Niall O’Brien and Dermot Flaherty claimed the Ridgeway Irish Flying Fifteen East Coast Championship after a dramatic weekend of racing in Carlingford. The fleet returned to Carlingford for the championship for the first time in many years. Strong south-easterly winds delayed racing by two hours on Saturday before competitors finally got afloat in conditions that proved as challenging as forecast.
A short four-lap course rewarded tactical sailing, with wind bends favouring the right-hand side. Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane made the early running, winning the opening two races. Trevor D’Arcy and Alan McClernon were in contention until they discovered that their tiller-locking key had not been fitted. They recovered to lead the third race from start to finish.
The championship remained wide open heading into Sunday’s racing as the breeze shifted south-west, creating Carlingford’s notorious “kettle” effect with large wind shifts and powerful gusts. Despite a forecast of less breeze, it turned out to even stronger than Saturday.
O’Brien and Flaherty won the opening race of the day to draw level on points with Kennedy and Kane. The deciding race featured repeated lead changes before Kennedy and Kane fought back to the front on the final beat.
However, a violent gust on the last run dramatically altered the outcome – knocking all 4 leading boats over. Peter Kennedy was thrown overboard and required assistance from the rescue RIB, while O’Brien and Flaherty recovered quickly to take the race victory and secure the East Coast Championship. Emma Pierce and Ian Smyth completed the overall podium in third.
Silver Fleet honours went to Niall Bradshaw and Rory Scullion from Strangford Sailing Club, while Slava Luzhansky and Vivian Devlin from host club Carlingford Sailing Club claimed Bronze Fleet victory after an encouraging first championship together.
The fleet delighted by the warm welcome from everyone at Carlingford Sailing Club & were honoured to be the first visitors to Carlingford Sailing Club’s newly built clubhouse, a fantastic space for the club with a breath-taking backdrop of the Mourne mountains across the Lough.
A big thanks has to go to our hosts Carlingford Sailing Club, the event organisers, race officials, volunteers and Sponsors – Ridgeway.
| 1 | 4092 | Niall O’Brien | Dermot Flaherty | -2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 4134 | Peter Kennedy | Stephen Kane | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | (14/DNF) | 7 |
| 3 | 3892 | Emma Pierce | Ian Smyth | 3 | 4 | 4 | -7 | 3 | 14 |
| 4 | 4026 | Alan Green | Caroline Hanniffy | 4 | 5 | -7 | 4 | 2 | 15 |
| 5 | 3753 | Alastair Court | Conor O’Leary | 5 | 3 | -6 | 5 | 5 | 18 |
| 6 | 4061 | Trevor DArcy | Alan McClernon | (14/DNF) | 14/DNS | 1 | 3 | 4 | 22 |
| 7 | 3895 | Niall Bradshaw | Rory Scullion | 7 | 7 | 5 | -8 | 6 | 25 |
| 8 | 3969 | Slava Luzhansky | Vivian Devlin | 6 | 6 | -8 | 6 | 7 | 25 |
| 9 | 3524 | Ross McEntegart | Terry Lenehan | 8 | 8 | 9 | -10 | 9 | 34 |
| 10 | 3445 | Fiachra McCormick | Tetyana Luzhansky | (14/DNF) | 14/DNS | 14/DNS | 9 | 8 | 45 |
| 11 | 352 | Peter Bastible | Cathal Bastible | 9 | 9 | (14/DNF) | 14/DNS | 14/DNF | 46 |
| 12= | 2551 | Eddie Conway | Eamonn | (14/DNF) | 14/DNS | 14/DNS | 14/DNS | 14/DNS | 56 |
| 12= | 4128 | Niall Meagher | Nicki Matthews | (14/DNC) | 14/DNC | 14/DNC | 14/DNF | 14/DNS | 56 |
