Plans for a week-long regatta on Dublin Bay to be known as Dun Laoghaire Week is just one possibility to emerge from the release of construction details of Dun Laoghaire's new 680-berth marina to be completed by March 2001.
An idea first mooted by Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Richard Hooper and Fintan Cairns in 1996 to stage the five waterfront club regattas in succession over one dedicated race week has been rekindled as "a real possibility" now that the marina's construction contract is in place.
Entries for traditional summer waterfront regattas have fallen back or at best remained static over the past few years and it is argued that a Dublin Bay race week involving all the clubs - as previously happened in the 60s and 70s - would be a stimulant. It could attract in excess of 600 boats for its first proposed staging in 2001.
Meanwhile this weekend's Equity Bank-sponsored DBSC Cruiser challenge has attracted 47 entries, largely from the bay area but also from Scotland and Wales. For the first time the Sigma 33s are to have their own start within the regatta.
On the west coast, both world champion Richard Estaugh and World Grand Master Louis Moulde compete in the 50-boat Enterprise National Championships on Galway Bay, starting today. On Belfast Lough, John Lavery, Geoff Chadwick and Paul Maguire were unable to capitalise on a last-race opportunity to outwit Olympic medallist Pol-Rickard Hoj-Jensen at last weekend's Dragon National Championships. The Dun Laoghaire trio had to be content with a second overall in a 30-boat fleet.
A record 26 boats entered the J24 Irish National Championships raced on the Shannon near Athlone with Brian Maguire's Cries of Passion emerging the best of the Irish but not good enough to keep Holyhead skipper Callum Edge from taking the title.
