SAILING: With the main season drawing to a close, planning for 2007 is at an advanced stage. One of the most successful years for big boats and cruiser racers will be hard to match, but that will be the challenge facing the key element that has been the single-most significant contributor to this revival of interest.

Next month, the Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) will move its annual conference to the west coast in recognition of the growing numbers and greater organisation along the Atlantic seaboard. Galway's Great Southern Hotel will be the venue on Saturday, November 25th, in place of Kilkenny's central venue.

Arguably the highlight - or perhaps low-light - of the year as some may view it was the three teams fielded for the Rolex Commodore's Cup.

Repeating the 2004 series that saw Colm Barrington lead a strong, well-tipped squad into a week of domination, the series turned on the outcome of the final race. The difference in 2006 was that no fewer than three Irish teams engaged in a well-funded, technically astute campaign co-ordinated by the ICRA.

Although at one stage it appeared that the top-three places were going to the Irish, there were, at best, shattered dreams in the aftermath of the long offshore finale to the RCC, especially as the race committee extended the race to fulfil its 24-hour minimum duration although the breeze was clearly dying.

But for this amendment, team-members contend, the result would surely have been a victory for one of the three Irish teams.

Before the ICRA meeting, however, the exploits of the BMW Round Ireland Race will be relived tomorrow night in Wicklow for the formal prize-giving. One of the slowest races ever, due to exceptionally light winds, ended with Eric Lisson's Cavatina becoming just the second double-winner of the 705-mile race, alongside the late Denis Doyle's Moonduster.

Ger O'Rourke's Cookson 50 had better fortunes in the windswept Round Britain and Ireland Race sailing as Kingspan Chieftain, where the Limerick crew took overall victory under IRC handicap after enjoying thrilling downwind speeds along the east coast on the final approaches to the finish.

Another star performer during the year was Air Corps captain Mick Liddy, who added a further significant achievement to his growing list of accomplishments. A former Round Ireland record holder, both crewed and solo, he joined with Michel Klienjans who had beaten his single-handed record time just 12 months ago.

Just weeks after Liddy returned from a six-month UN mission to Liberia, the pair entered the Round Britain and Ireland Race to convincingly win the monohull category.