The Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club kicked off the 18th year of the RS 400 Winter Series, welcoming back class veteran Dave Cheyne alongside Susan McKnight.
The event featured a growing fleet, including newcomers Patrick Hamilton with Sam Kelly and Zac and Callum Dalzell with Max Robinson, showcasing the series' rising popularity ahead of the 2025 Euro Cup and Nationals.
Despite initial concerns about the glass-like conditions on Day 1, the 16-boat fleet launched with eagerness.
A delayed start saw increasing winds of 5 knots, and the excitement began as Ross Kearney and Andrew Vaughan led after the first windward mark, closely followed by Rob Dickson, Mike Ferguson, and Liam Donnelly. The close finishes demonstrated the competitiveness of the series, with only a boat length separating multiple finishers.
In Race 2, Rob and Mike maintained their lead, capitalizing on an infringement by Ross and Andrew, securing victory by a margin of 40 seconds.
Race 3, which faced a black flag start due to a general recall, turned into a thrilling contest. Veteran Brian Holmes, sailing with newcomer Rose White, executed a superb strategy to claim victory.
Download results below as a PDF file
