The Iniscealtra Sailing Club annual Gortmore Bell race took place on Lough Derg on Saturday 7th September. With very light wind forecast for the day, the usual 30-mile race was shortened to 20 miles, so the race turned at the Coose Bay mark rather than the usual Gortmore.
The class 2 boats started 30 mins earlier than class 1 with ‘Whisper’, a comfort 30, taking the early lead on the water. In class 1, it was ‘Sonic Boom’, an SB20, that led the fleet out. It was these two boats that ended up fighting for the overall win.
‘Sonic Boom’ caught up the 30-minute deficit just before the last turning mark. The northerly wind died out momentarily and was replaced with a Westerly enabling the two class leaders to reach the new breeze first and they stretched out on the rest of the fleet to take first in each class with ‘Sonic boom’, sailed by Andrew Deakin, Brian McElligott and Colm McElligott taking the overall win having gained a further 23 minutes on the shifting upwind leg to the finish.
The wind speed dropped again after the leaders finished, making it a long last leg for the remaining fleet. Second in Class 1 went to ‘Silk’, a First Class 10, with third going to ‘Zombie’, a Platu 25. In Class 2, second place went to ‘Celtic Charisma’, a Kelt 29 and third place went to ‘Serendipity’ a westerly Longbow.
