Royal Cork's Oisin Pierse Takes Optimist Munster Title on Home Waters (Prizegiving Photo Gallery Here!)

22nd May 2022

Councillor Marcia D'Alton Chair of the Carrigaline MDC; Rob Bateman, Optimist Class Class Captain at Royal Cork; Oisin Pierse, Winner Gold Fleet; Maurice Collins, Rear Admiral Dinghies, Royal Cork and Alex Walsh President of the IODAI Credit: Bob Bateman

Royal Cork's Oisin Pierse (14) won the Optimist Munster Championships on home waters after six races sailed in a 46-boat senior fleet.

With three wins on his scorecard, the Gaelcholáiste Carrigaline schoolboy was nine points ahead of Royal St. George Yacht Club's Caoilinn Geraghty-McDonnell on 16 points. On 24 points, Malahide Yacht Club's Conor Cronin finished third.

119 boats in three fleets contested the Championships hosted by Royal Cork Yacht Club at Crosshaven.

Both junior and senior fleets sailed the same course (with separate starts) on the Curlane bank in Cork Harbour.

Southwest winds of eight knots with gusts of 12/14 made for ideal sailing conditions for the youth sailors.

In the Main Fleet race area, a decent tide and some gusty conditions made the race track a tricky read but the pre-event favourites managed the conditions well and took their expected places on the leader board.

Peter Crowley in his Committee Vessel Sparetime was in charge of both fleets with Race Officer Tom Crosbie in charge of the Regatta fleet and also racing on the Curlane Bank.

Malahide Yacht Club's Juliet Ryan was the Junior fleet winner of the Optimist Munster Championships at Royal Cork Photo: Bob Bateman

In the Junior fleet, the overnight positions from Saturday's first three races were maintained with Malahide Yacht Club's Juliet Ryan clinching the title on 10 points, four clear of Royal St. George Yacht Club's Max O'Hare in second overall. Third was Royal Cork's, Dougie Venner.

With no protests, a prizegiving followed on Sunday afternoon. Slight technical issues with the PA system left RCYC Optimist Class Captain Rob Bateman voicing the prize winners at the top of his voice.

Opening the proceedings, he welcomed Alex Walsh of IODAI, followed by RVYC’s Rear Admiral Dinghies Maurice Collins and rounded off by Cllr. Marcia D’Alton, Chairperson from the Carrigaline Municipal District Committee of Cork County Council.

See the racing gallery of images from day one of the championships here

Bob Bateman's Optimist Munster Championships Prizegiving Photo Gallery

Regatta Fleet
1^st Charlie McKieben MBSC
2^nd Aurale Dion NYC
3^rd Oliver Ryan MYC
4^th Alex Butcher MYC
5^th Theo Carney Cove SC

Best under 11 Emily Lynch RCYC
Best under 10 Louis Murphy Royal St.George YC
Best under 9 Arthur Fegan MYC

Coaches award
Most improved Matt HIras RCYC
Sportsmanship award Brendan Hughes RCYC

Youngest sailor award Fionn Pierse RCYC

Junior Fleet
Bronze
1^st Finn Foley Royal St.George YC
2^nd Emily Donogh Lough Derg YC
3^rd Maeve Donogh Lough Derg YC
4^th Thomas A Coistealbha MYC
5^th Lily Donogh Lough Derg YC

Silver
1^st Max O’Hare Royal St.George YC
2^nd Patrick Fegan MYC
3^rd Rian O’Neil RCYC
4^th George Doig East Antrim Boat Club
5^th Paudie A Coistealbha

Gold
1^st Juliet Ryan MYC
2^nd Dougie Venner RCYC
3^rd James Gorman NYC
4^th Olin Bateman RCYC

Senior Fleet
Bronze
1^st Gemma Brady Lough Derg YC
2^nd Grace Keating Lough Derg YC
3^rd Conor O’Sullivan MYC

4^th Henrietta Leach Lough Ree YC
5^th Nathan Harris Waterford Harbour SC

Silver
1^st Felix Dion NYC
2^nd Marcus Shelley Royal St.George YC
3^rd Hannah Scott Royal St.George YC
4^th Zita Tempany Royal St. George YC
5^th Suin A Coistealbha

Gold
1^st Oisin Pierse RCYC
2^nd Caoileann Geraghty McDonnell Royal St.George YC
3^rd Conor Cronin MYC
4^th Jules Start Royal St. George YC
5^th Grace Cronin Royal St.George YC

More results are here.

Published in Optimist

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