Three Irish sailors have secured Corinthian bronze at the Melges 24 World Championship in Harbor Springs, Michigan, after Team Barbarians won the amateur division in the final race of the 49-boat championship.
KInsale's Sam Hunt, Bernard Fitzpatrick and Mark Hassett were aboard Stuart Simpson’s British-flagged Team Barbarians (GBR 691), together with Fred Kemp, as the crew finished third in the final Corinthian standings on 173 points.
As Afloat reported ahead of the final day, Team Barbarians remained firmly in the medal hunt after Friday’s racing, with only ten points separating the leading three Corinthian crews.
Final-Race Win Secures Bronze
Two races were completed on Saturday after an uncertain forecast had raised doubts over whether the full 12-race World Championship programme could be completed.
Team Barbarians saved one of their strongest results for last, winning the Corinthian division in Race 12 to secure the bronze medal.
Duane Yoslov’s Looper completed a final-day comeback to win the Corinthian World Championship on 157 points. Eddie Gary’s Troublemaker/Gill Race Team took silver on 166, with Team Barbarians third on 173.
The result completes a strong championship for Simpson’s crew. Team Barbarians had led the Corinthian standings after the opening six races before moving through second and third positions as the closely fought series developed.
McNay Repeats Embarr Worlds Success Ten Years On
There was a second Irish connection at the top of the championship as American Olympian Stuart “Stu” McNay became a Melges 24 world champion for the second time — exactly ten years after his victory with Conor Clarke’s Irish Embarr.
As Afloat reported in 2016, Ireland’s Embarr crew was crowned Melges 24 World Champion in Miami.
