Killyleagh Yacht Club on the western shore of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland was pleased to be able to run its annual keelboat event, which incorporates the Bennett and Crooks Cups last weekend after a forced Covid break for two seasons.
So on Saturday 6th August 22, boats across four classes from several clubs crossed the line for two races in tricky conditions for race officer Nicky McNamara and her team with an offshore breeze in the west.
Spinnaker start for IRC at Killyleagh Photo: Jaime Bennett
The first race got underway with Peter Holden’s J109 Going to Red from Strangford Lough YC winning IRC, closely followed by the Impala Maverick, (John Patterson East Down YC) and in third slot Dermot ‘s Hinds’ Eland 37 Hindsight from Portaferry. The NHC class was well supported, and it was James Regan’s Jeanneau 421 Lizante from East Down taking the bullet. The largest class of the day was the NHCRS, with ten boats competing. It was a visiting boat from Royal North of Ireland YC on Belfast Lough, David Eccles’ Sigma 33 Mungojerrie, who showed great consistency to take the win.
David Eccles winner IRC at Killyleagh Photo: Jaime Bennett
The final class saw the Squibs out for their last race before the Eastern Championships in Howth Yacht Club on the first weekend in September. Simon Watson was first, followed by David Hanna’s Blue and Slipstream in third.
David Hanna's Blue was the Squib class winner at Killyleagh Photo: Jaime Bennett
After a short delay, Race 2 got underway with the IRC boats under a spinnaker start. Maverick won on handicap to take the Bennett cup, closely followed by Going to Red and Grant McCullough’s Impals Imp in third. In the NHC class, it was the consistent James Regan in Lizante who took two firsts on the day to win the Crooks cup, with the First 31.7 Flashpoint (James Murray East Down) in second and Colin Earney’s Club 19 Club Coffee from East Down in third.
In NHCRS, it was David Eccles Mungojerrie who took two firsts to win his class, with D McGookin’s Gibsea 92 Sloe Gin Second. In the Squibs, It was all change, the local David Hanna taking a well-deserved first in race 2, enough for him to win the class on the day.
The Bennett Cup was dedicated in memory of James Bennett in 1988 and his Granddaughter and namesake Jaime Bennett is Killyleagh Yacht Club’s current Commodore.
Results are below
