SAILING/Round Britain and Ireland Race: Irish sailing history was made yesterday in Plymouth when Capt Mick Liddy became the first winner of the Round Britain and Ireland two-handed race along with team-mate Michel Kleinjans.
Having just returned from a six-month tour of duty with the UN in Liberia, Liddy has spent the last 23 days on board their Open 40 monohull in the 3,000-mile (4,829-kilometre) race.
Problems encountered along the route included engine failure, boom damage, sail damage and being caught in drift nets. Just one boat in the entire fleet, the multihull Alacrity, finished ahead but last night Liddy and Kleinjans were confirmed as overall winners of the monohull division.
With 35 boats still at sea, because of last week's stormy conditions, organisers have extended the finishing deadline - 11 days from now to allow all competitors to complete the course.
Four 48-hour pit stops were allowed along the route at Kinsale, Castlebay, Lerwick and Lowestoft and the Irish/Belgian duo were leading or within minutes of the overall lead throughout the 19 days at sea.
Liddy joined forces with Kleinjans, a Figaro and OSTAR record-holder, after both set Round-Ireland solo records last year. The Irish sailor set his time in September on board afaom.com then Kleinjans arrived one month later to set a new time.
