Ireland will be well represented across the fleet at the Etchells European Championships that starts in Cowes today.
The Etchells 22 Class is, by many, regarded as one of the most competitive one design keelboat classes left now that there is no longer an Olympic Keelboat class.
The 2016 Worlds are scheduled for Cowes, Isle of Wight from the 5th to the 12th of Sept and will have 61 top level entries. Prior to that, in the same venue, will be the Etchells 22 European Championships, over today and tomorrow, which will is an unofficial warm–up event for the worlds.
Irish Interest in these events will be Malahide Yacht Club's Richard Burrows who is sailing Bedrock, with his daughter Samantha and local top sailor James Downer from Cowes. Royal Cork Yacht Club's Mark Mansfield, a four times Olympian in the Star Class, fresh from Success at the Irish IRC champs, Round Ireland Race, and European IRC Champs will sail as tactician on Andrew Coopers’ Ice. Mansfield has already Competed in the Quarter Ton Worlds in Cowes this year where he finished sixth and a fortnight ago won Cowes week in the Etchells 22 class aboard Coopers’ Ice.
Also racing in Cowes is Doris, skippered by Jay Bourke of Dun Laoghaire. Paddy Dillon (ex–Mermaid National Champion), Ruairi Grimes (third at recent J111 Worlds), Cathal Leigh Doyle (a former UCD Student Worlds Champion) and Morgan Reeser (American 470 Olympian married to 1996 Olympian Louise Cole) are also competing. Maurice O'Connell is coaching USA 1000 and USA 1404.
The Etchells Class is the choice of Many top Americas Cup and Olympic sailors and some top sailors competing this year include John Bertrand, Lawrie Smith, Steve Benjamin, Andy Beadsworth, Ante Razmiloviz, Chris Larson, Jud Smith, Jeff Madrigal, Luis Dopreste.
Reigning Champion is Skip Diebal from the USA and he will have his work cut out for him with such a competitive fleet, the majority of whom come from the USA, UK, Australia, and Hong Kong.
