It’s tight at the top of the leaderboard after the first three races of the SIAC Construction Squib National Championships at Howth Yacht Club today (Sat.30^th), which saw three different race winners, each representing the three main Squib fleets. PHOTOS HERE.

Sailing in moderate south-easterlies that increased in strength as the day went on, the 37-boat fleet was led home in the first race by Howth’s ‘Kerfuffle’ (Jonathan Craig/Hazel Ruane) followed by ‘Ruby Blue’ (Aidan O’Connell/Sian McCleave) of the Royal St.George YC and then ‘Inshallah’ (David Eccles/Philip Hutchinson) of the Royal North of Ireland YC.

Defending champions Peter Wallace and Kerry Boomer of RNIYC in ‘Toy for the Boy’ showed the way in race 2, followed by ‘Inshallah’ and ‘Quickstep III’ (Gordon Patterson/Ross Nolan) to make it a Cultra 1-2-3.

The third race was won by ‘Ruby Blue’, with ‘Quickstep III’ in second ahead of ‘Fagin’ (Michael & David Hill, RNIYC) in third. Subject to protest, Aidan O’Connell has a one point advantage over Peter Wallace with Craig and Eccles joint third on 12 points.