#youthsailing – Youth sailors Peter McCann and Harry Whitaker from Royal Cork took third overall in the 420 dinghy at Kiel week, Germany at the weekend. Douglas Elmes and Colin O'Sullivan of Howth finished fifth overall in the same 154–boat fleet. As Afloat.ie reported earlier, there was also early success for new 29er skiff duo Harry and Johnny Durcan, also of Royal Cork, who finished 11th in their 86–boat fleet.
The youth sailors are returning to Ireland today after the exceptional results at Kieler Woche, one of the largest international regattas in the world with 39 classes and 5000 sailors competing in the week-long event.
Four Irish 420 crews took part in the event, with all four achieving top 10 results over the four days of racing, in the 154-boat fleet.
A nail-biting final two days saw two Irish crews, McCann and Whitaker (RCYC) and Elmes and O'Sullivan (HYC/MYC) swapping places at the top of the fleet, until a disappointing final race for both boats gave Ireland third (McCann/Whitaker) and 5th (Elmes/O'Sullivan) overall.
The event was won by the USA, with France taking second place, and GBR fourth.
For a number of years the Irish Laser sailors have been achieving impressive international results, but in recent years the 420 standard has steadily improved and the Kiel results are being described as a 'major breakthrough' for Irish 420 sailing.
The 420 Munster Championship takes place in Dunmore East next weekend, 4th and 5th July.
