#kinsale – The seasonal sharp drop in temperature heralded the opening day of the 2013 ASM-Marine Frostbite League at Kinsale Yacht Club on Sunday. The long established winter league, offering early competitive racing opens the KYC sailing season and continues to appeal in the main to the local Laser and Squib Fleets on the South coast. Though entries to the Mixed Dinghy fleet were predictably down in numbers this year, appetites for an injection of excitement were somewhat sated by the appearance of a Rondar built K6.
A chill though steady Force 4 Easterly was the dominating feature of the first day's racing that saw two races completed. The windward-leeward course set by OD's Bruce Mathews and Clem McElligot placed the upwind mark just shy of Kinsale Boatyard crossing the ebbing tide at the start of its cycle.
The three Laser Classes comprising Standard, Radial and 4.7 had a combined start and were first off at the usual time at 12.00 hours. Setting the early pace in the Standard Fleet was RCYC's Edward Rice who expected to take the lead overall with two on-course results of a first and second. Due to missing a mark of the course in error, he settled for an RAF scoring –retirement from the first race. Taking the advantage, KYC's Sean Murphy with a third in race 1 ended the day with a fine win in race 2 and leads the field overall on four points. Eoin Keller (LDYC & KYC) with a consistent showing of a second and third is one point adrift in second position overall. James Long (Inniscarra SC) despite taking line honours in race 1, had to settle for third overall due to a fifth in final race.
KYC's Dara O'Shea has set an early marker in this year's Laser Radial league with his initial results of a second and first, putting him in the top spot on three points. Just two points off the lead is Dermot Lyden (RCYC & BSC) with a win in the first race and a fourth in Race 2. Two points off this mark is Ross O'Sullivan (KYC) due to a fourth and a third.
It is encouraging each year to see the progression of young sailors through the different ranks of the Laser Fleet, and in particular to welcome the new entrants coming into the 4.7 class and gaining their first experience of frostbite series. After the first day of racing Richard Thompson (KYC & RCYC) tops indisputably the league table with two excellent wins. Thomas McGrath's (RCYC) second in the first race against Scott O'Sullivan's (KYC) third being the difference in the battle for second overall.
KYC's familiar stable of Squib crews gathered once again for their annual contest in the Frostbite League with Glandore's Diarmuid Wrenne & Finbar Durgan in Scooby Doo hoping to shake up the local fleet. With last year's winners James and Bruce Mathews participating in Laser this time around – James to the Standard and Bruce to the 4.7 – the way is clear for a compelling and hopefully close-fought competition. Off to a flying start on the first day were Marcus & Meagan Hutchinson in Sensation by winning the league's first two races. Determined to put pressure on the leaders in the weeks ahead are the crews of Colm Dunne & Mark Buckley of Allegro and Victor Fusco & Ruth Ennis of Espresso (is that a double?). With both crews scoring a second and a third they hold the next two positions on the league table on equal points.
Sole entrant to date in the Mixed Dinghy Class was the Peadar Murphy owned K6 - The Widowmaker, crewed on its maiden race by fellow adrenalin junkies Alan Bateman & Keith O'Riordan (KYC). Spectacular performance on the run as the boat leap onto a plane ably assisted by the increasing Force 4 and manfully handled by the crew before succumbing to a spreader bolt giving up the ghost. Looking forward to next week lads?
The league continues over the next five Sundays and is an Open Event for all Lasers, Squibs and Mixed Dinghies. F.G. @ 11.55.
