Ireland took on the world at the weekend in the inaugural Ireland v. The World Match Racing Challenge, but it was the global alliance that came out on top in the end, with 36 wins over Ireland's 29.
Light winds kept the race count down from the anticipated 90-odd, but good conditions on Sunday meant the 66-race Round Robin was completed in Scotsman's bay.
The overall team trophy was in balance until the final few flights, but the World team did enough to edge out the Irish Challenge.
Romain Baggio and his Bordeaux Racing team sailed an impeccable series, only losing one race to Keith Swinton of Australia to take the Individual win.
The event was an experiment in many ways, with proceedings blogged flight-by-flight as they happened by on-the-water reporters. The records of the entire event can be found online at matchracing.ie/challenge, and you can replay the flights on the online GPS tracker HERE.
Live, on-the-water commentary was broadcast over channel 77 from Olympic commentator Jimmy Fitzpatrick and Olympian Ger Owens, and innovative spectator packages allowed spectators fire the gun to start racing and even sit in an on-board hotseat during racing.
Final Skipper results after 12 races each are:
Baggio (FRA) 11 wins(91%)
Nicholas (AUS) 10 wins(82%)
Cornah (GBR) 7 wins (64%)
Swinton (AUS) 8 WIns (73%) minus 1 point penalty
Elmes (IRL) 6 Wins (55%)
Sheehy (IRL) 6 Wins (55%)
O'Connell (IRL) 5 wins (45%)
Hunt (IRL) 4 wins (36%)
Fowler (IRL) 4 wins (36%)
Duncan (NZL) 3 wins (30%)
O'Leary (IRL) 3 wins (30%)
Huckstadt (GER) 0 wins (0%)
