Shane MacCarthy and Hugh McNally recorded a perfect score of five race wins to take the penultimate regatta of the Irish Flying Fifteen season, the East Coast Championships, hosted by the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire this past weekend. With a fleet that boasted entries from the four coastlines of Ireland, North, South, East and West they had it almost all their own way on Saturday but faced a few challenges on Sunday. Or at least that is what I garnered at the prize-giving on Sunday.
Chris Doorly (L) and David Gorman (R), collect 2nd place overall prizes. Photo: Cormac Bradley
As this columnist speculated in the pre-regatta review, local stalwarts David Gorman & Chris Doorly (4099) finished second overall, counting three second places, discarding a fifteenth and also scoring 4.5 points in the fourth race. Visitors Peter & Juliette Kennedy (3920) also had a successful weekend by finishing third overall in Peter's last regatta in this boat which returns to Dun Laoghaire and a new owner in the growing fleet of Fifteens in the Royal St George.
Juliette & Peter Kenndey with third place overall prizes Photo: Cormac Bradley
The Silver fleet also enjoyed close racing with the podium places covered by only six points and a hometown 1-2-3. Niall Coleman & Conor Grimley (4008) finished 10th overall to win this category with 42pts, ahead of Niall Meagher & Nicki Matthews (4128) in 11th with 47pts and Alan Green & Caroline Hanniffy (4026) in 12th with 48pts.
Another visiting boat sailed by Bryan Willis and Michael Lynch (4074) finished 13th overall and won the Bronze fleet with a 15.5pt margin over Alan Balfe & Byron Smith (3995) with Peter and Alex Sherry third in the division, two places and 15pts adrift of Balfe.
Gold fleet boats took nine of the top ten positions with positions 4 – 9 occupied by Phil Lawton & Neil O'Hagan (3803), Niall & Ronan O'Briain (4092), Trevor D'Arcy & Alan McClernon (3782), Andy McCleery & Colin Dougan (4120), Emma Pierce & Ian Smith (3892) and Ian Mathews & Keith Poole (4093).
Race Officer Eddie Totterdell and his team provided excellent racing with races at approximately 50 minutes' duration and quick turnarounds. In his winner's acceptance speech, Shane MacCarthy noted that the lines were always square, attributable to the comms between Eddie and the pin-end RIB, manned by John McNeilly. Although this correspondent didn't get to sail all the races, the consensus view was that a "proper" regatta had been sailed and due thanks were given to the race team, the results team and all the volunteers who had made the event possible.
Saturday was a challenging day on the water with very lumpy conditions on the course. I am led to believe that Sunday was a bit easier, but that said, some very experienced Flying Fifteeners claimed that they were feeling the effects of the five races over the weekend.
In opening the prizegiving, NYC Commodore, Peter Sherry, a Fifteener himself, and Joe Hickey, Dul Laoghaire Flying Fifteen Class Captain 2024, thanked all the visitors who had attended the regatta. All the volunteers were thanked as well.
Due notice was given of the Southern Championships, due to be sailed at Lough Derg Yacht Club over the weekend of 12/13 October. On behalf of FFAI, Chris Doorly advised the gathering that a Class AGM would be held soon and requested that new people consider taking office.
Niall Coleman (L) and Conor Grimley (R) collect the first prize for the Silver Fleet. Photo: Cormac Bradley
Nicki Matthews and Niall Meagher with their 2nd place prizes for the Silver Fleet. Photo: Cormac Bradley
Alan Green and Caroline Hanniffy collect their 3rd place in Silver Fleet prizes. Photo: Cormac Bradley
Bryan Willis (L) and Michael Lynch collect the Bronze Fleet 1st prize Photo: Cormac Bradley
Alan Balfe collects 2nd prize for the Bronze Fleet from NYC Commodore Peter Sherry Photo: Cormac Bradley
