The Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) season first race was last Thursday but due to COVID-19 it never happened. To mark the occasion, the following imaginary Flying Fifteen race report was written by Cormac Bradley for the biggest one-design fleet on the Bay. The report started life as an initial post to the ultra-keen FF Dun Laoghaire WhatsApp Group and then grew by a few more paragraphs to become a 'full report' using conditions that prevailed last Thursday on an empty Dublin Bay. It is intended by Cormac to introduce a little bit of light relief, distraction and possible humour from the fact that no one is actually on the water!

The 2020 DBSC season got underway tonight in a light WNW of about seven knots and an imposing grey sky! After a slightly "fizzled out" end to the 2019 season, following a very successful Worlds, an enthusiastic fleet of 16 Flying Fifteens gathered for the first race of 2020. As well as the established partnerships of Cahill & Cahill, Mathews & Poole, Colin & Casey, Mulligan & Bradley, and Coleman & Quinn, the fleet was joined by several new combinations who have got into the class on the back of the successful Worlds.

The Flying Fifteens launch at the 2019 Subaru-sponsored World Championships at the National Yacht Club

Race Officer Jack Roy opened the 2020 DBSC account for the Flying Fifteens by giving them course N3 – Harbour-Omega-Poldy-Bay-East – all to port apart from Bay. Tidal conditions favoured those who were determined to push the line - the Fifteen start was into the very early stages of the 2nd hour of an ebbing tide. That prompted the majority of the fleet to congregate at the pin end of the line so that they could get inshore. A much smaller group of Colin, Mulligan and Alistair Court with Conor O’Leary sought the stronger breeze further out. At the first mark, honours were even between the two separate groups. At Harbour Mark the fleet was led round by Colin/Casey followed by Ken Dumpleton of the inshore group, Cahill/Cahill also inshore, Mulligan & Court from the offshore group and Mathews, Meagher, Green from the inshore track.

Spinnakers were hoisted for the leg to Omega and onto Poldy. Given that there were some gusts coming through causing the wind to go slightly more northerly, some of the chasing group including Mulvin & Beirne and Miller & Butler took the unconventional decision to give immediately at harbour to pursue a course in the stronger tide offshore and the gusts coming in from the north. Ultimately, they would have to gybe back again to leave Omega to port and make their way to Poldy. In the lead group Dumpleton and Cahill decided that there wasn't enough excitement upfront and embarked on a luffing match that saw them forced into a much more inshore route to Omega, really only a passing mark in this course configuration.

That allowed Colin to open a gap ahead while from behind Mulligan, Court, Mathews, Meagher and Green soaked offshore to guard their flanks against the "black sheep" approach of Miller and Mulvin. The breeze got up a notch or two to provide a bit more excitement on the leg to Poldy where the sequence of rounding was Colin, Mulvin, Court, Miller, Mulligan, Dumpleton, Mathews, Meagher, Green and Cahill.

With the wind building to 12 knots in the gusts, the long beat to Bay was going to stretch everyone's early-season muscles. With the ebbing tide getting stronger the perennial question had to be asked - Out of the tide or stay in the breeze?

As to be expected none of the boats at the front end of the fleet were going to do anything too radical. The kudos of the opening 2020 DBSC win was too much to throw away on a flyer. And so, it evolved! The lead boats initially took a port tack hitch back towards the harbour before peeling off at different stages to claw some inshore brownie points and to get out of the tide. Colin led this strategy being the first to peel off. Mulvin and Court followed soon after, but Green and Mulligan persisted that bit longer and with a heavier 2020 version of Bradley, compared to 2019 - too many black-tie dinners - Mulligan started to make inroads on the leader. The "late throwing of double sixes" thus fell to Coleman & Quinn who took the long offshore hike before cutting inshore on the starboard lay line. Green, with Class President Doorly on board got this leg right to leave a much-altered pecking order at Bay - Colin, with a much-reduced lead, Mulligan, Green, Coleman and Court.

The leg to East was a tame affair, nobody straying too far off the thumb line. Colin, forced to keep a wary eye on Mulligan, found himself being pulled back into the peloton while Green was able to take advantage of this cat and mouse game to close even further. These three rounded East covered by an oversized blanket. An interesting cover match must surely ensue!

While Colin and Green headed inshore, Mulligan hung right hoping to eke out an advantage from the easing breeze, there seeming to be less breeze inshore. However, when it goes light Colin is in his element and he managed to keep Green at bay, crossing the line first. Mulligan and Green approached the line from opposite ends with Mulligan attempting a lee-bow on Green but Green managed to roll him over and claim second. Behind the podium three Mulvin came home next, followed by Coleman, Court and Mathews.

