Galway Bay SB20 Hat-Trick for Duncan & Co

30th July 2012

#sb20 – Ben Duncan, Brian Moran and Joe Turner again showed great pace in the SB20 Western Championships at the weekend knocking up four 1sts and a 6th to win by a 5 point margin. The result is Ben's third back to back win at this event.

Fresh from the recent Volvo Ocean race, the harbour gates once again opened up for the SB20 Western Championships this weekend. Martin Breen and his team from GBSC did a superb job providing six action packed races with Captain Morgan in McSwiggins Bar providing the onshore entertainment.

Ben Duncan, Brian Moran and Joe Turner again showed great pace in the series knocking up four 1sts and a 6th to win by a 5 point margin. This counting as Ben's third back to back win at this event. Second is Aidan O'Connell ably assisted by Graham Elmes. Aidan showing a terrific turn of speed this weekend with some very consistent sailing counting a 2,2,3,3,5. The two leaders hunted each other from the start and pulled off a match racing challenge to expose each others weakness. Watch this space. The O'Reilly brothers on Boomsticks finishing 3rd with Dun Laoghaire Class Captain Doug Smith enjoying a terrific weekend with Killian Collins Mary Collins onboard and finishing 4th overall on countback.

Overnight leader Peter Kennedy unfortunately suffered a broken pole and had to withdraw.

Conditions on the bay were a combination of 15-25 knots with some big swells that the SB class enjoy so much with plenty of whitewater downwind action.

SB20 Western Championships overall:

1st Sharkbait 3287 Ben Duncan Brian Moran/Joe Turner (10.0) 1.0 1.0 6.0 1.0 1.0 20.0 10.0

2nd Ruby Blue 3072 Aidan O'Connell Graham Elmes/Peter Bayly 3.0 2.0 5.0 3.0 2.0 (25.0 DNF) 40.0 15.0

3rd Boomsticks 3222 Brian Reilly Paul Reilly/Jonny O'Dowd 7.0 5.0 4.0 (18.0) 7.0 2.0 43.0 25.0

4th Sacre Bleu 3164 Doug Smith (15.0) 3.0 8.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 40.0 25.0

5th Magic 3198 Mel Collins Scott McKeown/Aidan McSweeney 12.0 8.0 2.0 (14.0) 5.0 3.0 44.0 30.0

6th Hit n' Run 3501 Darren Martin Rodger Ringhaddy/Simon Murray 4.0 11.0 (18.0) 2.0 9.0 4.0 48.0 30.0

7th Milvus Milvus 3338 Rob Howe Paul McMahon/Joanne Sheehy 5.0 10.0 6.0 7.0 10.0 (25.0 DNC) 63.0 38.0

8th Sin Bin 3544 Barry O'Neil James Ryan/Emmet Ryan 2.0 14.0 7.0 (19.0) 8.0 11.0 61.0 42.0

9th Manamana IRL3 Ronan Downing David SweeneyLisa Neary 6.0 7.0 13.0 8.0 (25.0 OCS) 9.0 68.0 43.0

10th Ridgefence 3500 Peter Kennedy Dave Cheyne/Andrew Vaughan 1.0 4.0 3.0 13.0 (25.0 DNF) 25.0 DNC 71.0 46.0

11th Dinghy Supplies 3490 Darragh Sheridan Shane Murphy/Alan 8.0 (16.0) 10.0 9.0 14.0 6.0 63.0 47.0

12th Lia 3449 Dave Barry Owen Laverty/Ger 14.0 12.0 9.0 (16.0) 6.0 8.0 65.0 49.0

13th Venvesworld.com 3316 Ger Dempsey Chris Nolan/Conor Clanchy/Barker 11.0 (18.0) 17.0 4.0 12.0 7.0 69.0 51.0

14th Boatmec.com 3433 David Taylor S Ferres/C Glynn 13.0 15.0 16.0 (22.0) 3.0 12.0 81.0 59.0

15th Seriously Bonkers x 3 3484 Marty Cuppage Peter Lee/Michael Galvin 16.0 9.0 20.0 1.0 (25.0 DNF) 14.0 85.0 60.0

16th Alert Packaging 3467 Justin Burke Darren Burke/Osmond Morris 9.0 13.0 21.0 10.0 (25.0 OCS) 10.0 88.0 63.0

17th Bad - Kilcullen 3307 Enda Coineen Jerry Dowling/Rory Byrne 17.0 6.0 12.0 20.0 11.0 (25.0 DNF) 91.0 66.0

18th Monkey 3279 Keith Cassidy Mick McCormack/Ian McSweeney 18.0 (19.0) 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 97.0 78.0

19th Sin a Bhuil 3165 Gillian Guinness Colm Costigan/Mark Wheelin (25.0 DNF) 25.0 DNC 14.0 12.0 13.0 16.0 105.0 80.0

20th Galway Harbour 3426 Aidan Breen Cillian Dickson/Cormac Dickson 19.0 21.0 11.0 17.0 (25.0 RAF) 13.0 106.0 81.0

21st Rubdubdub 3343 Nick Doherty Robert Galvin/Conor O'Regan 21.0 (22.0) 19.0 11.0 16.0 18.0 107.0 85.0

22nd Blue Playground 3270 Cathal Clarke Nigel Moss/Eoin Breen (25.0 DNF) 20.0 23.0 21.0 17.0 17.0 123.0 98.0

23rd Odin 3586 James Gorman Ted Laverty/Keith Staunton 20.0 17.0 22.0 (25.0 DNF) 25.0 DNC 25.0 DNC 134.0 109.0

24th Sirius Black 3315 Anna Leech John Leech/Ken Hudson 22.0 23.0 24.0 23.0 18.0 (25.0 DNC) 135.0

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SB20 (formerly Laser SB3) information

Designed by Tony Castro, the SB20 is a British-built strict one-design 6.15m keelboat conceived as a wide appeal, affordable, competitive sportsboat for teams of three or four sailors. It is also, arguably, the most successful sportsboat in the world with 800 owners competing regularly in a programme of exciting local, national and international events.

Originally known as the Laser SB3, the SB20 continues to deliver on its pioneering promise: a boat that is fun, fast and easy to sail by anyone of any age; the best value-for-money sportsboat in the market.

The Laser SB3 was designed by Castro and launched in 2002. In 2007 the Laser SB3 was awarded ISAF Recognised Status and the first World Championships were held in Ireland in 2008. In 2012, Tony Castro appointed a new builder, Sportsboat World. At this time, the Laser SB3 was renamed the SB20 and building was returned to the UK from Malaysia. The ethos of the class continues.

The boat is a strict one-design class, economic to buy and campaign, easy to sail with a simple deck layout and electric downwind performance delivered by the generous sail plan. The boat has a lifting keel, can easily be launched from a slipway and towed behind a family car.

Previous SB20 World Champions

2008 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan

Host National Yacht Club, Dun laoghaire, Ireland

2009 GBR: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heeley

Host Clube Naval de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

2010 GBR: Jerry Hill, Grant Rollerson, Joe Llewellyn

Host Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy

2011 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills & Emma Clarke

Host Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK

2012 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Lesley Dhonau, Roger Hudson & Asenathi Jim

Host Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Queensland, Australia

2013 GRB: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heley Host COYCH Club, Hyeres, France