This coming weekend the Mitsubishi Flying Fifteen East Coast Championships are being hosted by the National Yacht Club and local fleet captain Joe Coughlan is hoping to have up to thirty entries. With great numbers out in Dublin Bay all season additional boats will be coming from Dunmore East and Stangford Lough as well as from clubs along the Antrim coast and possibly Lough Neagh where there is a growth in the class.
As usual in this fleet it is difficult to call the winner as racing is always close and exciting and any of a number of boats could win. Frequent UK visitor and current holder of the trophy Charles Apthorp is expected to team up with Alan Green and they should be favourites to retain the trophy. Unfortunately National champions Dave Gorman & Chris Doorly will not be competing together as the ISA All Ireland Helmsman’s Championships are on the same weekend in Cork. But there is plenty of talent who will give Apthorp & Green a run for their money including Mathews & Poole (NYC) McCleery & Dougan (KSC), Willis & McPeake (CAYC) and also the in–form Niall & Nicki Meagher (NYC).
As well as FF event at the NYC, the Fireballs Leinster Championships and SB20’s re–arranged Southern Championships will also sail with Brian Mathews as the PRO.