1515 - All ashore, except the SB3's who are making their journey up to the crane in Belfast. well done to John Patterson in the ELites and to Ben Duncan both of whom deserve their hard fought victories in very competitive fleets.

All provisional results posted, although there has been no chat of protests yet.... Thanks for 'listening'

1400 - Results posted for the Elite final places

1345 - Rounding the last leward mark, it is very close, too close to call after Elixir who has a good lead, the other three in the hunt for the overall are all very close, at the moment I would say Jphn Patterson looks like he has it.....but....

1327 - Incredibly close at the front of the SB3's Peter Kennedy leading the way in Belfast Kitchens, he is followed by Trevor D'Arcy and Gareth Flannigan then we had Dave Cheyne and Emmet Ryan, but almost too close to call

1320 - Sorry, other stuff to do there......R6 underway under black flag for both fleets -

Around the bottom mark in the Elites it is Sean Mclean leading from John Patterson then Jeff Ralston and then E'tu, with only one point splitting the first three places it looks like it is between John and Steve for the overall

1301 - Results for both classes posted for R5

1255 - Big change in the wind.....170deg shift - course reset, and Elites have a Gen recall on R6. Black flag from here in I reckon.

1237 - Coming up the last short beat towards the finish it looks like Ronan Downing has held on for victory, 2nd looks like Stefan Hyde with Greg Bell close in 3rd. - real results to follow.

1230 - Shortened course as the wind is fading, he has stopped the Elites after one lap, SB3's will stop also.

1220 - R5 SB3 on their 1st downwind leg, Ronan Downing continues good Sunday form followed by Stefan Hyde and Greg Bell who came ashore for some hasty repairs during R4. also up there is Emma McDonald

1215 - Elite R5 ww mark. John Patterson out front with a decent lead, he is followed by Brian Shaw on Swallow and Sean Maclean, and Steve Powell

1213 - SB3's away in R5 clean start for Trevor D'Arcy from Carrick along with Ronan Downing and Stefan Hyde

1205 - SB3 results posted for R4, Elites just had a clean start in R5

1145 - Elite R4 results now posted, E'tu and Swallow both having their worst score so far....all about the discards if they get R5 and 6 in the bag. Conditions still on the light side of perfect.

1128 - Ben Duncan really 'showing off' now, great lead, he was around the windward mark, round the spreader and had his kite up filled, gybed and re-filled before the next boat had reached the windward mark.

1117 - SB3's going through the windward gate at the end of the 1st lap, Ben Duncan with a small lead, Emma McDonald in second in the middle of a tight bunch, including Rory Byrne & Mike Vaughan.

1112 - Elites 2nd rounding R4 - Sean has extended his lead on Elixir, John P , E'Tu and James Pearson on JP Watersports are having a very close tussle for the other podium places

1110 - A couple of problems for 2 competitors, Duff Beer, with Greg Bell has retired with a problem, Ken Hudson, unfortunately is also struggling with a problem, but is still on the racecourse.

1106 - SB3 Windward mk R4 - Colin Galavan leads from Aidan Breen very close at the front with boats fighting for space, Rob Howe rounds 3rd followed by Dave Cheyne, The Vaughans are next, but it is very close

1048 - SB3's get away, close call for Greg Bell who managed to 'escape' and duck the stern of the committee boat, Ben Duncan continues his good form along with David Quinn and Emmet Ryan who all look to have the best break off the line

1045 - R4 Elites - 1st windward mark - Sean Maclean leads the way followed by John Patterson Steve Powell and James Pearson they have NO ANGEL for close attention as they round

1042 - Black flag out - in sequence

1038 - General recall in the SB3's, Mr Hunter looking into his bag of flags....

1037 -John Patterson looks to have had the best of the early exchanges in the Elites.

1035 - Start of R4, two boats warned before the gun  and 1 of them unable to get back, so individual recall for either Mark Brien or Jeff Ralston, but whoever it was di go back. In sequence for SB3's

1025 - In sequence for R4 for Elites, wind is still fluctuating with a few showers for good measure, back to BLue Peter start.....but Elites were warned in the bar that the black flag is looming.

0925 - Westerly breeze this morning less than 10 kts but definitely enough to go sailing, first competitors boarding the launches to go to the moorings. A few sorry looking faces this morning, perhaps victims of the late bar and good music of last night, (I will leave the rest to your imagination!)

SUNDAY STARTS HERE!

1621 - Elite results posted

1601 - Last rounding for the SB3 class - Splash Gordon in the lead, nice rounding and a great hoist......he is followed by David Quinn then Peter Kennedy, Greg Bell completes the first 4. Colin Galavan also very close in 5th.

