Sailing Column

A father versus son showdown will top the bill for next weekend's annual Irish Sailing Association's "champion of champions" event that has been rebranded the All-Ireland Sailing Championship. Final nominations are being received for the two-day series that will be sailed from the National Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire.

The O'Leary sailing dynasty will be to the fore when multiple Irish Cruiser Racer champion Anthony will race against his eldest son Peter, the 1720 Sportsboat nominee. With the 1720 being used for the senior event, neither contender is favoured as both have a long history in both boats and the elder sailor is a former class European champion.

"This will be a first for us so I don't know what Peter will be like to sail against," O'Leary said. "This event is very strong on starting (technique) so I expect he'll do well there."

Both sailed together when the Helmsman championship was sailed in Laser 2 dinghies at Blessington Sailing Club 10 years ago.

Sponsorship for the event has been secured from the DúLaoghaire Harbour Company and Viking Marine who have provided new sails for the fleet of Toppers. These single-handed dinghies are being used to decide the junior and girls titles.

Other competitors confirmed include defending title-holder David Crosbie from the host club who won the 2005 event at Howth YC, sailed in Etchells. That evening, just over a year ago, Crosbie had returned to Dún Laoghaire to continue celebrations just as captain, Mick Liddy, was making his final approach to the harbour to set a solo round Ireland record. In a rare confluence of Irish sports, Cork's all-Ireland hurling winning captain Seán Óg Ó hAilpín was taking a stroll on the East Pier and all three "champions" were present.

Crosbie will be counting on a repeat of such karma on home waters, especially as Cork sailors opened the season with a near clean sweep of the Saab ICRA National Championship on the bay in May.

The Olympic squad nominations have not yet been confirmed but John Driscoll of the Squib class, who represented Ireland at Atlanta 1996, and Star campaigner Anthony Shanks of the Etchells fleet will bring Olympic circuit experience to the event.

Unsurprisingly, dinghy classes are slowly putting forward their contenders though Noel Butler of the Fireball fleet and GP14 sailor John McGuinness are confirmed nominees.

While the line-up of invited classes reflects the breadth and diversity of Irish sailing, the growing list of affiliated organisations recognised by the national authority for the sport can also be seen as reaching unsustainable proportions. Once accepted by the ISA, each may hold a national championship or league and if a sufficient number turn-out, they can claim an invitation for the All-Ireland Sailing Championship.

For 2006, the following classes have been invited to send their respective champion or nominee: IRC Cruiser 1, IRC Cruiser 2, IRC Cruiser 3, IRC Cruiser 4, 1720 Sportsboat, E boat, Beneteau 31.7, Fireball, GP 14, Irish Multihulls, 420, Mermaid, Puppeteer, National 18, Squibs, Irish RS Assoc, Ruffian, Shipman, Flying Fifteen, J 24, IDRA 14, Howth 17, Sigma 33, Glen, Lasers, Dragon, 49er, Enterprise, Wayfarer, Etchells, Water Wags and Shannon One Design.