The RED FM sponsored Squib Southerns was hosted by Kinsale YC over the weekend of 6-8th July. The typically fantastic welcome afforded by the Republic of Cork encouraged more visitors this year.
HYC fielded three boats, Klipbok (Emmet Dalton / Chris Howard), Shadowfax (Phil Merry / Tim Odlum) and Pot Black (Richard & Ian McMurtry).
Friday’s racing got off promptly with sixteen boats on the line, including four boats from RStGYC. After a nice win in the first race, Klipbok’s event was curtailed prematurely with what could have been catastrophic damage to its mast step. Race two was taken by Shadowfax, in convincing style. The third race of Friday was so close that first place had to be shared between two boats.
The end of the day saw Shadowfax holding a joint lead with Ab Fab (Chapmans, RStGYC).
The forecast for Saturday was wild, so the PRO took the decision to bring racing forward by one hour. This turned out to be an inspired move and the two races were completed before the wrath of the weather was flung down on Kinsale.
At the end of the day, as a famous Cork sportsman would say, Shadowfax narrowly lost out on first place by a mere half point from Ab Fab.
In winning the event, this was the first ever win for a Dun Laoghaire boat in a Squib regional event. The competition is heating up for the Irish Championships which are being held in Howth over the August Bank Holiday.
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