#fireball – With a forecast of rising wind strengths for the day, which did manifest themselves, IRO Jack Roy and his team set three Windward-Leeward races for the Irish Fireball fleet to close out the regatta season for 2014 writes Cormac Bradley.
Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella won two of these to allow them to retire from the last race of the day without compromising their march to a clean sweep of regatta wins in the 2014 season.
The consistency of Noel Butler & Stephen Oram (15061) on this second day, with three second places was enough to secure 2nd place overall, ahead of Kenneth Rumball & Finn Bradley (15058), even though the latter combination won the last race of the day.
Behind Rumball & Bradley were the Clancy Brothers, Conor & Jame (14807), followed by another family combination, father and son Michael & James Murphy (14904).
Windwise, this was the exception to the 2014 rule with strong wind on both days. Results wise, the 2014 rule is unbroken with a fifth regatta win for Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella (15114). They won two of the day's three races to be able to retire from the final race without compromising their first place.
The second most consistent combination of the weekend, Messrs Butler & Oram (15061), "banged in" three second places on day 2 of the regatta to consolidate 2nd place overall ahead of Kenneth Rumball & Finn Bradley (15058) who though they won the last race also scored a three and a four.
The Clancy brothers, Conor and James (15807), put up identical scores on both days, 3,4, 4 to secure fourth place. In fifth place was another family combination - father and son Michael & James Murphy. An OCS was their discard fro a scorecard that boasted a 3, 4,, 5 and 2 x 6ths.
Next up were Neil Colin and Margaret Casey (30pts) followed by Niall McGrotty & Neil Cramer (34pts).
1. B Mc Cartin & Conor Kinsella 7pts
2. N Butler & S Oram 9pts
3. K Rumball & F Bradley 12pts
4. C & J Clancy 18pts
5. M & J Murphy 24pts.
Winds for racing were of the order of 12 - 15 knots but with an adverse forecast sailing was finished promptly. When this correspondent passed the seafront at 15:30, there was no sailing activity on Dublin Bay.
The Irish Fireball season now changes from regatta mode to the Sunday Frostbites but only after a break of a few weeks. This regatta saw a number of new combinations on the water which is very encouraging.
At the AGM on Saturday night an embryonic fixture list was discussed with differing views on the date and venue for the Nationals. There was also confirmation that the practice of sharing venues with other classes will contiinue to be pursued in 2015.
The Class prize-giving will take place at the end of November.
