Boxing Day Regatta at Ballyholme Yacht Club
by Mark Mackey 27 Dec 2011 16:06 GMT
26 December 2011
Last year, Ballyholme YC was covered in snow and ice and the Boxing Day Regatta was in jeopardy due to the difficulty of launching the RIBs down treacherous slips. This year, Ballyholme was experiencing the warmest Christmas on record although the warm south-westerly breeze also promised gusts up to 40 knots.
At 11:30, after the traditional Charity Swim was over, race officer David McMullan determined to allow the adult Laser sailors to go and play (if they were mad enough) plus Wic McCready in his K-1, and cancel the other fleets including one young unhappy Topper sailor Liam Glynn. Former Olympian Bill O’Hara suggested a sweepstake on how many broken masts there might be. However, after last seasons heavy winds at most of the championships, the BYC Laser squad is used to coping in some very trying conditions.
One star competitor who hasn’t hiked in a Laser since last year’s Boxing day regatta was Ryan Seaton who has just returned from the ISAF World Championships having qualified Ireland to the London Olympics 2012 with Matt McGovern in the 49er. Unfortunately Matt looked at the early morning wind and decided not to put his Laser on the car roof, opting for the charity swim instead. Our other potential Olympian James Espey decided he had had enough Laser sailing this month, or maybe felt that the competition wasn’t up to it.
Previous Irish Nationals Laser Champion and obsessed windy weather sailor Colin Leonard was first on the water 30 minutes before anyone else and had time to rescue a football for a distressed spectator, sail into the beach to return the Christmas present, gybe smoothly but then capsize as he passed the BYC slip in front of the impressed sailors ready to launch.
Fifteen Lasers and three Radials made the start line out at the North East mark. Unfortunately Training manager Alice Armstrong suffered the first (and thankfully only) broken mast of the afternoon just as the six-minute gun went. Colin Leonard and Ryan Seaton led the charge beating back towards the club-house. Ryan quickly discovered that he should loosen his kicker when tacking, capsizing at his first attempt when his buoyancy aid caught the low boom. Good to see that it happens to all levels of sailor.
Colin got to the Turning Mark first with Ryan and StenaLine Icebreaker Part 1 winner Gareth Flannigan in pursuit. Several of the Lasers decided not to bother turning and head straight for home and sanctuary from the wind. The fleet then sailed a simple looking triangle with a beam reach, broad reach and a beat to the finish line. Unfortunately this meant a gybe-mark but experience and maybe fear of capsizing twice saw Ryan Seaton tacking at this juncture instead. The second reach also proved the undoing of many of the sailors seeming more “broad” than expected and many struggled to get down to the leeward mark. Colin Leonard later remarked smugly in the bar that he had realized early the potential problem and sailed low for the first half in a lull before the expected gust arrived.
In the end, Ryan followed Colin around the triangle course simply praying for Colin to capsize or make a mistake. This didn’t happen but gear-failure with Colin’s outhaul hook giving way came to Ryan’s rescue up the final beat and Colin had to be towed home by the ever-ready BYC rescue team.
Ryan Seaton won his second Boxing Day regatta in a row, returning to the slip with “pumping’ thigh muscles – and then decided to go for an extra lap for fun! Gareth Flannigan came second with returning student Conor Simms third. Ryan Glynn won the Radials from Brian Bibby, and Wic McCready successfully completed the course winning the Large Dinghy fleet.
Nine Lasers finished with the last one – Alex Ward – lapped by Ryan. He did offer some sailing advice on his way round suggesting that Alex should also loosen his kicker to help stop him capsizing too much. Your writer managed to complete the course finally, having capsized more (“double figures”) on 4 legs of a race than anytime in a day since his early days in a Mirror Dinghy many years ago.
Much thanks must be given to race officer David McMullan and his rescue team and the battery crew. Also to the Lady Commodore Mags Henry and her team for the traditional hot soup, mulled wine and other treats to revive the sailors.
The BYC Laser squad now look ahead to Thursday’s Annual Laser Day with up to 7 quick races and a meal at Royal Ulster afterwards. All eyes will be on the forecast which promises more of the same weather at the time of writing. Joy!
Overall Results:
Laser Standard
1. Ryan Seaton
2. Gareth Flannigan (Flipper)
3. Conor Simms
4. Charlie Taylor
5. Garth Maxwell
6. Mike Kimber
7. Mark Mackey
8. Philip Anderson
9. Alex Ward
Laser Radial
1. Ryan Glynn
2. Brian Bibby
Large Dinghy
1. Wic McCready (K-1)