An Olympian, World and national champion were among the sailors competing at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club for the 13-boat 2020 Squib Class Northern Championships on Belfast Lough.
Race 1, 17kts WNW, got away without a hitch, 13 boats on a tight line slipstream sailed by Neil Logan & Robert Marshall with the new Batt sails was showing great boatspeed and rounded the windward mark first, closely followed by Toy For The Boys, Peter Wallace and Martin Weatherstone and Aficionado, John Driscoll and Andrew Vaughan sailed in a dog fight around the course, there were some great waves to surf along on downwind that the fleet relished and it finished with Toy taking line honours from Aficionado, Slipstream 3rd with Prodigal 4th sailed by Greg Bell and Jane Kearney.
1st place - Prodigal, Greg Bell and Jane Kearney
Race 2, had a short postponement as the rain passed down the left side of the course which caused a wind shift, again it started in 17kts to 20kts WNW the fleet were hot out the start and with Toy For The Boys showing amazing boat speed with the new Hyde Jib on, they dominated from start to finish with Prodigal finishing 2nd and Aficionado 3rd.
Race 3, saw the breeze drop to about 12kts, Slipstream again showing the fleet a clean pair of heels followed by prodigal and Aficionado, Toy was involved in an infringement and had to do a 720 and hag to fight there way back, Fagin, Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan after gear issues made a showing at the front of the fleet. The race finished. Slipstream 1st, Prodigal 2nd and Aficionado 3rd with Fagin 4th.
2nd place - Toy for the boys, Peter Wallace and Martin Weatherstone
Day 2
It was all to play for on Day two. Would Toy triumph, could Prodigal prevail or would Aficionado ascend to victory?
Race 4, started off in a WNW 5 to 6 knots, the first start was a general recall as the tide was pushing everyone over the start line. The second start got away well and there was an individual recall up and Prodigal went back to restart, the fleet split left and right and it was Toy to round the top mark first, followed by Jumani sailed by Ross Kearney and Charles Kearney, Then Fagin Patterson and Nolan. Down the run Toy found out they were OCS and pulled out of the race, the fight was on between Jumani, Fagin, Aficionado and Firecracker. Firecracker sailed by Steven Bridges and Matthew Bolton went hard right and Jumani worked there way up the course left of centre, Firecracker rounded ahead but there was drama to unfold, a rain cloud hit the fleet and the wind swung 180 degrees and turned the run into a beat, Firecracker maintained there lead to win a shortened finish followed by Aficionado, Fagin and Jumani.
3rd place - Neil Logan and Robert Marshall
Race 5, didn't start till the rain had passed and the wind settled, the sky cleared and the wind was coming from a NE direction 5 to 6 kts, the race got away clean and Prodigal sailed by Greg Bell and Jane Kearney showed their intentions and were hot out the blocks followed by Jumani, Slipstream, Aficionado and Fagin, Toy didn't get a great start and had to work there way back up the fleet. The race win was taken by Slipstream, then Prodigal followed by Toy and Firecracker.
Race 6, started in a very light breeze 3 or 4kts from an ENE direction, the tide caused a few issues at the pin end of the start with a number of boats not making it and having to bail out, once again Prodigal was quick out the blocks with a clean start, followed by Fagin and Jumani, first round the top mark was Toy on a big left-hand lift followed by Outlaw, Ian Travers and Keith O'Riordan then Slipstream. The wind was very light and flicking, up the second beat there was a big right-hand lift which saw Second Chance sailed by Stephen Stewart and Kevin Thomas take full advantage rounding the windward mark first followed by Jumani and Prodigal with the race almost becoming a drifter the PRO shortened the course down the run and the race was won by Second Chance, then Jumani and Prodigal.
Squib Northern Championships 2020 Results
