#whitesails – The Royal St. George Team, captained by Howard Knott aboard Calypso, retained the inter-club team trophy in the KPMG sponsored, Royal St. George White Sails and Non-Spinnaker Team Challenge event sailed in the Club's home waters over the weekend.
Teams representing the Royal St. George, the Royal Irish and National Yacht Clubs fought it out over a series of three two and a half hour races in light but steady breezes, commencing with one 'round the cans' on Friday evening, then linking with the Royal Alfred Yacht Club Bloomsday Regatta, for Saturday's race (RAYC results here) where, with 18 boats, the White Sails and Non-Spinnaker fleet made up the largest class in the event. For that race, event Race Officer, Hal Bleakley set up a challenging course taking the fleet outside the perimeter of the course being used for the other fleets before heading out past the Muglins and into Killiney Bay to round the Shanganah Mark before returning for a West Pier finish.
On Sunday morning Martin Byrne set up his start line in the shadow of the Celebrity Silhouette Cruise Liner anchored off Dun Laoghaire. The course was similar to that on Saturday and Colin O'Brien of the George Team, in Spirit shot out in front and held his lead for the two hour race, fending off a late challenge from the Royal Irish YC Xerxes, to take line honours and secure the Trophy for the home team.
The 2016 running of the event will take place over the weekend 1st to 3rd. July, linked with the Royal St. George regatta.