SAILING: In a nail-biting conclusion to the Allianz ISA Helmsman Championship, Ballyholme Yacht Club's Conor Walsh, with Peter O'Leary crewing, emerged overall winner by a slim margin of just 0.75 of a point.
In a late-night protest committee sitting, Walsh was confirmed following the disqualification of another competitor from a race in the final round.
The final round of five races was sailed in a gentle breeze that held the fleet of 12 boats at sea until after seven o'clock. A third place for Walsh in the final race appeared good enough to secure victory and his crew ceremonially dumped him overboard after finishing.
Ashore, however, the points computer told a different story. Past winner Ruan O Tiarnaigh, originally from Sutton but sailing for his new home club of the Royal North of Ireland YC, had edged ahead by a mere 0.25 point.
But in a further development, by the time the fleet had started hauling out, the protest committee was being convened to hear an on-the-water juror protest against Sydney 2000 Olympian David Burrows from an earlier race in the finals. The outcome was set to change again.
After a lengthy hearing, the news emerged that Burrows was disqualified from race three, moving Walsh up one place to third, whereas O Tiarnaigh, as race winner, could not gain any advantage. The narrow margin was thus reversed and the Squib national champion dropped half a point to second overall.
Completing the podium finishers was Gerbil Owens, an Olympic classes nominee who took the third runner-up place just two points behind Walsh.
Defending champion Feargal Kinsella also featured in the finalists, taking 11th overall, with Gillian Guinness, his crew from 2001. Having found Saturday's windy conditions too demanding, the Athens 2004 Paralympic hopeful easily won his repechage race yesterday to secure his finals place.
Yesterday's conditions were a complete reversal of the opening day that had seen a delay to racing until the 26 knot winds dropped to below 20 knots before the loaned boat owners would allow safe competition.
Based at the Royal St George YC in Dún Laoghaire for the first of two years, a fleet of Dragon keelboats was on loan with an owner's representative complementing the nominee helm and invited crew member.
This annual event gathers the best sailors from all the major Irish classes plus a number of wild card entries representing the cream of Ireland's talent racing on the international circuit.
ISA HELMSMAN CHAMPIONSHIP (at Royal St. George YC): Final Overall: 1 Conor Walsh (Laser Radial-BYC); Ruan O Tiarnaigh (Squib-RNIYC); 3 G Owens (Olympic-RstGYC); 4 Tom Fitzpatrick (Olympic-HYC/RstGYC); 5 Neil Hegarty (Dragons -RstGYC); 6 David Burrows (Olympic-HYC); 7 Nevan Powell (Wildcard-HYC); 8 David Dickson (Shannon One-Design-LRYC); 9 Maurice O'Connell (RCYC/RstGYC); 10 Des Fortune (J24- RstGYC); 11 Feargal Kinsella (Holder-HYC); 12 Nick Walsh (National 18-RCYC).
