A ‘Town’ Regatta at Bangor on Belfast Lough was first held over a century ago and saw reincarnation in 2018. Subsequent planned events fell foul of Covid 19 but Royal Ulster has just announced the welcome return of the regatta in June of this year. It will incorporate the Sigma 33 OOD Irish and Class Championships and count towards the six-part RC35 Championship. There will be ten classes racing for four days from 23rd till 26th June and included will be RS Elites and the Classic Boats, the Waverleys and Fairys.
The event will take place out of Bangor Marina in three race areas in Belfast Lough. The lough is a superb virtually tide free racing location with open waters and few hazards.
Forty Licks (left) and Final Call II
Boatfolk’s Bangor Marina will be supporting the event within the Marina complex with the bonus of shoreside facilities in and around the area. Harbour Master Kevin Baird is looking forward to welcoming the competitors and visitors; “We look forward to offering a very warm welcome to all yacht owners, crew and supporters who will be taking part in the Bangor Town Regatta. The very best sailors from around Ireland and the UK already know that Bangor Bay has some of the finest sailing waters in Europe; this four-day event is sure to offer exhilarating racing and we can guarantee there will be memorable times socialising ashore."
"The event will take place out of Bangor Marina in three race areas in Belfast Lough"
And Gavin Watson, Event Chairman, is excited about the 2022 event. “We are hoping for a fantastic yachting event this summer. Please submit entries as soon as possible to avail of early discounts. We will be continually updating you regarding this year’s sponsors and entertainment, so keep coming back to the site to find out more. We will also be posting on our Facebook page, so please follow us and get up-to-date info on this premier regatta”.
Gavin Watson, Bangor Town Regatta Chairman
Among those who have said they are entering are, in the RC35 class, Bangor based John Minnis in his Archambault 35 Final Call II; and in the Sigmas, David Eccles’ Mungo Jerrie from Royal North; Rusty McGovern of Sail School NI will race his new Tripp 40 in the Coastal division and Jay Colville has his First 40, Forty Licks, entered in Class 1. Jay says, “ The event is well-positioned in the calendar to do the Scottish Series in early June, then Bangor Town Regatta, and Cork Week in July – but it also feeds into the Bangor Portaferry race on 2nd July – I’ll do this on my way to Cork”. Forty Licks is going to be busy! And Gus McRobert, Impala Class captain of the East Down Yacht Club fleet on Strangford Lough, which is showing healthy growth, tells me that at least three or four owners are showing interest in entering.
Impalas racing at East Down YC Photo: courtesy Gus McRobert
