John O’Driscoll and Shirley Gilmore brought the Water Wag Wednesday evening to a close with victory aboard Moosmie in the Walpole Prizes race on Dublin Bay on September 16th.
A fleet of 24 Water Wags turned out for the penultimate Wednesday evening AIB DBSC race of the season, sailed in a south-westerly breeze of 6–12 knots that gusted to 17 knots at times.
Race Officer Tadhg Donnelly set a three-lap windward-leeward course and got the fleet away with a clean start.
Fresh from competing in the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship on Dublin Bay, Annalise Murphy was sailing Mariposa with ILCA Worlds Event Director and PRO Con Murphy crewing for her.
Cox Leads Opening Lap
Having taken the right-hand side of the opening beat, John Cox sailing Badger led at the first weather mark.
Dan Moran’s Dipper was second, followed by Richard Mossop sailing Polly, with all three having favoured the right side of the first beat.
By lap two, however, O’Driscoll and Gilmore had made the big move of the race, bringing Moosmie through from ninth place to take the lead.
Mossop was second in Polly, Guy Kilroy’s Swift was third and Murphy had gained a place to move Mariposa into fourth as the breeze gusted to 17 knots.
Worlds To Wags: Fresh from the ILCA 6 Women’s World Championship, Annalise Murphy and Con Murphy aboard Mariposa work their way through the Water Wag fleet to finish second in the Walpole Prizes Photo: Brendan Briscoe
Murphy Moves Into Second
O’Driscoll held his lead at the third weather-mark rounding, while Annalise and Con Murphy had gained another two places to move into second.
Mossop was third at that stage, but there was another change on the final beat to the finish.
O’Driscoll and Gilmore held on to take the gun in Moosmie, closely followed by the Murphys in Mariposa, while Guy and Jackie Kilroy brought Swift up from fourth to take third place.
Water Wag Walpole Prizes — Top Three
- Moosmie (No. 15) — John O’Driscoll & Shirley Gilmore
- Mariposa (No. 45) — Annalise & Con Murphy
- Swift (No. 38) — Guy & Jackie Kilroy
Wag Team: Water Wag race management team Ann Kirwan, Ian Meldon, Brendan Briscoe and Race Officer Tadhg Donnelly in their AIB DBSC jackets for Wednesday evening racing on Dublin Bay
The Water Wag crews retired to the National Yacht Club after racing for Après Sail refreshments. The final race of the season is the Candlelight race on September 23rd.