The Flying Fifteen European Championships scheduled for in France in May has been cancelled due to COVID-19.

The FF International Association will review in August if there are any further options for rescheduling the regatta.

Flying Fifteen Worlds 2021

The committee will also get a status update on the FF Worlds scheduled for  Australia in February 2021. Ominously, competitors have been asked not to make any travel bookings until after the August meeting.

At home, the first Irish championship scheduled for Strangford Lough on May 20th has also been cancelled.

Flying Fifteen Irish Fixtures 2020

• 30-31 May Southern Championships Whiterock Strangford Lough
• 20 -21 June Northern Championships Portaferry
• 21-23 August Championship of Ireland Dunmore East
• 19 -20 September East Coast Championships National Yacht Club
• 10-11 October West Coast Championships Lough Derg

The Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club (CCYC) has been selected to host the 2022 Flying Fifteen European Championships in what will be the year of the 75th anniversary of the design of 1947. The championship will be held from 20 - to 26 August, two weeks after Cowes Week.

With fleets based in Belgium, France, Ireland and Spain it is hoped that there will be strong interest from European boats as well as those based in the UK and even further afield overseas.

The exact format of the event will be agreed between the club and the local, National and International Associations of the class over the next 18 months but there is likely to be a 75th Anniversary celebration race on Sunday followed by four days of racing in the central Solent. The racing will be accompanied by a varied social programme incorporating many of the attractive and interesting venues available in and around Cowes.

Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club Photo: Mike Dixon

Cowes has been the venue for numerous Flying Fifteen championships since the first National Championship was held there in 1949 and recently has hosted Southern Area Championships on significant anniversary years in 2007, 2012 and 2017 being 60th, 65th and 70th respectively. Prior to that in 1997 CCYC hosted what was the largest ever gathering of Flying Fifteens to mark the 50th anniversary of the class when over 180 boats descended on Cowes to take part in the Worlds, Nationals and Classic Fifteen regatta.

Early Flying Fifteen Titania Photo: Ian G Gilchrist

2022 is not only the 75th anniversary of the design of the Flying Fifteen but will also mark 50 years since the designer Uffa Fox passed away. The legend of Uffa is very much a part of Cowes yachting history with his breakthrough in planing dinghy design in the late 1920’s in the International 14 Avenger, his prolific design and build portfolio that followed, his often eccentric behaviour and of course his links with royalty including sailing with Prince Philip for nearly 20 years in the Flying Fifteen ‘Coweslip'. Preliminary discussions are underway on how to celebrate Uffa’s ‘fiftieth’ and the Flying Fifteen European Championship will be a significant part of the celebration.

Uffa Fox Photo: Peter Keen

The 2020 Flying Fifteen European Championship will be held in conjunction with the Flying Fifteen National Championship of France.

This next major event for the international class follows the successful staging of last year's Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championships on Dublin Bay by the National Yacht Club.

The event runs from Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 May 2020 in Brest, an area officially twinned with Dun Laoghaire.

The regatta will be held within a larger multi-class regatta, the Grand Prix de l’Ecole Navale (GPEN) which is traditionally held at the Ascension weekend (Ascension Thursday being a holiday in France),

The GPEN is organised by the French Naval Officers School, based in the bay of Brest, at Lanvéoc-Poulmic, in the south shore of the bay.

The 2019 Flying Fifteen Nationals were sailed on the same racecourse as the Open 5.70, the First 18 and the First 24 in Morgat Bay, with different starts for each class, while other classes raced in Roscanvel, Camaret and Lanvéoc-Poulmic (4 racing locations altogether).

This season the 2020 Flying Fifteen Europeans and French Nationals expect 40 boats and GPEN plans to dedicate the Morgat Bay course just to the Flying Fifteen fleet and the Open 5.70 class.

Morgat Bay is an excellent racing area, and Crozon a holiday spot.

The scheduled format is for 3 days of racing (Thursday - Saturday), with 3 races a day.

Proposed Schedule

Sat 16 - Tue 19 May: boats can arrive, launch (using the slipway) and use the facilities at Morgat

Wed 20 - All day and Thu 21 morning: Registration and launching by crane

Thu 21 - Briefing around noon, racing in the afternoon followed by apéritif and dinner in Morgat in the evening

Fri 22 - Racing followed by dinner in Morgat

Sat 23 - Racing followed by a prize giving party and dinner for all classes at the Ecole Navale in Lanvéoc
Sun 24 - Morning: craning of boats.

The organisation is in the hands of the Ecole Navale with the help of the local clubs (CNCM for Morgat). A Jury is provided by the FFV (French Sailing Federation).

The organisation provides lodging, breakfast and dinner, all included in the entry fee.

