Royal St. George's Tom Higgins might be focused on his preparations for the upcoming ILCA/Laser U21 Europeans, but local rivalries are still on his mind as he looks forward to the first Grant Thornton Sprint Regatta of 2022.
The Dún Laoghaire Harbour ILCA/Laser fleet in conjunction with the Royal St. George Yacht Club piloted a one-day sprint regatta format in 2021. The first sprint regatta in July which consisted of five short trapezoid races back to back proved so popular that the organisers hosted a second event in October which was sold out within days.
The organisers, buoyed by the success of the format in 2021, have announced that there will be five sprint regattas throughout 2022 once again supported by Grant Thornton Ireland.
As Afloat reported previously, the first event takes place on Saturday, April 02 marking the official end of the winter season following the end of the local DMYC Frostbite series.
At the first Grant Thornton Sprint Regatta held in July last year, local favourite and Ireland team member Tom Higgins took home the gold medal in the Standard fleet. The October event, titled the Race of Champions saw Higgins pipped on the line on three out of five races by fellow RStGYC sailor Peter Fagan.
The Royal St. George Yacht Club piloted a one-day sprint regatta format in 2021 that is expanded in 2022
With the standings at one all to the pair, both Higgins and Fagan have announced that the first sprint of 2022 is in their sights and both seem out to prove a point. Higgins, who will be representing Ireland at the 2022 EurILCA Under 21 European Championships from April 14-21 2022 in France, is looking to demonstrate who is the more consistent performer. Meanwhile, Fagan is looking to serve another Verstappen-like upset on the dominant Higgins.
The one-day regatta is open to Laser sailors both junior and adult and in all rigs; 4.7, Radial and Standard. There is particular emphasis from Race Officer, Richard Kissane of Howth Yacht Club on ensuring a fast-paced and fun event for competitors of all ages and abilities. Novice sailors are welcome as this provides a unique format to be involved in racing at the highest level across the local fleet.
Commencing at 2 pm, there will be a minimum of 5 races in quick succession for each fleet, with each race lasting between 20-30 minutes. Prizes are awarded for the top three positions in each fleet with separate prize categories for male/female, under 30s and Masters. The entry fee for the event is €20 with entry limited to 80 boats.
The event is open to all ILCA Lasers based in Dún Laoghaire. Travelling boats are welcome to enter, however, due to the ongoing space pressures across the local clubs, visiting boats are invited to launch from the public slip in the Coal Harbour.
Speaking at the launch of the 2022 series, Mick Shelley, Audit Partner at Grant Thornton Ireland and himself a local ILCA sailor said that; “We're delighted to put our name to this format once again in 2022. The ILCA Laser is the largest fleet locally and is accessible to the widest range of sailors. We're happy to support such a fleet that makes the sport of sailing more accessible to a wider group of people.”
Full details of the event and registration is open on rsgyc.ie.
