RS200s and RS400s at Cushendall Sailing & Boating Club

RS400s at Cushendall © Mary Farrell

RS200s at Cushendall © Mary Farrell

Greystones top the tables in Red Bay

Sailors from Greystones Sailing Club in Wicklow topped both classes in the RS 200/RS 400 Open Event in Cushendall this weekend. Twenty three boats took part in five races in Red Bay over Saturday and Sunday – 16 in the RS400 class and seven RS200s.

Simon Herriott and Tom Moran from Wicklow's Greystones Sailing Club led the RS400 fleet, with Ballyholme's Robin Flanagan and Phillip Cully in second place, and Robert Galligan and Sam Savage from Greystones in third place.

In the RS200 fleet Frank O'Rourke and Sarah Byrne from Greystones were in first place, Clive Coffey and Helen Cassidy from Newcastle Yacht Club were second, and Greystones' Ben Brooks and Emma Hett finished third.

Nine boats travelled from Greystones, five came from Royal North in Cultra, two from Newcastle Yacht Club and one each from Strangford Lough and Ballyholme. Five Cushendall boats competed.

Of the local sailors, James Farrell and Auleen Millar were highest finishers in eighth place, having won the first of the two races on Sunday. John and Jane Lowry finished ninth and Paul McLaughlin and Michael McKinley finished 10th overall, having broken their boom in the second last race of the event. Michael Gilmore and Claire Alton finished eleventh.

Cushendall Commodore Emmet Connon, who sailed an RS400 with his wife Joanna Wheeler Connon and finished in 13th place, said: "Over 50 sailors took part in our event, which was a really great turnout. The weather over the weekend was cold but we had plenty of wind and good sea conditions. I hope it provided a good challenge for the many visitors that travelled to Cushendall. Boats and crews came from across Ireland and we are delighted that our first event of the type turned out so well. I am very grateful to the volunteers – both on and off the water – who worked hard to make this weekend so enjoyable and successful."

"We hope to build on the Laser national championships that we held in May and this weekend's event. In 2011 our club will be celebrating its 50th anniversary and we are planning an ambitious sailing calendar that will hopefully draw hundreds of sailors to Cushendall, get as many local people as possible out on the water, and showcase all of the strengths that our club has to offer."

The fast, light-weight sailing dinghies have a crew of two and are a fast-growing class in Ireland. The event is sponsored by Quay Leisure.

More information and the full table of results can be found at www.csbc.co.uk