#juniorallirelands – Optimist champion Johnny Durcan and Patrick Crosbie share the lead of the All Ireland Junior Sailing Championships with U21 Laser Radial World Champion Finn Lynch and crew Florence Lyden at today's halfway stage of the Schull regatta. Five races have been sailed with one discard so far. Full results downloadable below.
The championship got under way today at the Fastnet Marine OEC in Schull. The invitational regatta saw 23 of Ireland's top young sailors take to the water in TR3.6 dinghies for the initial five races. A further three more races may be sailed tomorrow (Sunday) followed by a double points medal race decider for the top 10 sailors.
A heavy mist hung over in Schull Harbour for the initial race obstructing viewing of the windward leeward course from the shore completely. At 11.30am the sailors crossed the start line for the first time in the light to moderate south westerly breeze. Taking the first bullet was Darragh O'Sullivan (Laser Radial) and his crew Anna O'Regan followed by Johnny Durcan (Optimist) and Patrick Crosbie with Seafra Guilfoyle (Laser Radial) and Richard McGinley in third.
Lynch had a seventh in the first race but he and Lyden quickly improved their form. In their subsequent races they had a 2, 2, 1 and a 10, which is discarded, to finish at the halfway as joint leaders along with Durcan and Crosbie.
Only one point behind the leaders in third place are Darragh O'Sullivan and his crew Anna O'Regan who had a 1, 8, 7, 3, 2 leaving them on a total of 13 points after the discard. In fourth and on 14 points is Seafra Guilfoyle.
