Royal St George Yacht Club and Lough Derg Yacht Club sailor Maeve Donagh has taken a one-point lead in the Senior fleet at the Irish Optimist National and Open Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club after three races in a shifting north-westerly on Friday.
Donagh, 15, produced the most consistent performance among the championship leaders, scoring 2,1,2 in Friday's three races to move to eight nett points after five races and one discard.
Britain's Charlie Holland of Royal Lymington Yacht Club/Hayling Island Sailing Club is just one point behind on nine, while Royal Cork's Dylan O'Sullivan lies third on 14 points.
Friday's racing presented race officer Anthony O'Leary with a difficult north-westerly that repeatedly shifted direction, requiring marks to be moved as the race team sought to maintain a fair course.
Photographer Bob Bateman reported that the championship fleets were operating across several areas of Cork Harbour. The beginners were in the Crosshaven River, another group raced around Curlane Bank, while the main Gold and Silver fleets were racing off Trabolgan.
Peter Crowley was aboard Sparetime, which was being used as the finish boat. All the Optimists racing outside the harbour were also carrying trackers.
Donagh Takes Control With 2,1,2
Friday charge: Maeve Donagh of the Royal St George and Lough Derg Yacht Clubs scored 2,1,2 in Friday's three races to take the Senior fleet lead on eight nett points. Photo: Bob Bateman
Donagh's Friday consistency proved decisive. Her second place in Race Three was followed by victory in Race Four and another second in Race Five.
With her opening-day fourth discarded, her counting scores are 3,2,1,2, leaving her on eight points and holding the narrowest of advantages going into the latter stages of the championship.
Holland Just One Point Off Lead
In contention: Britain's Charlie Holland remains just one point off the Senior fleet lead after adding 3,5,4 in Friday's three races off Cork Harbour. Photo: Bob Bateman
Holland had opened the championship with back-to-back race wins on Thursday and followed them with 3,5,4 on Friday.
Discarding Friday's fifth, the 13-year-old counts 1,1,3,4 for nine points, keeping him firmly in contention with Donagh.
O'Sullivan Wins Friday Opener
Race winner: Royal Cork's Dylan O'Sullivan won Friday's opening Senior race before two ninth places and holds third overall on 14 nett points. Photo: Bob Bateman
Royal Cork's Dylan O'Sullivan provided the home club with a Friday race victory, taking Race Three before recording ninth in each of the subsequent races.
One of those ninths is discarded, leaving O'Sullivan's counting sequence at 2,2,1,9 and placing him third overall on 14 points.
Creighton Holds Fourth for Royal Cork
Another Royal Cork sailor, George Creighton, who also represents Baltimore Sailing Club and Monkstown Bay Sailing Club, lies fourth on 19 nett points.
Creighton was particularly consistent on Friday with 5,6,5, adding to opening-day scores of fifth and fourth. His sixth is currently the discard, giving him four counting results all inside the top five.
Byrne Completes Senior Top Five
Top five: Britain's Finn Byrne lies fifth in the 56-boat Senior fleet after fourth place in Friday's second race helped him to 33 nett points. Photo: Bob Bateman
Britain's Finn Byrne of Parkstone Yacht Club completes the top five on 33 points.
Byrne opened Friday with sixth and fourth places before a 41st in Race Five, which becomes his discard. He therefore counts 12,11,6,4.
Optimist Nationals 202 Gold Fleet Race One at RCYC Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman
Hayes Leads 56-Boat Junior Fleet
In the Junior fleet, Royal Cork and Monkstown Bay's Brody Hayes leads after four races with one discard.
Hayes counts two race wins and a third for five nett points, giving him a four-point advantage over Rory Barron of Howth Yacht Club and Sutton Dinghy Club on nine.
Britain's William Foster of Warsash Sailing Club is third on 14, with Rian Foy Joyce fourth on 17 and Jack Ryan fifth on 18.
Williams Sets Regatta Racing Pace
Return to base - the Irish Optimist Class Regatta fleet return to Crosshaven after racing Photo: Bob Bateman
Hugh Williams of Strangford Lough Yacht Club leads the 35-boat Regatta Racing fleet after six races.
Williams has an eight-point nett total after recording 1,2,2,1,5,2, with the fifth discarded. Dara O'Suilleabhain of Monkstown Bay and Royal Cork is second on 16, while Britain's Grace Anderson is third on 20.
How Leads Regatta Coached Fleet
Royal Cork's George How heads the Regatta Coached fleet after two races.
How's first and third places give him four points, one ahead of Sofia Gundersen, who scored fourth and first. Rowan Smyth of Strangford Lough Yacht Club is third on six points.
The Optimist National and Open Championships continue at Royal Cork Yacht Club with the Senior title finely balanced between Donagh and Holland at the top of the fleet.
Senior Fleet results are published below. Full results for the Junior Fleet, Regatta Racing Fleet and Regatta Coached Fleet are available at the links.
