GP14s Gather at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club for Belfast Lough Spring Series

1st March 2023

Ruan and Natasha O’Tiarnaigh from Ballyholme YC lead the GP14 Royal North of Ireland Spring Series sailed on Belfast Lough

The 12-strong GP14 fleet managed four races last Sunday (26th) in the Royal North of Ireland Spring Series, sailed on Belfast Lough, after missing the previous weekend due to adverse weather. After a fourth in the first race, Ruan and Natasha O’Tiarnaigh from Ballyholme YC, six miles to the east, romped home ahead of the fleet in the remaining three races to create a substantial gap of eight points ahead of Steven Nelson and Martin Weatherstone from Newtownards SC on Strangford Lough and Donaghadee SC on the north Down coast.

In his report on the racing, Joe Devitt wrote, “This outing saw a number of new pairings in the teams. Ross Kearney has been joined by Daniel Nelson who has made way for Martin Weatherstone to crew for Steven Nelson. Jane Kearney has been joined by Rebekah O’Tiarnaigh, who has freed up the pointy end in her father’s boat to be filled by her twin Natasha, hot off the heels of her baptism of fire in the UK Nationals and Worlds last season”.

Peter and Andrew Todd, David Mellor and Mike Shaw are new additions to the Royal North fleet.

Racing was brisk, with very shifty and patchy winds coming off the County Down shore. An unforecast gradual and persistent veer made course laying tricky, but Gerry Reid and his team made the best of the conditions.

GP14s prepare for a are start at the Royal North of Ireland Spring Series sailed on Belfast Lough

Race 1 saw the Royal North and Newtownards pairing of Ross Kearney and Daniel Nelson get a flying start and they capitalised to lead through two windward/leeward laps to the finish. Keith and Matteo Louden, the farthest travellers coming from Lough Foyle YC in the Northwest were rewarded for their efforts with a second. Race 2 saw former Olympian Curly Morris and Rachael Stewart straight into the lead, closely followed by Ruan O’Tiarnaigh and Ross Kearney. The O’Tiarnaighs held the lead from the second lap.

Race 3 brought shifty conditions at their most fickle but again it the father and daughter team O’Tiarnaigh take line honours and having found their groove from the start line in Race four, they showed the fleet clean transom flaps to the finish line.

The new teams, as well as the regulars look forward to the rest of the series in the coming weeks.

GP14s at Royal North of Ireland Spring Series sailed on Belfast Lough results

Published in GP14, Northern Ireland Waters, Belfast Lough

Published in GP14

Tagged under

GP14

About The Author

Betty Armstrong

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Betty Armstrong is Afloat and Yachting Life's Northern Ireland Correspondent. Betty grew up racing dinghies but now sails a more sedate Dehler 36 around County Down

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