Guiney catches wind and title

IN AN exciting conclusion to a weekend of racing at Lady's Island, Co Wexford, Pearse Guiney from Waterford city emerged as overall winner of the Heineken Windsurfing Championship yesterday afternoon. Defeated favourites Oisin Van Gelderen, the national champion, and Joe Meehan, the new National Universities Champion, were second and third placed runners up respectively.

While Meehan had seemed set to take the event on Sunday evening after two days of moderate winds, yesterday morning dawned, with a fresh southerly wind, allowing the organisers to run a second elimination series. Van Gelderen revelled in this weather, ash Meehan struggled to keep in touch. Pressure also came from Alan Harris in the first elimination heat as he held the national champion at bay for five out of the six legs of the figure of eight reaching courses. But on the approach to the finish, Van Gelderen piled on the speed and, as the wind gusted to 25 knots, pulled away to overtake the leader. Meehan made up considerable ground to take third.

Later, in the semi final heat, a perfect start by Van Gelderen saw him hit the line with seconds to spare, with Meehan in close pursuit. As the wind topped the 30 knot mark, the race leader extended his lead further when his main rival had a very brief spill in the water, though a quick recovery maintained his placing. Both now qualified for the final with the event to be decided on cumulative points from the two series sailed over the weekend.

The grand final saw the eight qualifiers all reach the line early in a closely packed bunch travelling at break neck speed on the flat water. Spilling wind desperately to avoid starting early, mayhem ensued and it was young Waterford sailor Guiney who made a perfect start on his BIC Sport board and opened an impressive lead.

He held a margin of 10 seconds until the final leg, when Jeff Corcoran closed up by four seconds. Van Gelderen and Meehan were in third and fourth finishing second and third overall. Guiney's third place from the first series, combined with his win yesterday, gave him the event.