BR 2024 Opens in Fresh Winds on Belfast Lough
The same strong winds that brought home many of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland fleet at pace down the Irish Sea to Wicklow arrived on time for the first day of the Bangor Regatta. (Thurs 27th June). Predicted by this magazine's W M Nixon (himself a native of Bangor and knows a thing or two about the vagaries of Belfast Lough weather) says that the low-pressure area would "only give eastern Ireland winds of useful rather than over-powering strength. But if it becomes vigorous enough to require a name, then surely it can only be Storm Jimmy?"
Hosted by the Royal Ulster Yacht Club and run out of Bangor Marina, what used to be called handily the Bangor Town Regatta was first raced over a century ago and reincarnated in 2018. That was the event name until City status was conferred on the town but the same Bangor native WMN dared to suggest the event may become the COBR, "which" he says, "is quite a mouthful, and inevitably will become COBRA". Luckily that did not happen, so we have now simply Bangor Regatta.
The 40 strong fleet which included visitors from Scotland and Dublin Bay had in store a forecast starting with 18 knots rising to 35 in the afternoon but never reached much more than 30.
Even so, lively racing ensued, resulting, in some cases, spectacular spinnaker antics.
Of the 12 competing in Class 2 IRC, five pulled out, and the Howth and Rush SC visitor from Dublin Bay, Pat Kelly in the J109 Storm, who was the overall winner in 2022, clocked up their first win. In Class 3 IRC, the first place went to the Scottish Sigma 33 Mayrise (James Miller) of Helensburgh, and Shaun Douglas's Beneteau 4.7 won Class 5 IRC and YTC, in which three retired.
Merry Jack the Bell, Lawther and Bell trio's Oceanis 37 from the host club took first place in Class 6 YTC.
Racing begins for Day two on Friday at 0955hrs
