McGibney yacht 'Disaray' is Overall West Coast WIORA 2010 Winner

6th July 2010

The West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association (WIORA), 'West Coast Championships' concluded at the weekend, which was hosted by the Royal Western Yacht Club based in Kilrush Co. Clare.

Strong winds prevailed thought the event and unfortunately no sailing took place on Friday due to the extreme wind conditions, but international race officer Alan Crosbie and his team did an excellent job in getting six races completed for each of the four classes; On the last day, race management was conducted from the Navel Ship the LE Aoife making a visit to Kilrush and adding greatly to the spectacle afloat. Photos on the gallery here.
Numbers may have be back on previous years but what was lacking in numbers was made up for by the standard and competiveness of the racing in each of the classes, so much so that in Class 2 it went to the wire on the final race of the final day to decide the overall placing in the Class with the order they finished in deciding the order of the class overall's.

In these economic times without the huge support of partners, events like this Regional Event could not be staged and with alot of help from Kilrush Credit Union / Kilrush Creek Marina / Shannon Development / Dubarry Ireland / Kilrush Chamber of Commerce / ropelocker.ie / fotosail.com / afloat.ie and the many local business made sure this was a very successful event.

In IRC Class 1, Glen Cahill's J109 Joie de Vie from Galway Bay Sailing Club took the overall slot with Rob Allen's Corby 36 Mustang Sally from the host club finishing in second and Martin Breen's Harley 33 That's Life also from Galway Bay Sailing Club finishing a close third overall. In Echo Class 1, Rob Allen's Mustang Sally took the overall laurels with Team Foynes X332 from Foynes Yacht Club finishing second on equal points with Glen Cahill's J109 who finished third only been separated by count back on points.
In IRC Class 2, only three points separated the top three boats with Ray McGibney's Dehler 34 DISARAY sailing under the burgee of Foynes Yacht Club taking the final race and the overall in the class with Brian Rafferty's Corby 26 2602 from Sligo Yacht Club finishing only one and half points adrift securing second and Finbarr O Connell's Sigma 33 from Tralee Bay Sailing Club finishing a very close third. In Echo Class 2 it was even closer on points with only .75 of a point separating the top three with Liam Lynch's Sigma 33 from Tralee Bay Sailing Club taking the overall with Brian Rafferty's 2062 finishing second and Finbarr O Connells Treyona finishing third overall.
In IRC Class 3, Martin McNamara & Thomas Whelan's Chartered J24 Jaws/Chaos from the host club with four wins took the top slot with John Paul Buckley & Donal McCormack's Golden Shamrock Battle from Foynes Yacht Club finishing second and Gary Fort's chartered J24 Jaguar from Tralee Bay Sailing Club taking third overall. In Echo Class Three John Paul Buckley & Donal McCormack's Battle taking first with Gary Fort's Jaguar taking second and fellow club mate from Tralee Bay Sailing Club Mark Prendiville HB31 rooster taking third overall.
In Class Four (White Sails) all the way from Howth Yacht Club it was Stephen Mullaney's Beneteau 375 Walter Mitty taking the top slot with Richard Glynn's Oceanis 411 Velella from the host club taking second and John Finnegan's Oceanis 311 Jasmin II from Foynes Yacht Club taking third overall.

Best performing production boats –

X Yachts Cup – Team Foynes X332 Dexterity Foynes Yacht Club
Sigma 33 Cup – Finbarr O' Connell's Sigma 33 Tralee Bay Sailing Club
Beneteau Cup – Stephen Mullaney's Beneteau 375 Walter Mitty Howth Yacht Club
Full list of the West Coast Championship results please visit www.westernyachtclub.com

For WIORA the season is far from over with the continuation of the Murphy Marine Services West Coast Super League which is an extracted series of seven events on the West Coast, the next event is the O' Sullivan Marine 100 mile race from Fenit to Valentia Island on the 30th July followed by Clifden Regatta on the 06th – 08th of August with the Galway Bay Sailing Club Regatta on the 03rd – 05th September and Foynes Yacht Club Regatta on the 25th&26th of September.

For more information please vist the WIORA website www.wiora.org

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