The RS Feva Irish Nationals attracted 25 sailors to Ballyholme Yacht Club on Belfast Lough for three days of exciting racing for the overall title, the Irish Championship, and the RS Feva GP 1, the latter competition for sailors who are members of the RS Feva UK association.
The West-Southwest winds resulted in a fairly friendly sea, but wind strength ranged from 10 – 15 knots, with Saturday gusts of up to 25, giving the sailors knife-edge racing.
Host club sailors occupied the first three slots in the Irish Nationals, with Emily and Annabel Ridout winning the Irish Championship, their father and brother Matthew and Peter running first in the family division. Third was another local pair, Jessica Dadley-Young, sister of Hannah, who, with Emily Conan, won the Irish 29er Class Association National Championships and Sally Nixon taking third ahead of Finn Foley and Louis Murphy of Royal St George YC.
Breezy conditions at the RS Feva Irish Nationals 2024 & Grand Prix at Ballyholme Yacht Club Photo: Simon McIlwaine
Overall, it was the visitors from Port Dinorwic in Wales, Phoebe and Ben Greenhalgh (whose father Simon is Chair of the RS Feva Association and originally from Ballyholme) first, with the Ridout sisters second and another Port Dinorwic pair, Tom Sinfield and Millie Greenhalgh in third slot. Those three boats finished in the same order at the top of the GP1 competition.
Simon Greenhalgh Chair of the RS Feva Association with Ben and Phoebe Greenhalgh, overall winners of the RS Feva Grand Prix at Ballyholme Yacht Club Photo: Lindsay Nolan
The championship saw other commendable results, with the Royal North of Ireland YC pair, Ross and Martha Nolan, taking fifth and Sam Kelly and Dan Long from East Down YC on Strangford Lough at 6th. They and David and William Fletcher were second and third family boat.
Simon Greenhalgh, chair of the UK Feva Assoc with Jessica Dadley Young and Sally Nixon second overall at the RS Feva Grand Prix at Ballyholme Yacht Club Photo: Lindsay Nolan
Rob Milligan, Commodore BYC, was delighted with the event. "This weekend saw 25 Fevas from across Ireland and the UK racing in ideal conditions for the GP event and the Irish Nationals. It was fantastic to see Ballyholme sailors doing so well, notably Emily and Annabel Ridout, who are the new Irish National Champions," and Simon Greenhalgh from Wales, who is working hard to grow the class, said " The Welsh sailors were welcomed with true Irish warmth to Ballyholme Yacht Club, meeting old friends and making new ones.
The six-race series in 12-18 Kts with an occasional short squall of 25 Kts offered challenging and rewarding racing, which all enjoyed. We look forward to coming back and hope to welcome any Irish boats to our events throughout the UK. "
David Whelan Chairman of Irish Feva Association with Finn Foley (in bucket hat) and Louie Murphy of the Royal St George. They were under 13 Nationals Champions and bronze medalists in the under 18 category Photo: Lindsay Nolan
