RS Elite Irish National Championship

Date: 24 June 2023 - 25 June 2023
Club: Royal Ulster Yacht Club

Tom Hewitson and crew sailing newly acquired boat Soak Therapy, RS Elite 100, have won a closely contested  RS Elite Irish National Championship held on the weekend of 24-25 June at the Royal Ulster Yacht Club on Belfast Lough. With three firsts and one second place they drew ahead of Saturday’s overnight leaders, Michael Browne and crew in The Love Bug, RS Elite 53, who had one first and two seconds on the first day. They had a less good day on the Sunday with one sixth and one fourteenth place. Taking discards into account, Soak Therapy finished on five points with The Love Bug on eleven. Also on eleven points were Warren Polly and crew in Toucan, RS Elite 64, with second and third places being decided on countback.

In fourth place overall were Stephen Polly and crew in Storm, RS elite 37, on 14 points. In fifth were James Yearsley and crew in Urafiki, RS Elite 92, on 17 points and in sixth were Elliot Caldwell  and crew in Eclipse, RS Elite 44, with 22 points. Soak Therapy, Urafiki and Eclipse were all visitors from the UK mainland. Five boats in the 14 but fleet hailed from the UK mainland, all from Hayling Island Sailing Club, having brought their boats to Northern Ireland to take part in the Irish Championship and the UK National Championship which will be held at Strangford Lough Yacht Club starting on Wednesday 28^th June.

Race Officer Con Murphy and his team had to contend with a variety of conditions over the two days of he event. The manly southerly winds on the first Day meant the windward mark had to be laid relative close inshore, leading to the wind being particularly shifty in that area, and making it very difficult for the competitors to estimate laylines. An inconveniently moored ship presented an additional challenge. The wind increased throughout the day, from 7-10 knots in the first race to 18-20 knots in the third. On the Sunday the wind was lighter, but falling wind coupled with a 180 degree windshift from south westerly to northeasterly led to the third race being abandoned and the championship being decided over five racres.

Overall the competitors had a very enjoyable event with the visitors experiencing Irish hospitality, particularly at the Saturday night dinner. The fleet is now moving on to Strangford Lough where they will be joined by more visitors from the mainland for the UK National Championship.