The annual Howth Yacht Club Lambay Races were inaugurated in 1898, when Henry Stokes presented a prize for the winning yacht on a race from Howth, round Lambay Island and back. Since then this event has been a keystone of the Howth sailing season. This year seventy boats took part in the races, including three of the original 1898 fleet of five Howth 17’s; Aura, Rita and Leila.

Despite weather forecasts of a steady 10-15 knots of southerly wind, the day start off very calm, with competitors discussing the various weather forecasts. Buoyed up by the confidence of the very experienced race officers, Derek Bothwell and David Lovegrove, that the wind would fill-in, the fleets departed for scheduled starts at eleven and twelve o’clock.

The confidence of the race officers was justified with all fleets starting on the scheduled times, with a run to Lambay Island, a good rounding and facing into a challenging beat back into the forecast southerly wind.

First across the line in Class 1 was Darren Wright’s Melges 32, Adrenaline, although when handicaps were applied, the honours went to Simon Knowles’ J109, Indian, on IRC with Jay Bourke taking the HPH prize in the J109, Dear Prudence.

Class 2 was led by Stephen Quinn’s J97, Lambay Rules, who with a seven minute lead over Stephen Mullaney and Ian Martin’s J92, Insider Again took both the IRC title and the overall event prize of the Lambay Lady, which is awarded for the boat with the largest margin over the second placed boat. The HPH prize was won by Lynn and Norbert Reilly in their J70, Ghost Raider, adding to their success in the previous week’s Pursuit Yacht Race.

Anton Korshunov took the IRC prize in Class 3 in his quarter-tonner, Symmetry, over Vince Gaffney in his Laser 28, Alliance II. The HPH prize was won by Fergal Noonan and Robert Chambers in their Corby 25, Impetuous, followed up by Kevin Darmody’s Gecko and Mandy Bishop sailing a club J80.

The largest fleet was that of the Puppeteer 22’s with 13 boats starting on the inshore line. First home was Alan Pearson and Alan Blay in Trick or Treat. They were nearly three minutes ahead of Wey Hey sailed by Ian Dickson and crew with Jack McMahon closely behind them in Pinocchio. The HPH prize went to Donal Harkin in Ghostly Ned, with Francisco Martinez’s Mojo and Gerard Kennedy’s Blue Velvet taking second and third respectively.

Nine Howth 17’s took part with Brian and Conor Turvey’s Isobel winning on scratch from Deilginis of Massey, Toomey and Kenny. The HPH prizes went to Pauline, sailed by O’Doherty, Kenny and McCormack with Peter Courtney taking second in Oona.