With November just ended, today’s assessment at the beginning of December for the latest “Sailors of the Month” listings would normally include at least one of our young sailors who starred to such good effect in the European Sailing Championship in the south of France from 14th to 20th November, most notably Rocco Wright (16) of Howth who scored Gold – and with it the top U21 – in the ILCA6 Class.

But as it is, Rocco has already been up in lights with his Gold in the Youth Worlds in The Netherlands in July, scored in an extraordinary demonstration of improving performance with a cool mindset overcoming of any end-of-series nerves. Thus this further Gold - quarried from a demanding series on a Cote d’Azur which at times wasn’t at all Riviera-like – has only added to the lustre of his already-registered achievement.

Rocco Wright – November saw him adding extra lustre to his Gold of July

This may sound frustrating for the adjudicators, as sailing achievements in November can be rare enough. But in fact, the assessment team are delighted, as it leaves them with a clean slate to honour some specialist sailing people whose recognition might normally be crammed into late December’s final roundup.

CROWDED POST-PANDEMIC PROGRAMME

For in the very crowded catch-up post-pandemic season which was crammed almost entirely into June, July, August, and early September, somehow our race-administering brotherhood and sisterhood found enough volunteers from among their ranks to stage no less than four World Championships: the GP 14s at Skerries, the 505s with the Royal Cork YC at Crosshaven, the Fireballs on Lough Derg, and the SB20s at the Royal Irish YC in Dun Laoghaire.

LOSS OF JACK ROY

The demand which such high-profile “in the searchlight” events place on the relatively small group of appropriately-qualified individuals drawn from the within the Irish sailing community’s many volunteers for duty afloat and ashore was exacerbated by the untimely death of one of their key top-level race officers, Jack Roy of Dun Laoghaire, in December 2021.

With his supportive wife Rosemary, Jack provided the very experienced and competent core for race management teams to the highest event levels. His sad demise was not only a real loss in that he was a much-loved truly life-enhancing individual, but it was also a blow to the established Irish ability to comfortably cater for world class events. And it was also felt at every level of our sport, for Jack and Rosemary were the vey embodiment of the spirit of sailing in Ireland. 

Much missed. The late Jack Roy with his wife Rosemary in their Hallberg Rassy 48 Tangaroa at the Fastnet Rock. Rosemary has since taken on the voluntary task of Honorary Secretary to Dublin Bay Sailing Club

They had been anticipating gradual retirement from some of their multiple commitments in sailing in the near future, yet in the extra pressures of 2022, their reassuring background presences would have been a comfort for harassed Event Committee Chairmen. But in any case we can’t help but wonder just how smoothly their planned extraction from the top level of racing administration would really have been. For in July 2022. Rosemary took on the role of Honorary Secretary of Dublin Bay Sailing Club, one of the most demanding positions in our sport.

RISING LEVELS OF EXPECTATION

These days even the most modest club event needs its race teams, and the personnel and expertise demands rise as we move up the scale through regional, national and international championships. But then we move into an entirely different state of affairs when we take on the rarefied conditions which prevail in a recognised World Championship for a global-status class.

Howth Yacht Club’s senior Committee Boat Star Point is both a race organisation platform and a full backroom support office. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

Thus while we really would like to make “Sailors of the Month” our of every Race Officer who made major championships possible in 2022, we have to acknowledge that they’ll have been doing it among their own folk who may well be prepared to make allowances for the occasional error.

But with a Worlds, local friendships are irrelevant. An International Jury which occasionally will feel that it has to justify its existence with some conspicuously severe judgment on race management has to be taken into account. Increasingly, too, Race Umpires are making an input. And it’s all under a level of widespread yet intensely focused international media attention which you don’t get – however big the numbers taking part might be - with events which are further down the feeding chain.

RACE OFFICER TEAMS

In such exposed circumstances, the senior Race Officers need to be a bit like the owner-skippers of a substantial cruiser-racer, who will know that they have to build up a reliable and accessible crew panel which is roughly twice the number of people actually needed to race the boat on the day. And within that “crew panel”, he or she has to have a core of experts – an inner cabinet, if you like – of specialists who can be totally relied on to maintain and operate the necessary data and key support services.

