobert

Russell McGovern, known generally as Rusty, started Stratus sailing school in 2016 out of Bangor Marina on Belfast Lough, with a 31-footer and two 25 footers. He has now moved on to a new venture, replacing those three with a 40-footer which he will bring back soon from Killybegs. 

Sail School NI is an RYA accredited training establishment offering training in the form of RYA Cruising Scheme with some dinghy race training on demand as well. Sail School NI already has a crew lined up and in training for Bangor Town Regatta in June. They will probably race in the Coastal Races class.

Russell 'Rusty' McGovern

Rusty says Sail School NI strives to make the learning process a fun. “I want to offer sailing to everyone, for people to experience the thrill of gliding through the waves; to offer an escape for a while from the everyday grind. And to use it as a platform to bring people together in an environment where we all work together as a team. And to have a blast!”.

Rusty operates Sail School NI out of Bangor Marina, using the harbour slipway for launching the dinghies. And Harbour Master Kevin Baird is keen to encourage sailing out of Bangor. "We're here to share our passion for boating with everyone and are delighted that Rusty will be operating his school sea from Bangor Marina. We look forward to supporting and helping him make this venture a real success. We know that those undertaking training with him will have great experiences and they’ll tell others and that means more people having fun afloat".

Northern Ireland's biggest sailing event, Bangor Town Regatta, scheduled for June has been cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

The Belfast Lough biennial event has sadly joined the queue of cancelled sailing events this year.

Chairman of the BTR Organising Committee, Gavin Watson has had to announce the fate of this popular regatta. "The BTR organising team and Royal Ulster Yacht Club have been meeting to decide on the future of our event for this year 2021. After much discussion and deliberation with the relevant event stakeholders and authorities, we regret to inform you that Bangor Town Regatta will not take place in June 2021".

Eight months on from when the 2020 fixture was postponed and competitors should have been enjoying the fabulous sailing arena of Belfast Lough, the warm hospitality of Royal Ulster Yacht Club and Bangor town itself, the Chairman is doubtful if any of the organising team knew what was ahead, and the difficulties the sport of yacht racing was going to face in the coming months.

Chairman of Bangor Town Regatta, Gavin Watson of Royal Ulster Yacht Club

He adds "As we sit here today in lockdown across the UK and Ireland, the world of sailing is still facing many uncertainties. Aside from the Government restrictions that are currently in place the organising committee felt that it was important that Bangor Town Regatta run without compromise in the way we remember past regattas with a full programme on and off the water.

On a brighter note, Gavin is pleased to announce that with the vaccination programmes well underway in the UK and government restrictions allowing, the event will be run from Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th June 2022.

He adds " We hope to see all our competitors back with us in 16 months' time. With another extra year to plan, we will be coming back bigger and better than ever!  It only remains for me to say thank you for all the support we have had over the last few months in particular to Royal Ulster Yacht Club and Ards and North Down Borough Council. I look forward to seeing you all in Bangor in 2022".

Bangor Town Regatta on Belfast Lough was a casualty of COVID-19 this year, (in fact the regatta would have been on the water last week), but a 2021 date has now been set for Thursday 24th till Sunday 27th June.

Building on the success of previous years and what is expected to be the biggest inshore sailing event in Northern Ireland next year, BTR21 will be run out of Bangor Marina and hosted by Royal Ulster Yacht Club in partnership with Ards and North Down Borough Council. Entry fees will be frozen at this year’s level.

Event Chairman, Gavin Watson said, “I am really looking forward to welcoming all sailing competitors and supporters to Bangor in June 2021. This will be four days of sailing and socialising to remember. The sailing waters off Bangor offer exciting opportunities to the very best sailors from around the UK and Ireland and coupled with the impressive backdrop of our host venue Royal Ulster Yacht Club, the event is shaping up to be a memorable occasion”.

Two separate race courses set in Belfast Lough will see competitors battle it out over four days of close racing across a variety of fleets. A highly experienced race team, including International Race Officer, Robin Gray.

Further information will be available on the event website and on Afloat's dedicated Bangor Town Regatta page