Lagan Comes Alive With 'Cat' Racing

The excitement, spectacle and thrill of high speed racing takes to the River Lagan this weekend, as one of the highlights of the fifth annual Belfast Titanic Maritime Festival, organised by Belfast City Council.

The first ever Belfast City Zapcat Racing Grand Prix takes place on Saturday and Sunday, with races throughout both days.

The races are free to watch and will take place at Lanyon Quay, beside the Belfast Waterfront.

The event will see 18 Zapcat teams, representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, battling it out in rounds three and four of the Zapcat Racing National Championship, as well as the first two rounds of the newly created Zapcat Racing City Championship.

Zapcats are four metre long catamarans, developed from life saving surf rescue craft, with 50 horsepower outboards engines on the back.

They are crewed by a pilot and a co-pilot, with the co-pilot's job is to balance and trim the boat.

Races are usually around five laps long, and all boats compete in five races per day with two days racing per weekend.

Up to 14 boats race together at a time, making it tight, adrenaline-fuelled and competitive.

There will be also lots to see and do both and off the water over the weekend, with visiting sailing ships such as the 'Thalassa', 'Ruth' and 'Phoenix' as well as Belfast's own 'Lord Rank', all being open to the public.

The Royal Navy once again will be represented, with the Type 23 frigate, HMS Monmouth, also open for visits over the course of the weekend.

There also will be an international market at both Clarendon Dock and Queen's Quay, watersports taster sessions, the annual Irish University Boat Race between Queen's University and Trinity College, traditional Galway Hookers at Abercorn Basin, and lots of other fun activities.

There will be a free shuttlebus service throughout the three days, linking activities on both sides of the river and the city centre.

(BMcC)