Keelboat Regatta To Return To North Down’s Coast
ONE of the province’s biggest sailing events, Bangor Regatta, returns to the North Down coast in June.
Over 60 yachts are expected to take part in the event from across Belfast Lough, Scotland, Strangford Lough, the Isle of Man and Dublin Bay.
The event, which has been renamed from Bangor Town Regatta following the conferring of city status, will be hosted by Royal Ulster Yacht Club and run from June 27-30.
The biannual event was last held in June 2022 when the yacht Storm, from Rush Sailing Club, was the overall winner and Howth Yacht Club won the Bangor Town Trophy.
Race director for Bangor Regatta 2024, Rory Flannigan, said the organising committee for Bangor Regatta 2024 are excited to welcome local and overseas yachts alike to the club and town.
“From world class sailing to fun social events, everyone coming to Bangor Regatta can expect an exciting weekend,” he said. “If your boat has a keel then we have a class for you to sail under.
“Entries are open and yachts from throughout the Irish Sea have already signed up. Bangor Regatta 2024 will be a true menagerie of yachts, a sight to behold.”
Royal Ulster Yacht Club’s Bill O’Hara, a former Olympian and current World Sailing international judge, will be one of the race officers for the event.
Bill said: “I am really excited to be principal race officer (PRO) for Bangor Regatta. I have been lucky through my involvement as PRO of The Ocean Race (formerly The Volvo Ocean Race) to have run races all over the world but I have never run a keelboat event in Bangor.
“I did arrive home on the last day two years ago and the party at RUYC was epic so it was definitely on my bucket list.
“Rory Flannigan has put together a great team and the entries are coming in from all over the UK and Ireland so it’s not one to miss.”
Michael Tyrell, of Royal Irish Yacht Club, will be returning to Bangor Regatta for a second time to help ensure races can take place even in challenging conditions.
There will be nine classes for yachts to race under, which will cater for those wishing to race around the traditional ‘windward/leeward’ style course as well as those wishing to race around Belfast Lough.
The best views for spectators will be from Luke’s Point or from outside of Royal Ulster Yacht Club on Seacliff Road, Bangor, where many of the classes will be finished.
The Bangor Regatta website as well as Facebook and Instagram accounts will keep everyone up to date with all entries and news. Check out bangorregatta.com, Bangor Regatta on Facebook and bangorregatta24 on Instagram.
