SAILING:AFTER A series of near misses in the Commodores' Cup, there are many reasons why 2010 is entirely appropriate timing for an Irish win in Cowes next week, but in the face of such stiff opposition, as published in yesterday's final 10-team line up, nobody dares to say as much.
Ireland will field a single three boat team instead of its previous two and three team approach. Individual performances this season though, including a win at the British IRC Nationals, is proof that Ireland still have the will to win the Commodores’ Cup.
Ireland’s team on the Solent next week is Royal Cork based; Antix, Anthony O’Leary (Ker 39); Marinerscove.ie David Dwyer (Mills 39) and Roxy 6 Robert Davies (Corby 36).
Third time lucky is how it was scripted in 2008, but not how it acted out.
After first being jilted by the French, and now, for the second time, by the English, the Irish could be forgiven for giving up on the cup but next week represents the final week of eight months of preparation for another assault on the title, buoyed up by the fact that in the closing stages in 2008, Ireland White held the overall lead.
For the first time, an Irish team has topped out with the full eight events counting towards an ISAF World Open Match Racing Ranking. Representing three years on the match-racing trail, John Sheehy now ranks as Ireland’s most successful match racer, moving up a further 10 places to 60th.
Meanwhile, Match Racing Ireland (MRI) has cancelled the Cork Match Racing Open due to be held in a week’s time.
The Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) was running the Open, an event that forms the final leg of the Irish Match Racing Tour, before the National Championship to be held in Kinsale at the end of October.
However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, MRI says that “due to the unavailability of a suitable race management team Royal Cork YC and Match Racing Ireland have regrettably come to a decision to cancel the Open.”
At Calves week, Simon Coveney’s Wavetrain recovered from a poor start to take the Coastal Trophy on Tuesday ahead of Donal O’Leary’s D Tox. In Class Zero LJ McMahon of the Killyeagh YC sailed “Crackerjack” to victory in both divisions. Racing continues today with the Schull-Fastnet Rock-Crookhaven race.
The Howth 17 National Championships takes place at Howth tomorrow. Racing commences this evening at 7pm with a course selected from the East Pier race card and then on Saturday there will be a Windward/Leeward course set.
In Foynes, on the Shannon estuary, Jim Dempsey from Skerries is making the running in the clinker Mermaid class from a fleet of 33 boats gathered there for the class national championships that concludes today.
In other news, Eleonora, a replica of one of the best known racing schooners in the world, will be sailing on Dublin bay this weekend.