1557- Last windward mark rounding of the day for the Elites, Steve Powell pressinh home his advantage in the lead, but he really had to shoot the mark  that time, just squeezing round, closley followed by MarkMarkMark, and Brian Shaw who took the right side of the beat and it paid for him,  John PAtterson and Fiona Hicks also doing well in recovery mode, looking very soft now wind about 10kts

1548- Close racing at the front of the Elite fleet with lots of cross tacking going on as they come back up through the line.  No one crossed in front of E'tu and I reckon that John McDowell has crept up to second, with David Baird holding on to 3rd

1540 - R3 SB3, 1st windward mark rounding, difficult to tell exactly because of gybing angles but it looks like Peter Kennedy out front, followed by Greg Bell and Daragh Sheridan from Howth, I just missed the rounding, but that's how they looked on the run back.

1535 - R3 1st windward mark - Full Marks in the lead, but a poor hoist (and a bit of a wrap round the forestay...sort it out Marky!)  will lose some ground to E'tu and Mr Powell, John Mc Dowell on Sea Breezes then in touching distance of Jeff Ralston in equal 3rd, followed by David Baird in Jitterbug and Carl Allen in More T Vicar

1530 - SB's all clear as well, wind dropping a bit as it swings into the west now

1525 - All Clear All clear, off and running in the R3 for Elites, and SB3's under 'Blue Peter' conditions.

1520 - Black flag up! and ready to go again

1515 - General Recall on the start of R3......Elites having a charge at the line despite the loud protestations of the PRO on the radio.....

1507 - R3 delayed because of a big shift in the wind, re-settingthe course as we speak.

1505 - RESULTS POSTED for R2.

1435 - First Elites finishing R2

1432 - SB3's second windward mark rounding, Gareth Flannagan, followed by Greg Bell then the consistent Stefan Hyde,

1428 - 2nd race well underway, Elites first - E'tu leading again around the 2nd windward mark after a clean start. Followed by Jeff Ralston, Brian Shaw, and Fiona Hicks, Mark 'still boots' Hunter improving to 5th in this race.

1420 - Sorry for the delay, a few little issues with results ..... sorted now. RESULTS now posted.

1338 -In sequence for R2 - No results for R1 yet

13.32 - First of the SB'3 class now finished also, at least two retirees now as a second boat is being towed fromt the race area having suffered some rudder damage.

1327 First ELites now finished, check the results page in about 15 minutes for a full listing of race 1.

1325 - Wind is a bit stronger this time round and the SB3 are going down wind at a great rate of knots......very quick

1315 - Ben Duncan now leading the SB3's from Stefan Hyde and Dave Cheyne, Colin Ganavan in 4th, very close as they had to shoot the mark  to get round. (one retiral at this point Aidan Breen has picked up a mooring, hopefully minor adjustments and not major gear failure.

1310 - Brian Shaw got back at him, and leads by 30m rounding the second windward leg in the Elites, folloed in sequence by Steve Powell, Mark cubed, John Patterson and Carl Allen

1305 - Looks like E'Tu has got through Swallow half way up the second beat. So looks like Steve powell making up a few places.

1255 - SB3 1st windward mark - Emma McDonald  from Howth leading the field 2nd was Stefan Hyde, Gareth Flannagan from Ballyhome in the hunt and another local boat Mr Skiddy in 4th ish, bit of ducking and diving there to squeeze in...

1250- Elite first windward mark - Brian Shaw leading from John Patterson followed by Jeff Ralston, local boats leading the way, then the 1st visiting boat of Steve Powell, Mark Mark Mark are next and then another visitor Shaun Maclean

1245 - SB3's being a bit naughty there, I think 3 boats were over and judging by the fact that the recall flag is still up........not all of them went back!

1240 - All clear 1st start - Jeff Ralston, John Patterson and Steve Powell look like they got the best of the early exchanges

1235- Sequence re-started

1227 - Sequence halted - AP up, looks line the pin end dragged a bit, so we will have to go again

1225 - Flag up.....sequence underway

1220 - Windward mark is laid, all gearing up for the first sequence of the day.

1210 - All competitiors afloat, breeze holding at 15kts swung a bit more into the north, still an excellent day for it. Total fleets 19 SB3s and 14 Elites taking part.

0845 - After Friday evening's late blow and long haul for some competitors who launched in Belfast, Saturday has begun as a 'cracker' of a day. Bright sunshine onshore N'Ely wind about 15 knts, looks like a great day for sail!

About last night, a huge debt of thanks is due to the team of boat drivers who weathered the elements to escort and ferry the competitors up the lough yesterday evening, also to the caterers who managed to keep the food coming for thos who arrived in the dark.