#opti – The Irish European Optimist team return home later today (Monday) from the 2013 European Championships on Lake Balaton, Hungary, an event that had its fair share of light winds.
The team - RCYC's Richard McGinley and Rebecca O'Shaughnessy, NYC's Loghlen Rickard and Clare Gorman, SSC's Peter Fagan, MYC's Gemma McDowell and HYC's Alex O'Grady, pictured above, will bring with them the flag of IODA, the International Optimist Dinghy Association, in preparation for the 2014 European Championships which will be hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club.
Conditions at the event were tough for Irish sailors used to wind, as day after day the becalmed fleet returned to shore waiting for the elusive breeze. Nonetheless, the group put up a good fight and in the boys, Richard McGinley was top finisher in 59th and for the girls, Clare Gorman in 43rd position.'
This year's event was won by Ryan Yee Kang Teo of Singapore (Boys) and Mara Turin of Slovenia (girls).
