Espey Takes Ulster Championships at CLYC

Last weekend CLYC hosted the 2013 Laser Ulster Championships. 62 boats in three classes arrived early on Saturday to be greeted by horrendous wind from the west gusting up to 40 knots. A short postponement and cancellation of the day's racing was inevitable. This left race officers O'Hare and Bradley a lot of work to do on Sunday if the championship was to be complete. The day did bring slightly better conditions with wind varying between 10 and 25 knots and shifting from the south to north west over the course of the day so the mark layers were kept busy changing the course as 4 great races were sailed.

Olympic sailor James Espey of BYC was first in the Standard Fleet, losing only one race to rising star Finn Lynch who is more than likely to appear in the next Olympics. The radial Fleet was won by Robbie Gilmore of SLYC with 4 bullets, and the 4.7 fleet by Conor Kneafsey of NYC. The club's own rising star Anna McNulty did well to be 3rd lady and 5th overall in the 4.7 fleet, not bad considering she has just moved boat from the Topper.

Meanwhile two of the club's young sailors Conor Quinn and Stephen Finnegan were representing NI at the Eric Twinames on Rutland Water. Obviously sailing well, with Quinn finishing 5th overall and Finnegan 14th in a fleet of 87 sailors. Great Stuff!

Robbie Gilmore of SLYC who won in the Radial Fleet


The Radial Fleet coming down the run


Steve Penney of EDYC gets that sinking feeling


Commodore Philip O'Connor presents the Ulster Trophy to James Espey