The last IODAI Regional Championship of the year saw a massive fleet of 172 Optimist sailors descend on the midlands club of Lough Ree last weekend to compete in the Connaught Championships.
After a busy summer, it was fitting to see the fleet return to a venue that always welcomes them with a relaxed attitude and open arms. The large numbers in the entry and development fleets of the Coached and Racing Regatta are a testament to the commitment and success of the initiatives of the Association, who have prioritised the growth and development of the fleet at all levels, not just at the highly competitive top end.
Lough Ree Yacht Club was the perfect venue for the event, with Saturday serving up a brisk Northerly wind. With gusts of up to 26 knots, the normally tranquil lake was full of short, steep chop and gusting winds. This was too much for the Regatta Fleet who wisely stayed ashore, played games on the lawn and went out to watch and cheer on their club mates on the main fleet.
On the lake the Junior and Senior Main fleets battled the conditions and each other with three races run by PRO David Dickson.
Saturday night, pre-billed as something to rival an electric picnic saw a huge BBQ with over 400 covers. The adults then decamped to the bar to watch the Ireland-Tonga game while an Indiana Jones movie of approximately the length of a rugby match was shown to the sailors in the function room. As all fell quiet on Saturday night a sunglass fairy that is reported to look suspiciously like event Chairman Dominic Byrne delivered gifts to all the sailors boats and so while Dublin had lots of rain Lough Ree had great blasts of sunshine allowing the sailors to model their new one design shades on Sunday morning!
Milder and lighter conditions prevailed on Sunday and the sailors had to deal with the expected shifty and fickle conditions that make lake sailors so good. In the end, the Royal St George sailors Max O’Hare and Maeve Donagh won the Senior and Junior Trophies.
Race Officers Cathal and Ciara Breen on the Racing Regatta fleet ran four highly competitive races for over 50 sailors, with local sailor Michael Malone of Lough Ree Yacht Club taking the lead. The Regatta Coached fleet got to show off all they had learnt this year and Will McElligott of Lough Derg Yacht Club just held off Hugo Jackson of Waterford Harbour Sailing Club on a count back.
The well attended IODAI Optimist Dinghy Connaught Championships at Lough Ree Yacht Club
Commodore Gerogina Kenny thanked the huge volunteer effort that made the event possible a sentiment Paddy Ryan, President of IODAI, concurred with and thanked all involved for making the weekend so special.
The fleet now has their National Training Week and Halloween Regatta to look forward to in the Royal Cork Yacht Club on the 1st to 4th of November.
Senior fleet results are below
Junior fleet results here
Regatta Racing fleet results here
Regatta Coaching fleet results here
