Sunshine and sunscreen were both needed today in the Squib National Championships after Sunday's freezing cold conditions.
Day Two had two races scheduled and the combined fleets ran out of Kinsale harbour this morning with their colourful mace sails and spinnakers spectacularly enhancing the harbour.
Race one (race 2 of the series) started with a wind showing an easterly wind with about 8 knots, there was a very quick right shift that favoured those who had headed out to sea and Lady Penelope, Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Carley, who rounded the windward mark first and took a convincing lead. Following them around was another Burnham boat, Surprise (Duncan Grindley and Julia Batchelor) and Kinsale's Ian Travers and Keith O Riordan in third. Some changes occurred the following leg with David Wines and Keith Davies in White Magic eventually grabbing second place ahead of Surprise who took third place.
Surprise (Duncan Grindley and Julia Batchelor) Photo: Bob Bateman
Between races, the race officer took the opportunity to shift the course round a number of degrees to track the wind which had swung further south. The Squib fleet was less well behaved this time around and the black flag had to be raised to curtail their enthusiasm. The second attempt at this start got the wise gurus of the fleet heading towards to the picturesque “Old Head Lighthouse” before tacking onto port.
The National Squib Championship fleet at Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman
This time it was Mark Hogan and Tom Jeffcoate who RicO’Shea’d off the start line alongside Spoof, Micky Wright and Alex Porteous and reached the windward mark ahead of the fleet. Unfortunately for Spoof, the windward mark isn’t the finish line and RicO’Shea sailed clear for the win whilst Spoof was able to hold off the challenge from Mike Budd and Mark Greaves in Harry VI down what felt like a very long run to the finish. The top Irish boat, Fagan was 5th in this 2nd race the earlier best in the Irish was Outlaw who came sixth in the trickier earlier first race.
Overall leaders in the Squib national championships is currently RicOshea leading Lady Penelope with the Irish fleet leaders being Fagin with KYC locals Outlaw and Allegro in close pursuit.
