Schull Community College Team 1 were the victor at the Munster Schools Team Racing event hosted by the Fastnet Marina Outdoor Education Centre (FMOEC) at Schull in West Cork on Saturday, the 18th of March.
The team Captain was Rory Harrap, Lille Kingston, Daniel Copithorne, Fionn Keogh, Rocio Garcia Coello and Lara Goerner completed the winning line-up.
On a bright sunny morning and not a raindrop in sight, 18 teams (a record number of entries) competed in the Championships.
With a Northerly wind blowing over from Mount Gabriel with a wind speed of 11 to 14 knots, Eimear O'Reagan and her group of volunteers set the course, and by 10.00 am, racing commenced.
At approximately 12.30, the wind shifted North Westerly, and there was a short delay while the course was reset.
Conditions throughout the day were squally of 20 up to 23 knots which resorted to the use of storm sails at the Munster Schools Team Racing Championships in Schull, West Cork
Conditions throughout the day were squally of 20 up to 23 knots which resorted to the use of storm sails at the Munster Schools Team Racing Championships in Schull, West Cork
Conditions throughout the day were squally of 20 up to 23 knots, which for some sailors was a bit difficult to handle even with storm sails, and there were some capsizes.
Overall the competitors had good boat-handling skills as they negotiated the heaviest squalls.
The umpires were kept quite busy throughout the day, and the event was expertly umpired by Dave Sheahan, Eunice Kennedy and Tim O'Connor.
Robbie Dwyer did an excellent job of calling the finish line and was ably assisted by his two recorders.
Close racing in TR3.6 dinghies at the Munster Schools Team Racing Championships in Schull, West Cork
Meanwhile, Tim Lowney, the Principal Race Officer and Beach Master ensured the smooth running of the change-over boats and the management of the flight sheet.
Siobhan Scully and her volunteers looked after registration and ensured all the competitors, while not racing, were kept in good form ashore. Harriett Emmerson did a fantastic job of inputting the results and providing us with the final placed team.
The Schull community rowed in to give the staff in F.M.O.E.C. a helping hand by providing hot soup and sandwiches to everyone when they came in off the water, home-baking cakes and supplying the volunteers with cups of tea and coffee. It was fantastic to see such community spirit.
The top-placed teams will now go forward to compete at the Schools Nationals in the Royal St. George on the 29th and 30th of April.
2023 Munster Schools Team Racing Championships results
(Results after 80% of the Round Robin was completed)
- 1st Schull Community College Team 1
- 2nd Christan Brothers Cork Team 1
- 3rd Bangor Grammar School Team 2
- 4th Colaiste Mhuire Cork
- 5th Skibbereen Community School Team 2
- 6th Schull Community College Team 3
- 7th Skibbereen Community School Team 1
- 8th Bangor Grammar School Team 1
- 9th Bandon Grammar School Team 4
- 10th Bandon Grammar School Team 3
- 11th Scoil Mhuire 1
- 12th Christian Brothers 2
- 13th Schull Community College 2
- 14th Colaiste Mhuire 2
- 15th Regina Mundi 2
- 16th Rochestown College
- 17th Colaiste Spioraid Naoimh & St. Aloysius
- 18th Regina Mundi 1