A classic case in point is Peter Crowley of Cork, whose services to sailing over many years have included being President of the Irish Sailing Association and Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, in addition to being a stalwart of the National 18 Class and the cruiser-racer scene.

Peter Crowley’s Beneteau Trawler Yacht Sparetime has served as Committee Boat at countless sailing events at all levels from club racing to World Championships. Photo: Robert Bateman 

For many years now his personal flagship has been the versatile Beneteau Trawler Yacht Sparetime, and in providing the full services for Race Management to World Level, such as August’s particularly demanding 505 Worlds off Cork Harbour from 3rd to 13th of August, he was able to draw on the support of his key team members like Siobhain Keane-Hopcraft, John Stallard and Joanne O’Brien in order to provide a sound foundation for the larger group – including those in support RIBS – which is necessary to create a fully-furnished worlds.

Sparetime in use as the Committee Boat at the 2022 505 Worlds – keep the message simple, keep it clear. Photo: Christophe Favreau

Royal Cork YC Admiral Kieran O’Connell with Jennifer Barry and Peter Crowley when the latter received a memento for his services as Race Officer at the 505 Worlds 2022 at Royal Cork YC

TWO SAILING MAJORS BACK-TO-BACK

The particular demands of the pressure-cooker 2022 season were also felt on the East Coast, where qualified personnel availability restrictions were such that Race Management veteran David Lovegrove of Howth found himself heading the race organisation for the very international J/24 Europeans at Howth from 30th August to 3rd September, and then doing the same for the SB20 Worlds at the Royal Irish YC in Dun Laoghaire from 4th to 9th September – in other words, two especially-demanding majors back-to-back.

Giving her the welly…..SB20 Worlds 2022 in Dublin Bay in September. Photo: Annraoi Blaney

While the SB20 Worlds found itself experiencing the first hints of strong Autumnal winds, the J/24 Europeans had a last blast of sunny onshore summer breezes from the northeast. But earlier in August at Skerries for the GP14 Worlds from the 14th to the 19th, Race Officer Bill O’Hara of Ballyholme found himself handling the needs of an international 104-strong fleet – the biggest turnout of any of Ireland’s 2022 Worlds – for Skerries Sailing Club.

RUGGED ONSHORE WINDS

Sailing in North Fingal may be expanding by leaps and bounds these days, but the 1934-established Skerries SC sometimes finds itself at the pin of its collar in catering for extra-large fleets in the inevitably-restricted spaces available within the confines of the Red Island Peninsula.

Spinnaker work with an onshore breeze in the GP14 Worlds 2022 at Skerries. Photo: GP14 Worlds

Yet despite a series of sometimes rugged onshore nor’easters making conditions almost coastal oceanic in the race area, particularly in wind-over-tide situations, the determination of the Organising Committee led by Colman Grimes and the huge experience and good humour of Bill O’Hara, saw this mega-event through to a successful conclusion.

MYSTERIOUS MAGIC OF LOUGH DERG

In looking back at the four Worlds staged in 2022, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the Fireball Worlds at Lough Derg from 21st to 26th August best expressed the spirit of sailing as it is experienced in our island nation. Admittedly a certain level of secrecy seems to come over events which are staged on our somehow well-hidden great lakes, but it is a fact that once people have started taking part in even a major sailing event on Lough Derg or Lough Ree, they seem to have entered a completely self-contained environment which feels no need to communicate with the outside world.

Away from it all yet right on the pace – Fireball Worlds 2022 on Lough Derg. Photo:LDYC

Thus when we talk of sailing as an ideal activity “to get away from it all”, we find this best-expressed among those who have disappeared off to sail on on the Shannon’s many waters. In due course we did get official information about what was clearly a hugely enjoyable and superbly scenic event for the fleet of 79 boats, but at first it was thanks to Race Officer Con Murphy being a dab hand in getting evocative photos - while at the same time running a great event – that we became aware there was some magic sailing going on at a deservedly popular Irish venue.

So when it comes down to it, our four Sailor of the Month for November are all retrospective awards for Services to Sailing, and as every one of them made a huge contribution, we simply list them in the chronological order of the events they organised.

PETER CROWLEY OF ROYAL CORK IS NOVEMBER “SAILOR OF THE MONTH (SERVICES TO SAILING)

The affable Peter Crowley brings comprehensive experience of participation and organisation to any major championship with which he becomes involved

The 505 Worlds 2022 from 3rd to 13th August at the Royal Cork YC came laden with historic associations. For though this attractive class may still look as modern as tomorrow, it goes way back, and around 70 years ago Cork Harbour was the hotbed of a busy fleet which was part of a worldwide movement. But now – like former Olympic classes such as the Finn, the Star and the Dragon – the 505 class is an elite international travelling circus, making the highest demands on any venue that it selects for its words.

Unfortunately for Cork in the first part of the 2022 Worlds, the event was frustrated by calms. But even here, the fact of having Peter Crowley as Race Officer was all to the good, for on the Lay Day he gave everyone a convivial harbour tour on his Beneteau Trawler Yacht Spare Times which much improved the mood, and then when the breezes came good towards the end of the week, he clicked through enough races in champagne sailing to get a real result, with the USA’s Stuart McNay & Caleb Paine winning from GBR’s Nathan Batchelor & Seam Pascoe, while best of the Irish in a 78-strong and totally international fleet were Ewan Barry & Charles Dwyer at 12th.

BILL O’HARA OF BALLYHOLME IS NOVEMBER “SAILOR OF THE MONTH (SERVICES TO SAILING)

Bill O’Hara when he was Race Officer for the Ocean Race

Bill O’Hara first leapt to national fame when he skippered the Bangor Grammar School team to overall victory in the annual Britain & Ireland Schools Championship in Scotland in the days when it was an event of prime importance, which is now a very long time ago. Since then, he has starred in Olympic Finns and Lasers to the highest international levels, while his unrivalled race management expertise been enacted with many high-profile events, including the multi-stage round-the-world Ocean Race.

This in getting him to oversee their 2022 Worlds from 14th to 19th August at Skerries with a fleet of 104 boats, the GP 14 Asociation and Skerries SC really were getting one of the Main Men to see them through a challenging week, from which Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliff (GBR) emerged as the Champoons, while the top Irish were the host club’s Colman Grimes crewed by Rob Gingles at fifth, and the top female helm was Jane Kearney of Royal North of Ireland YC in 14th, crewed by Oliver Goodhead.

CON MURPHY OF DUN LAOGHAIRE IS NOVEMBER “SAILOR OF THE MONTH (SERVICES TO SAILING)

A round Ireland sailing record holder for 19 continuous years, Con Murphy is noted for many other sailing achievements 

There are few sailors in Ireland with more eclectic interests afloat than Con Murphy, as he is the husband and father of Olympic sailors, his wife Cathy having raced the 470 in the 1988 Olympics, while his daughter Annalise won the Silver Medal in the Lasers in 2016 in Rio.

But with interests extending in many directions, he has long been a multi-hull enthusiast, and in September 1993 he persuaded the late Steve Fossett to bring his superb 60ft trimaran Lakota to Ireland for a joint tilt at the Round Ireland Record, which had stood since November 1986. They did it with such style that their new time stood until June 2016, when the three larger MOD 70 trimarans finally sliced a little more off it during that year’s multiple record-breaking Round Ireland race from Wicklow.

An eye for the beauty of sail – one of Con Murphy’s “snatched” images while organising the Fireballs on Lough Derg. Photo: Con Murphy

Such breadth of experience brings its own deep sense of reassuring calm at challenging moments during World Championships, and on Lough Derg in late August Con Murphy oversaw an enjoyment-plus Fireball Worlds which saw Tom Gillard (GBR) and Andy Thompson (East Antrim Boat Club) take the title, while the best all-Irish team of Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsaella (Royal St George YC) just missed the podium with a very commendable fourth overall in a notably strong fleet.

DAVID LOVEGROVE OF HOWTH IS NOVEMBER “SAILOR OF THE MONTH (SERVICES TO SAILING)

In his element – David Lovegrove assessing the readings while setting a course. Photo: Judith Malcolm

September is always a bit of a gamble as the time for staging a major sailing championship, for although the sea temperature may be at its warmest, the closing in of the evenings and a sometimes unexpected nip in the air can combine with big winds – usually from the west – to tell us that our predecessors in sailing may have been wise in drawing most sport afloat towards a close by the end of August.

Yet, with modern boats and the growing precision of weather forecast, early September can be a real Godsend in completing the season’s main national and international events. But when David Lovegrove arrived at the beginning of September to oversee the Royal Irish YC’ staging of the SB20 Worlds 2022, he may have seen it as just another day’s voluntary work at the top level of the sport, as he had already master-minded the Wave Regatta at Howth in early June, and he’d overseen a host of other lesser events throughout the summer before taking on the J/24 Euros at his home port in the week before the SB20 Worlds began across the bay.

It was a tough one. If September was coming in as a month of gentle mists and mellow fruitfulness, it was doing so somewhere other than Dublin Bay. This was the Big Boys’ Game, and no mistake. But they battered their way through, and by the end Jose Paulo Ramada of Portugal was the winner out of a 56-strong fleet, while best of the Irish were Royal St George’s Michael O’Connor, Davy Taylor and Edward Cook in fourth.

Afterwards, David Lovegrove supposedly retired home to rest for a while at his house on the Hill of Howth. But rumours abound about him being spotted in the main role aboard the Committee Boat at various events since the SB 20s were blasting so spectacularly around Dublin Bay. Either way, he certainly deserves praise for his extensive work on behalf of sailing.

Finally, after all the frustration in Cork Harbour, the Royal Cork Yacht Club hosted 505 Worlds finish in brochure conditions...

The final day again dawned with no wind and again, the wind filled in from the NE out to sea. Today the conditions were even better than yesterday with the wind filling in slightly stronger and holding for longer. Nearly all racing was conducted in 10-12 maybe 14kn of wind. Late in the day, it did move slightly right and start to fade, but by then, boats were turning onto their last upwind of the final race.

Three races again were conducted today, allowing 7 races in total and bringing a drop into play.

The first race of the day (R5) looked like there could be some movement ahead for the leader board. McNay and Payne were 7th and Batchelor/Pascoe 3rd. The winners were Jan-Philipp Hofmann and Felix Brockerhoff in a tight battle with Roger Gilbert and Ben McGrane. Peter Nicholas and Luke Payne were part that trio, but on the last run they went furthest to the left when a little righty came down the centre of the course dropping them to 6th. The German pair of Hofmann and Brockerhoff looked like they could move up to third overall.

The second race of the day (R6) was a return to form for McNay/Payne, but Batchelor/Pascoe were a little deep. Nicholas/Payne were again near the front and this time would make no mistake finishing second. Former champions Mike Holt and Adam Lowry emerged from the forest they had been lost in all regatta to give us a flash of brilliance to pick up third.

And the final race (R7), well it was an exhibition, really. McNay and Paine just sailed away from the fleet. It was impressive! In second, was the other form boat Batchelor and Pascoe with third going to Mike Martin and Adam Lowry.

In a post-race interview, McNay and Paine shared their glory with their coach, (and McNay's crew for the last two Olympics), Dave Hughes.

The two lead boats were identical packages. Brand new Ovington V2 hulls, Pinnell and Bax sails and Superspar M2 masts.

The top Irish were locals Ewan Barry and Charles Dwyer in 12th place.

Next year the Worlds return to the US West Coast in Santa Cruz and given the size of the US fleet here in Cork, it should be a great success.

After a long wait, the 505 World Championship fleet in Cork Harbour was greeted with a 12-14kn from the N/E today.

It was a gradient breeze and expected to wane a little as the day went on. The PRO could get a maximum of three races in, and three were needed to constitute a series, so everyone knew what was to come. Whilst the breeze was oscillating, most of the fleet worked to the left upwind, and down. There seemed to be more pressure over there.

There were some performances to highlight throughout the races.

South Africans James Largier and Richard Hutton-Squire in 6th the first race of the day (R2). Lena Stückl and Johannes Tellen 7th in R2 - Lena stated yesterday she prefers breeze and proved it. In R3 Malin Broberg and Johan Röök finishing 4th and locals Ewen Barry and Charles Dwyer in R4 finished 6th, plus youngster Morgan Pickney and Garrett Brown 4th in R4.

Tomorrow the wind looks lighter but hopes remain for a few more races to finish the Worlds Photo: Christian Favreau

The first race today, (R2) was almost perfect 505 weather, the lightweight teams were in play and the heavyweight teams were in play. Crews were on the wire and the boats could power reach the runs. At the top mark the first time the team of McNay and Paine were again in the front with Mike Martin and Adam Lowry looming. The other front runners of Batchelor and Pascoe were back in the teens. For the second leg Batchelor and Pascoe moved through the fleet finishing third behind our two original race leaders.

The second race, (R3) was a couple of knots lighter moving to the 9-11kn range and favouring our lighter teams. This time Batchelor and Pascoe lead from start to finish with McNay and Paine second. The fleet was tight, so there was a large bunch fighting for third. Nicholas and Payne won that battle from the Swedish team of Broberg and Röök, the leading mixed team.

In the final race the pressure again dropped a couple more knots and moved right 20 degrees. The order for the lead was reversed with McNay and Paine leading Batchelor and Pascoe, third went to Mal Higgins and Nick (Camel) Johnstone. The big excitement for the whole fleet though was the finish of Earle Alexander and Angus Higgins in 8th. Angus is Malcolm's son and an emerging youth sailor. He joined with Earle (76y.o.), a class stalwart and permanent fixture in the 505 class for at least 40 years, and one of the most popular men in the field. Earle is there for everyone, yet he has never had a top 10 race at a Worlds, until today - there was a lot of celebration.

Tomorrow the wind looks lighter but hopes remain for a few more races to finish the Worlds. No drops as yet, so McNay and Paine have a 5-point lead heading into the final day.

Day three is completed and the 505 World Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club still have only sailed one race.

Ireland has a large ridge of no wind sitting stationary above it, and it is wreaking havoc on the 505 fleet.

For the second day in a row, the planned racecourse offshore had zero wind.

The race committee tried to get racing on the inshore course.

There has been localised breeze inshore over the last few days and on the planned inshore course, it varied from 3-8 knots, with large direction changes.

Sailors left shore at midday and the first attempt at racing was around 2.45 pm.

The 505 class requires more than 5 knots over the course otherwise, racing is abandoned. Two races were started in 7-8 knots but both were abandoned halfway through when it dropped to 3 knots.

The fleet was kept on the water until 6 pm, but nothing eventuated, and everyone went home frustrated.

The pressure is on to get some races in. Tomorrow (Thursday) is a scheduled lay day which may be converted to a racing day, but again, no wind is expected. 

Light winds continue to affect the 505 World Championship programme at Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork Harbour.

Racing was cancelled on the second day of the competition at Crosshaven due to lack of wind.

Only one of two races were held on Monday's opening day also due to light winds.

Racing continues on Wednesday.

Americans Stuart Mcnay and Caleb Paine have won the first race of the 505 World Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork Harbour.

Best of the Irish in the 77-boat fleet was recently crowned national champion, Monkstown Bay's Chris Bateman sailing with Paul O'Sullivan in 14th place.

The first day of racing continued the challenging conditions seen at last week's Pre-Worlds.

Racing was postponed with sailors held ashore in anticipation of an afternoon sea breeze. Competitors launched around midday with the hope of two races with a 2 pm start. There were early signs of good breeze on the sail out, but once competitors exited the harbour the wind faded away. Eventually, a light sea breeze crept over the horizon and a two-lap course was set. The wind fluctuated between 4-6 knots throughout the race but was reasonably steady in direction.

Soon after the gun, the pathfinder (lead boat who sails from a pin on port and all the other boats sail behind her in a gate start) started to lift. The phases looked long and slow, plus there was the potential of slightly more wind to the right, so a lot of the fleet headed that way. Stuart McNay and Caleb Paine USA 9245 jumped from the gate early tacked onto port crossing the fleet and then brought the fleet pack from the right, at the top mark they lead and right behind them were Nathan Batchelor and Sam Pascoe GBR 9240. The top boats from the Pre-Worlds continued their form in the light winds. Right there also were youngsters Morgan Pickney and Garrett Brown and European Champions Roger Gilbert and Ben McGrane.

Position held on the run, but at the gate, an incident saw Batchelor and Pascoe doing a turn.

For the next leg,  the top mark was moved and the course shortened to ensure a finish in the light breeze. So Batchelor and Pascoe dropped to fourth, Gilbert and McGrane climbed to second with Pickney and Brown finishing third.

From there, with no prospect of any more wind, the fleet were sent home. Racing resumes tomorrow. The wind again looks light, but with the expectation of some in the morning, the fleet will be on the water early.

There are less than two weeks until sailors gather for the 65th International 505 World Championships at the Royal Cork Yacht Club from 3-13 August.

Held every year since 1956, this is the first Worlds for the dinghy class since Fremantle in Australia in 2019, and 505 sailors will be more than keen to compete again.

This year’s event will be the fourth time the 505 Worlds have been hosted in Crosshaven since 1959 and the first in 40 years. Competitors can expect any range of conditions, with racing held offshore in the Atlantic to ensure fair courses.

Given the expected cool temperatures, competitors should anticipate gradient breezes, so shifty conditions and lots of pressure changes. Onshore they can expect the full gamut of Irish hospitality, including daily prize-giving and social events in a picturesque and beautiful location.

The International 505 is an iconic class, and a boat that generates fierce loyalty from all those that sail one. Famously, Paul Evstrom said: “The 5O5 is really my favourite class because it is so lively and responsive in all types of wind and sea conditions….after having sailed all types of dinghy and all types of keelboat I would like to tell you that no other boat is able to give one so much pleasure as this one.”

Designed by Britain’s John Westall in 1954, the 505 is a perfect combination of tactical, technical and speed sailing. There are faster boats than a 505, but none feel as fast and it can be sailed fast in all conditions.

Mastery takes many years as there is no end of controls you can adjust, allowing 505 sailors to develop very deep technical sailing knowledge. Also, little ground is lost when tacking or gybing a 505, meaning every tactical opportunity can be pursued.

The joy of sailing 505s attracts all types of sailors — Olympians, pros and club sailors alike. Despite reduced numbers because of the Covid effect, the fleet is packed with talent. Some highlights include:

• From Australia, Luke Payne will be coming straight from his duties on the Danish SailGP team to sail with Peter Nicholas. Together they have had a 4th and 2nd before; is this their year?
• Olympic bronze medallist Ian Brown sailing with Tom Olsen (US), two-time Star world champion and one-time Etchells world champ.
• From the US, four-time Olympian Stuart McNay sailing with Caleb Paine, bronze medallist in the 2020 Olympics in the Finn class.
• Mike Martin and Adam Lowry, defending champions and 2019 US sailors of the year. Plus, Mike is the only person to win the 505 World Championship as both a sailor and crew.
• From Germany, three-time Olympian, seven-time world champion (five in 505s) and the King of Kiel Week with a whopping 23 wins, Wolfgang Hunger will pair up with his original 505 crew and three-time world champ Holger Jess.
• Perennial threats Stefan Boehm and Gerald Roos are racing, as is Johannes Tellen this time pairing with champion sailor Lena Stuckl.
• From the UK, 2006 world champion Mark Upton-Brown teams up with Ian Mitchell, while 2008 champ Ian Pinnell is sailing with 2015 and 2017 champion Carl Smit from the US. Carl normally sails with three-time world champion Mike Holt, an Englishman who lives and races for the US. Holty is sailing with Rob Woelfel, with whom he won his first world title in 2014 and these two are the form boat coming into this event.

Ten races are scheduled for the Worlds from 8-13 August, with six for the pre-Worlds on 5-6 August. There is a maximum of three races each day.

Starting races in the 505 class is unique in that they utilise a gate start. A pathfinder boat will sail close hauled from the pin on port and the fleet must pass behind her on starboard. The advantage is that it is very rare for a race to have to be restarted, or for competitors to infringe the line. It does, however, put a premium on boat speed and the ability to hold a lane if you want a competitive start.

The other interesting element in 505 racing is that they sail with symmetrical spinnakers but race like they are asymmetrical. The moment crews are on trapeze, it is faster to sail downwind by high-speed reaching and sailing the longer distance. This leads to some very tactical and fast racing.

For more see www.int505.org/2022-world-championship-cork

Chris Bateman and John Coakley won the 505 dinghy Irish Nationals raced at Monkstown Bay Sailing Club over six races in Cork Harbour.

Six 505s competed. They won four of the six races, for a total of 7 points.

Second were John Downey and Sandy Rimmington, who finished on 12 points and third Richie Harrington and Sandy O’Brien who finished with 16 points.

The two races not won by the overall winners of the Nationals were won by Alex Barry and David Kenefick.

“It was a great weekend of racing,” said Club Commodore Sandy Rimmington. “The countdown is well and truly on now for the Worlds at the start of August.”

They will be held out of the RCYC at Crosshaven.

Royal Cork Yacht Club's Alex Barry took third overall at the 505 British National Championships at Brixham Yacht Club on the south coast of England at the weekend.

After ten races sailed with two discards, Barry, sailing with Harry Briddon of Ogston Sailing Club, finished on an equal 30 points with Roger Gilbert and Ben McGrane of Frensham Pond but the RCYC ace took the podium place after the tie-break rule had been applied. 

Mike Holt and Rob Woelfel of Santa Cruz YC won overall on 12 points with Nathan Batchelor and Sam Pascoe from Tynemouth SC runners-up. 

The top performance couldn't be better timed as Barry prepares to contest the World 505 Championships on home waters this August. 

The placing represents a consistent showing for the Cork Harbour sailor, who has now finished on the podium in three British Championships. He finished second in 2013 and third in 2014.

And in further good news for Munster 505 interests, National 18 class captain Charles Dwyer crewing for the UK's Ian Pinnell, finished fifth overall at Brixham. 

Full results here

Royal Cork's Alex Barry is going quick in his new 505 campaign towards the World Championships in Cork Harbour next year.

The Irish dinghy ace is teamed up with Harry Briddon of the UK for a title at the 2022 title and is putting in some time this year training at Hayling Island, where last weekend's 505 Euro Cup competition included 49er Gold Medalist from Tokyo, Stuart Bithell. 

After five races sailed in the 15-boat fleet, Barry ended up fourth overall, just two points behind Ian Pinnell and Tom Pickles of the host club in third position. Results are below.

The early boat speed looks promising for the Irish-English duo. Barry told Afloat he was 'flying' upwind, but he and Briddon still have some work on downwind technique.

The class looks forward to holding its 2022 World Championships in Cork from August 3 – 13th, 2022, where Barry is also an event organiser.

One hundred twenty crews from over 15 nations are expected for the 2022 championships. Eight or ten Irish boats will be among this number.

As Afloat previously reported, this will be the fourth time RCYC will have hosted the 505 World Championships, having welcomed visiting crews in 1959, 1964 and 1982.