The Ailsa Craig race has for 62 years been the highlight of Royal Ulster’s offshore sailing programme. The 80-mile race from Bangor on the north down coast, round the Rock in the Firth of Clyde and back to Bangor, is colloquially known as Paddy's Milestone as it is roughly the halfway point of the sea journey from Belfast to Glasgow. This year there were seven starters.
A light air start for Temptress of Down (red spinnaker) leading Lofna off the Ailsa Craig Race line Photo: Fiona Hicks
The first boat home and winner of IRC 1 and YTC 1 unrestricted was Brian and Ryan Wilson’s Mat 1010 Elixir from Quoile YC and Carrickfergus SC. Lofna, Gill and Derek Fairley’s restored Swan 36 (After Four Years Work, Restored Swan 36 Lofna Sails Again in Northern Ireland (afloat.ie) topped the IRC 2 and YTC 2 class.
After several weeks of strong winds forcing the cancellation of two club points races and the annual Regatta, the breeze at the off was light and mostly southerly for the spinnaker leg from the Club line to Mark No 11 off Luke’s Point to the east, and then a gybe onto a course direct to the Craig. Ryan Wilson of Elixir encountered a real mix of weather conditions: “The weather was very interesting with everything from 0-30 knots, sun, hail and torrential rain leading to over 20 sail changes over the 13 hours”.
Hailstones in June on the Ailsa Craig Race! Photo: courtesy RUYC
The first boat round the Craig was Elixir and close with her for some time was Gareth Martel’s First 40.7, Pippa VI from the host club, but Elixir slipped away on a stronger line of breeze about midnight off Lough Ryan and rounded Ailsa Craig at 0155. In the same division, Michael Eames’s Sunfast 3200 from Strangford Lough YC, All or Nothing and Kevin and Susie Harris’s Sun Odyssey 47 Temptress of Down (RUYC) also suffered from the light airs. In IRC 2 it was the same story with Lofna, Terry Fair’s 31.7 Scotia and Martin and Victoria Dews’ Sigma 33 Elandra of Down all left with little wind.
Nearing the Craig in Royal Ulster's Ailsa Craig Race Photo: Gill Fairley
First to finish at RUYC line was Elixir shortly before 0900 on Saturday morning with Pippa VI just 27 minutes later. All or Nothing finished at 1120 and Temptress at 1230, both victims of the dying wind. Lofna finished at 1544 but unfortunately both Scotia and Elandra had to retire, Elandra, who won last year’s race, having blown out a spinnaker in the hailstorm – “Nothing left but the tapes” according to owner Martin Dews.
After a speedy turnaround, Elixir is on her way to Wicklow for the Round Ireland Race start on Saturday 22nd June. Ryan Wilson reflected on the Ailsa Craig race “It was great to take part in our fourth consecutive Ailsa Craig race, this time in our new boat as our final qualifying race in preparation for the Round Ireland. This was the first year we’ve got round the rock whilst still under darkness (one of the downsides of a faster boat), but we did make it back in time for breakfast!”
