23-year old sailor George Kenefick of Royal Cork Yacht Club is the 2011 Waterways Ireland All Ireland Sailing Champion after the tightest of finishes on Lough Derg this afternoon. Kenefick tied with club mate Mark Mansfield on 12 points but won on the tie break rule.
George Kenefick, Mel Collins and John Downey celebrate their win on Lough Derg. Photo: Brendan Fogarty/ISA. More Photos below.
Kenefick with a last minute crew combination of Mel Collins and John Downey led the fleet over eight windward leeward courses in strong and breezy conditions. The J80 fleet were used in reef down mode as the breeze topped 20-knots. Mansfield was on top after race seven but a final race win for the Half Ton class representatitves gave victory to the young Crosshaven helmsman.
11 points adrift, Olympic 49er campaigner Ryan Seaton from Belfast lough finished third. Full Results below.The youngest of the 16 competing helms Kenefick was up against some tough opposition. A previous winer of the Junior All Ireland Sailing Championship in 2006s he won the Half Ton Cup in 2011. Kenefick becomes the sixth consecutive Royal Cork winner of the ISA Salver trophy.
Kenefick is back on the water in France later this month as Captain of the CIT entry at the Student Sailing Championships in La Rochelle.
FINAL 2011 ALL IRELAND RESULTS
Name |
Club |
R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
R4 |
R5 |
R6 |
R7 |
R8 |
Pts |
Disc |
Net |
George Kenefick |
Royal Cork Yacht Club |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
17 |
5 |
12 |
Mark Mansfield |
Royal Cork Yacht Club |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
3 |
17 |
5 |
12 |
Ryan Seaton |
Ballyholme Yacht Club |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
1 |
5 |
5 |
28 |
7 |
21 |
Ben Duncan |
Howth Yacht Club |
4 |
6 |
4 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
33 |
8 |
25 |
Flor O’Driscoll |
Howth Yacht Club |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
35 |
8 |
27 |
Gordon Patterson |
Royal North Yacht Club |
4 |
4 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
7 |
37 |
8 |
29 |
Noel Butler |
ISA |
2 |
3 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
7 |
7 |
4 |
40 |
7 |
33 |
Adrian Allen |
Ballyholme Yacht Club |
8 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
4 |
8 |
45 |
8 |
37 |
All Afloat's All Ireland coverage here