Cathedral Eye Clinic RS Elite Nationals at Strangford Lough Yacht Club - Day 2

Cathedral Eye Clinic RS Elite Nationals at Strangford Lough Day 1 © Kerry, Strangford Lough Yacht Club

At the end of the second day of the Cathedral Eye Clinic RS Elite UK National Championship Russell Peters' Riff Raff, RS Elite 20, has maintained the overnight lead. The event got back on track after losing two races on Day 1 due to lack of wind.

The race Committee have elected to hold one additional race on Day 2 and Day 3, making for four races on each of these days. With five races now completed, Riff Raff on seven points maintains a narrow overall lead over Tom Hewitson's Soak Therapy, RS Elite 100, in second place on nine points. Soak Therapy had a particularly good day, winning the last two races as the wind strengthened.

Stephen Polly's Storm, RS Elite 37, did well in the first two races of the day with a first and a second but fell back to two seventh places in the final two races, giving them twelve points after discard, placing them third overall whilst retaining their position as first Irish boat. Michael Browne helming The Love Bug, RS Elite 53, crewed by Jane Buchanan and Connor Simms won the second race of the day, boosting them to fourth place overall and making them second Irish boat. There was a tie for fifth place, resolved by countback, with James Yearsley's Urafiki, RS Elite 92, placed fifth overall and Eclipse, RS Elite 44 helmed by Elliot Caldwell and crewed by Steve Fisher and Mark Bowers placed sixth. Each boat had an aggregate score of 22 points.

The first race started in a mainly westerly wind, but a south-westerly shift required the course to be adjusted before the second race. The wind continued in the same general direction for the rest of the day but became progressively stronger. The competitors remarked that the winds were very shifty, testing their skills. As usual in the RS Elite fleet the racing was very competitive with ties for fifth and thirteenth places.

The competitors are heading to Daft Eddie's restaurant on Sketrick Island for the second evening's entertainment and some more legendary Irish hospitality. There are four races scheduled for the Friday.

Results after Day 2: