Word on the grapevine is that Jonathan Anderson's Danish-designed X 4.3 will be among the boats new to Royal Ulster’s Bangor Regatta in June.
The new boat is still in the factory so brand new. He was the previous owner of the J122 El Gran Senor and a winner in Bangor Regatta in 2018. He is looking forward to racing again in Belfast Lough with Murray Findlay from Clyde Cruising Club, who made an impression in Boxcar in the 2022 Bangor event, having won Class 8 in his X 4-0. In the Round Cumbraes Race at Largs Regatta Festival last year, Anderson won IRC 1 and was also awarded the coveted Yacht of the Weekend trophy, so competition in Bangor will be keen.
They plan to compete in the Coastal Class; Anderson said, “We have been coming to Bangor for forty years, great hospitality and craic, good race management and facilities and less than 100 miles from home”.
Ballyholme sailor Adrian Allen has joined the big boat contingent and will sail his Archambault A35 Succession at Bangor Regatta
Having spent most of his sailing career in dinghies, Adrian Allen has joined the big boat contingent and will welcome his Archambault A35 Succession to Bangor from Wales shortly. He plans to compete also in the RC35 seven-part Series which starts on 11/12 May at the Royal Western YC’s Kip Regatta and includes Bangor Regatta at the end of June. He says, “I am excited to be joining in the cruiser racing after such a long time in dinghies. As well as the RC35 circuit, we’ll be doing the IRC Europeans at the Royal Irish in September”.
In that RC35 fleet is John Minnis (Royal Ulster and Royal North), who has already entered Bangor Regatta in his top-achieving Archambault A35 Final Call II. The Final Call team will also travel to the Irish Sea this season for the Kip Regatta, then to Howth for the Wave Regatta and to the Royal Irish YC for the ICRA National Championship and the IRC Europeans Championship. John is hopeful of several of the Scottish RC35 class entering Bangor Regatta as well as a contingent from Dublin Bay. He says, “The inclusion of racing around the Copeland Islands off Donaghadee on the North Down coast will be an added challenge, as strong tides, seaweed banks, overfalls, and navigation will test the whole crew”.
Racing around the Copeland Islands off Donaghadee on the North Down coast will be an added challenge to Bangor Regatta
Another boat new to the Lough and upping the competition in the RC35 division is Brian and Ryan Wilson’s M.A.T 1010 (another Elixir) from Carrickfergus, which will hopefully finish the Round Ireland Race in time to race the final three days of Bangor Regatta.
It is whispered that three Hunter Impalas will be added to the one-design classes. Davy Quinn is one new owner, and two syndicates are acquiring the others. Both arrived shortly from Dublin Bay for the Coffey/Bell/Thompson trio and the Brow/Eves/Hutchinson/Johnston quartet.
Rory Flannigan's newly acquired Sonata to be called Sophia Photo: Gareth Martel
Race Organiser Rory Flannigan will certainly be kept busy running all the on the water activity and racing his new Sonata Sophia in Class 3.
