#sb20 – Hosted this year by Royal Ulster Yacht Club this weekend's SB20 nationals in Belfast Lough, will feature up to 30 boats
Based at Bangor Marina, the eight race series will kick off on Friday lunchtime in what is looking likely to be a light airs and typically fickle Belfast lough event.
Fresh from his Squib National championship win, Aidan O'Connell on Ruby Blue will be keen to serve up back to back championship wins and is tipped as a hot contender for the title, however he does have to overcome the ever consistent Ben Duncan to achieve this. Based on recent form and speed, Aidan and his team will certainly be tipped for a podium finish.
Duncan however is coming off the back of a typically successful season having scored a Scottish National title, an SB20 Easterns, Westerns and Southerns title. His foray into the Dublin Bay sailing club scene resulted in an impressive string of 6 wins from 6 races.
Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane from Belfast Lough are a team never to be underestimated however. A win on home waters this season for the Northerns title shows that the northerners have the potential to upset. Local Hero Brian Spence and Gareth Flannigan will both be on the water. Although not recently active in the class, both northerners will be keen to assert their influence on the leader board once again.
From the West, Sligo based Brian & Paul Reilly on BMW Boomsticks and Cork based Scott McKeown onboard Magic helmed by Mel Collins will be up for this event, with a few near misses this season, both crews will be hungry for this event and will certainly do damage to the scoreboard and look to upset the table.
Also attending is the formidable team of Emmet and James Ryan, recent RS400 National title winners. The pair have been going from strength to strength in the RS class and will be tipped to cut a dash in the SB's.
