SAILINGAN EMPHATIC victory for a local helmsman sailing a locally designed boat on home waters gave Schull Harbour sailors in West Cork something to cheer about last weekend when Fionn Lyden lifted the All-Ireland Under 18 title.
The Schull Community College student, crewed by Anna O’Regan, swept to a nine-race win in the TR 3.6 dinghy. Lyden is one of 21 invitees announced yesterday by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) for its senior event to be sailed on Lough Derg in a week’s time.
Racing in a fleet of J80 keelboats Royal Cork clubmates took first and second in 2011 and there is the prospect of a rematch in the revamped event with both the defending champion George Kenefick and 1720 representative Mark Mansfield confirmed for Dromineer on October 5th.
The full invitee list is – qualification round: Robin Hegarty (Puppeteer); Trevor Kirkpatrick (Ruffian); Mark Mansfield (1720); Alexander Mitton (31.7); Ian Nagle (ICRA); Pat O’Neill (E-Boat); Alan Ruigrok (Laser); Emmet Ryan (RS400) Saturday Preliminary Series Julie Ascoop (IDRA 14); Noel Butler (Fireball); Vincent Delany (Squib) David Dickson (Shannon OD); Ben Duncan (SB20); Timothy Goodbody (ICRA); George Kenefick (2011 Champion); Guy Kilroy (Water Wag); Fionn Lyden (Radial Junior); J.P. McCaldin (J24); Jonathan O’Rourke (Mermaid); Peter O’Leary (wild card); Ryan Seaton (wild card).
In Howth, Pat Kelly’s Storm was a decisive victor in both IRC and ECHO divisions of last week’s Class One at the club’s autumn league. It’s a second victory in a row for the Irish Cruiser Racing Association’s (ICRA) boat of the year. Storm leads her class overall as the 118-boat event reaches its half-way stage for all 10 classes off Ireland’s Eye this Sunday.
The ICRA have set November 17th for their annual conference in Kilkenny. As well as the 2013 National Championship format for Tralee Bay, ICRA will announce its 2012 boat of the year. Delegates will also hear from a number of guest speakers (yet to be announced) but as an early clue the London Olympic regatta is a theme of the day-long event at the Newpark Hotel.
The ICRA has been asked to submit its feedback on the format of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s (RORC) Commodore’s Cup competition. Ireland won the 2010 event but did not defend the biennial title last August when they could not muster a three-boat team. The RORC intend to revamp the event and all aspects of the the regatta are on the table.
Fifteen RS 400 dinghies, from as far south as Glandore and as far north as Cushendall converged on Strangford Lough last weekend for the latest RS Ireland traveller series event. Five different winners in six races showed it was no pushover for eventual winners Ballyhome duo Bob Espey and Michael Gunning.
At Royal Cork three Munster dinghy sailing championships sailed from Royal Cork YC. In the 420 class Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove got the better of Patrick Crosbie and Grattan Roberts. In the Olympic 470 dinghy Rob Lehane and Iarlaith Kennedy took the winning slot, followed by Douglas Elmes and Thomas Chaix. In the Optimist junior dinghy fleet Royal Cork’s Harry Durcan won on count back from Adam D’Arcy while in the junior fleet Peter Fegan triumphed overall winner.
The Irish Team Racing National Championships will be held in Schull on November 10th-11th.
The event will be sailed in the fleet of dinghies TR3.6 specially built for the ISAF Team Racing Worlds.