There will be a regatta in Dinard the weekend before for those interested in testing the local waters.

The prize-giving dinner party is a great event in itself with an anticipated 1000 sailors expected to be participating.

Access from the UK is easy with options of ferries from Poole to Saint-Malo, and Plymouth to Roscoff.

From Ireland, ferry routes include Irish Ferries Dublin to Cherbourg, Brittany Ferries operates 1 route, Cork to Roscoff which runs once a week. Stena Line operates one route, Rosslare to Cherbourg which runs three times weekly.

Irish sailing sponsor Subaru has been picking up awards for its Forester marque, the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that has proved so popular among Irish sailors and boaters.

Last month, the Forester won Euro NCAP’s Best in Class award for 2019 in the Small Off-Road/MPV category.

Subaru — who last year came on board as sponsors of the only sailing world championships to be held in Ireland in 2019 — also signed up as official car sponsors at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, where the Flying Fifteen World Championship was hosted.

The club has a number of committed Subaru drivers, and several enthusiastic Forester drivers in particular who note the towing ability and comfort of the vehicle. Former Flying Fifteen Dublin Bay Sailing Club Class Captain Ken Dumpleton is one such advocate as he relates in this promo video below: 

Meanwhile, Irish car blogger Caroline Kidd has just been behind the wheel of the fifth generation 2020 Subaru Forester that is being sold exclusively as a hybrid (‘e-BOXER’). Her findings are on her 'Changing Lanes' website HERE.

The recent accolate is the second Euro NCAP award for the Forester e-BOXER, having recently achieved the highest score ever in its class for Child Occupant Protection. It is awarded to the best performing model in each class by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) and considers all vehicles tested within the 2019 calendar year.

The Forester, along with other models in the Subaru marque, were out in force in Dun Laoghaire for last September's Flying Fifteen Worlds that were won so convincingly by the UK's Graham Vials and Chris Turner.

The Subaru car range displayed on Dun Laoghaire's East Pier during the 2019 Flying Fifteen World Championship

The award announcement follows recent news that the Forester e-BOXER also received the maximum five stars with outstanding scores in all four NCAP assessment areas of Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road Users, Safety Assist. On the area of Child Occupant Protection, the Forester e-BOXER achieved the highest score ever in its class with a 91% safety standard.

Subaru Ireland Managing Director Pat Ryan commented: “We are delighted that the Forester e-BOXER has been recognised as a best in class vehicle by Euro NCAP. The award is testimony to Subaru’s on-going commitment to build the safest cars on the road today.

“These results have been made possible thanks to the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) which offers unrivalled chassis rigidity. Together with this solid body structure, and best in class safety features, this all-new 5th generation Forester is the safest, most technologically advanced Forester yet.”

Ireland hosted the Flying Fifteen World Championship twice before, in 1992 and 2003 (also sponsored by Subaru), but 2019’s event was the biggest by far. 

Subaru is keen to build on its strong affiliation with the Irish sailing community. The company has a range of versatile, safe and capable AWD vehicles that are perfect for towing and hence, the association with the sailing community works well for the brand.

Click HERE to find out more about the Subaru Forester e-BOXER.

The buoyant Flying Fifteens are looking forward to competing in Howth Yacht Club's Wave Regatta in May for the first time as part of the 2020 Irish fixtures calendar announced by Class President Chris Doorly today. 

After the excitement and the full programme leading up to the recent successful Subaru sponsored World Championships hosted by the National Yacht Club, next season promises to be as exciting but maybe a bit more relaxed. Doorly says he is hopeful the good numbers that attend the regional events will continue.

Regional championships attract up to 20 boats or more with the centre of racing on Dublin Bay regularly seeing high teens turnouts for DBSC club races.

The Championships of Ireland takes place in August at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club while the East Coast Championships return to the National Yacht Club.

For those wishing to travel further afield, the European Championships are in Crozan-Morgat, in Brittany in May.

MAY:
Thurs 21-Sat 23: European Championships- Crozan Morgat, France.

Sat 30- Sun 31: Southern Championships- Howth Wave Regatta

JUNE
Sat 20-Sun 21: Northern Championships- Portaferry

AUGUST
Fri 21-sun 23: Championship of Ireland- Dunmore East (WHSC)

SEPTEMBER
Sat 19-Sun 20: East Coast Championships- NYC

OCTOBER:
Sat 10-Sun 11: West Coast Championships -Lough Derg

DMYC sailor Neil Colin will be elected DBSC Flying 15 captain at next week's fleet agm at the Royal St. George Yacht Club.

After a packed season for the Flying Fifteen class, the agm will include a review of September's National Yacht Club hosted Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championships plus 'Post Worlds development actions' according to the agenda issued by outgoing Captain Conor O'Leary.

