The 420 Leinster Championships on March 24th/25th – the first event staged by Malahide Yacht Club at its newly re-developed Dinghy Sailing Centre at the Broadmeadows – was a closely contested affair, with just two points separating the top three boats and overall victory going Robert Dickson & Sean Waddilove (Howth YC/RSt.GYC) by the narrowest of margins from Patrick Crosbie & Grattan Roberts of Royal Cork YC.
Although the fleet of 13 was relatively small, it represented over 6 different clubs and all four provinces. Over the two days, racing comprised windward-leeward and trapezoid courses in ideal conditions, particularly on the first day when Race Officer Neil Murphy managed four races in moderate to occasionally fresh south-easterlies.
The Dickson/Waddilove pairing got off to a flying start, winning the first two races from Adam Hyland/Bill Staunton (RSt.GYC) before Crosbie/Roberts led the fleet home on the next two races to balance things out at the end the first day. On day two, Hyland/Staunton took the gun in Race 5 of the series and with those three boats consistently filling the top three places, everything hung on the final race.
The Cork duo took the gun but second place to Dickson & Waddilove was sufficient to give them the title by a single point, with the Dun Laoghaire crew of Hyland & Staunton a further point behind. Lizzy McDowell and Orlagh Thompson of the host club were consistently in the top half of the fleet, and a 4th and 3rd on the second day was enough to give them 4th overall ahead of Galway Bay SC visitors Cian Walsh and Fiachra McHugh.
Northern visitors Laura Gilmore and Lucy Burrows (SLYC/DSC) topped the Silver fleet, finishing 8th overall.
The Leinster Championship was supported by Shiels Londis supermarket and Marine Parts Direct and organised by MYC’s Brian McDowell, President of the Irish 420 Class Association.
