#ifds – What a week we have all enjoyed at Kinsale Yacht Club who ran a superb event that was enjoyed by all and sundry who had any connection with the Regatta writes Claire Bateman. It was no easy feat and John Stallard, the Event Director, must be a very happy and relieved man tonight. Sure we had two days when there was no sailing but Kinsale being what it is, the competitors were able to enjoy the wonderful facilities that Kinsale is famous for, not least being known as the gourmet capital of Ireland and set in some of the most glorious scenic areas in the locality. The forecast was uncanny in its accuracy and nobody had any doubts that there was going to be wind to enable a series to be completed and so it was.
Tuesday and Thursday produced unbeatable sailing conditions with sun, wind and hugely exhilarating conditions. Here again Kinsale are blessed with the fact that they have Bullen Bay where they sailed the 2.4Rs where these small boats, looking like miniature 12 metres, were able to sail comfortably without having to endure too much swell.
Today, the last day, produced the first rain and drizzle of the series that pretty well obscured the usual landmarks and even a very large black ship outside the sailing area was barely visible and the conditions must have been especially tough for the gallant sailors in the 2.4mRs. However, the rain and drizzle lifted and in some twelve knots of breeze the Sonars got in three races with the other two fleets getting in two races each.
The most eagerly and tensely awaited race was the final race for the 2.4mR class which was fought out all week between Heiko Kroger from Germany and Guus Bijlard from the Netherlands tied on equal points the top of the fleet and being hotly pursued by Damien Seguin from France. Finally it was Kroger, Billard and Seguin in that order making Heiko Kroger of Germany the 2.4mR World Champion.
In the Sonars it was obvious from the very start that the wily French sailor, Bruno Jourdren was not going to let anyone stand in his way. The French are so into their sailing and are really excellent and very hard to beat. He never allowed anyone to have a look in for the series and no matter how hard Udo Hessels from the Netherlands tried to break the French man's hold he could not succeed and had to settle for second place with the Australian sailor Colin Harrison taking the bronze with Bruno Jourdren is now the Sonar Class World Champion. IFDS President John Twomey of KinsaleYC finished in ninth position.
In the SKUD 18 fleet Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell with their unmistakable green kite were the unstoppable winners and took the world title with Italy's Marco Gualandris second and John McRoberts of Canada settling for bronze.
With such a successful event for Kinsale would it be too much to ask that we might see the competition return there at some future date?