Saturday 30th July

Report by Graham Smith
 
It’s tight at the top of the leaderboard after the first three races of the SIAC Construction Squib National Championships at Howth Yacht Club today, which saw three different race winners, each representing the three main Squib fleets.

Sailing in moderate south-easterlies that increased in strength as the day went on, the 37-boat fleet was led home in the first race by Howth’s ‘Kerfuffle’ (Jonathan Craig/Hazel Ruane) followed by ‘Ruby Blue’ (Aidan O’Connell/Sian McCleave) of the Royal St.George YC and then ‘Inshallah’ (David Eccles/Philip Hutchinson) of the Royal North of Ireland YC.

Defending champions Peter Wallace and Kerry Boomer of RNIYC in ‘Toy for the Boys’ showed the way in race 2, followed by ‘Inshallah’ and ‘Quickstep III’ (Gordon Patterson/Ross Nolan) to make it a Cultra 1-2-3.

The third race was won by ‘Ruby Blue’, with ‘Quickstep III’ in second ahead of ‘Fagin’ (Michael & David Hill, RNIYC) in third.

Subject to protest, Aidan O’Connell has a one point advantage over Peter Wallace with Craig and Eccles joint third on 12 points.

The top 5 after Saturday Racing
1stRuby Blue (Aidan O'Connell) - RStGYC8 points
2ndToy for the Boys (P Wallace) - RNIYC9 points
3rdKerfuffle (Craig/Ruane) - HYC12 points
4thInshallah (D Eccles) - RNIYC12 points
5thQuickstep III (Nolan/Patterson) - RNIYC14 points