SAILING: Plans to increase the number of teams per country and to keep the Admiral's Cup on Dublin Bay for the 2003 and 2005 regattas were announced by the Royal Ocean Racing club (RORC) in Dún Laoghaire this week.
Although its move to Dublin in 2003 has raised hackles at the cup's former home of Cowes, the RORC decision to move its base has been widely applauded both in Dublin and abroad.
But the organisers' wisdom in boat type selection for use on Dublin Bay next year has been questioned. The racing director, Janet Grosvenor, who was at the Royal St George club for the announcement on Monday, would not be drawn, however, on the subject of boat type or on how many teams the rejuvenated event might attract.
Royal St George commodore Shay Moran said it was Dún Laoghaire's intention to keep the cup on the bay for the foreseeable future and he would be seeking to stage the 2005 regatta as well.
Grosvenor said she had already received expressions of interest from six British teams - who were among a raft of international entries which included the Royal Danish Yacht Club - that will now lead to a revision of the RORC's limit of two teams per country.
The handicap band for the IRC big boat is set to be finalised soon. "There will be no revision of boat types," said Grosvenor yesterday. "The IRC big boat is set but we still have to announce the top limit."
Des Cummins and Bruce Lyster of the Royal St George will run the 2003 Admiral's Cup in conjunction with a RORC racing team of six to eight personnel from London.
There is debate on likely courses for the two-week event and, in particular, on which direction yachts should sail on the long offshore course round Ireland. It has been suggested that yachts should sail north-about against the traditional clockwise circumnavigation.
In prevailing south-westerly breezes this direction would provide a beat up the west coast and a tidally-challenging final 50-mile stretch from the Tuskar rock to the finish off Dún Laoghaire. Some pundits suggest there should be a gate at the start of the race and competitors may round Ireland either way.
An Irish Admiral's Cup working group, comprising of Paddy Boyd, Denis Kiely and James Hynes, has been established to garner support for both for an Irish Admiral's Cup team for 2003 and a Rolex Commodore's Cup team for August.
Meanwhile, the South Coast Racing Association (SCORA), who stole a march on the rest of the country in the preparation of its own team for this year's Commodore's Cup, have hit a stumbling block in the shape of the RORC's decision to set the Displacement Length Ratio (DLR) for boats at 200, in an effort to attract newer boats.
This is set to rule out a number of SCORA boats, such as Mayhem, Lobster, Imp and Sapphire.
SCORA, however, are still confident however that they will receive strong support for their Commodore's Cup team. Owners wishing to be considered must submit firm proposals in writing with a refundable bond of €5,000 to be lodged with the SCORA commodore by February 28th.
The largest ever Boat Show opens at the RDS on Wednesday week, February 27th, and new power and sail craft feature strongly among the 5,000 square metres of exhibits.
The biennial showcase of the Irish Marine Federation runs until Sunday, March 3rd at Simmonscourt, where safety on the water will be a major feature.
Given the Department of the Marine's announcement of a rise in emergency incidents for pleasure craft, safety on the water last season is the primary theme of this year's show.
Talks/clinics, hands-on demonstrations, videos and information packs from such organisations as the Marine Safety Working Group, the RNLI, the Irish Sailing Association and the Irish Water Safety Council will form part of this important element.