No doubt the cancellation of the class's popular winter Frostbite series (due to lack of parking space in Dun Laoghaire Harbour) will also come up for mention.

The Flying Fifteen is one of DBSC's largest one-design keelboat classes with regular 20-boat turnouts for summer sailing, a factor that saw NYC duo Dave Gorman and Chris Doorly claim the top prize at July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

The agm is scheduled for Tuesday, 12th November at  8pm in the RStGYC.

Later this month, the Flying 15 annual dinner and awards take place in the NYC on the 22nd November.

Lough Derg Yacht Club is hosting its annual keelboat regatta on the weekend of the 11th and 12th of October. The event will be a wrap up to the season for many of the competitors and over 50 entries are expected from three classes - making it one of the biggest sailing events of the year on the Shannon.

The big attraction for many sailors is the beautiful autumnal setting of Lough Derg but also the opportunity to thoroughly wash the boat out in freshwater at the end of the season. 

The Squibs will be welcoming visitors from the UK as well as Belfast, Strangford Lough, Howth, Kinsale and Dun Laoghaire. As Afloat reported earlier, Kinsale Yacht Club will be promoting their UK and Irish Nationals which are being held in June 2020.

Irish Sailing President Jack Roy and his daughter Jill have indicated they will compete as will UK champion Dick Batt. Squib stalwart Vincent Delany, second in the recent Irish Nationals, is also sailing as is Irish Champions Gordon Patterson and Ross Nolan from Royal North. 

The SB20s have just announced that the Irish Nationals will be hosted in Lough Ree in Sept 2020 and a good fleet is expected - including Lough Derg and Lough Ree entries.

The Flying Fifteen fleet, who have just completed a World Championship in Dun Laoghaire are also reported to be travelling to Dromineer in numbers, just a week after the class hosts the All Ireland Sailing Championships at the National Yacht Club. It may be the only winter sailing for the FF's at Dun Laoghaire Harbour given the current winter hard standing woes currently in place.

Unfortunately, the Dragons this year are not competing due to 90th birthday celebrations in Italy where nine Irish boats are competing.

There was little if any surprise when Graham Vials and Chris Turner came ashore at the National Yacht Club this afternoon that the Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club duo had claimed their fourth Flying Fifteen World title after a marathon long Dublin Bay Championship fortnight.

Vials and Turner sailing  GBR 4071, 'Floaty McFloatFace'  made short work of the 72-boat opposition in a dominant showing that gave them a final 18-point winning margin after a testing 12 races on Dublin Bay. In turn, their GBR teammates took the top 14 places overall with even the fourth-placed Australian entry skippered by British ace Mike Hart. 

Second overall was Fiery Chariot sailed by Andy McKee and Richard Jones of Dovestone Sailing Club. Third was Richard Lovering and Matt Alvarado of Hayling Island Sailing Club.

The best of the Irish was Strangford's Andy and Rory Martin in 17th followed by their clubmates Hammy Baker and Peter Chamberlain in 19th. The host club's David Gorman and Chris Doorly, the Irish champions, were 20th overall.

Full results here

Horizon Job on Dublin Bay

Vials and Turner of Derwent Reservoir SC sealed world title number four in a fitting way by doing a horizon job on the fleet on the final day of the Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championship at Dun Laoghaire. The breeze was so light they literally had to drift across the finish line in a shortened 2 lap windward/leeward course.

The 72 boat fleet headed out for one final race in hazy sunshine and a light breeze that was always predicted to drop by lunchtime. Despite a few nervous last-minute shifts racing got underway shortly after 1100 hrs in a very light 5 - 7 knot North Westerly.

The breeze ebbed and flowed in patches providing a real test of nerves for sailors trying to decide which side of the course to choose. As is now customary, Graham Vials and Chris Turner just coasted up the middle of the course playing the shifts to perfection.

They rounded the weather mark in fourth just behind some new faces amongst the leaders. David Heron and Chris Ducker (Royal Windermere YC) led the fleet from South African’s Campbell Alexander and Dave Herridge and Australia’s Chris Vila and Mark Holmes. The run was particularly slow and painful but Vials and Turner just floated off into the distance pulling away from the mixed crew of Justin Waples and Jackie McKellar who were proving that their 3rd yesterday was no fluke.

As the lead bunch crossed gybes trying to sniff out the breeze the world champions elect were rounding the gate for a shortened beat for the second and last time. Whilst the British crew sailed off into the hazy sunshine places 2 to 5 were still very much up for grabs. The second run was reduced to an absolute crawl in barely 2 - 3 knots of fickle breeze.

As Vials and Turner turned for home at the gate the majority of the fleet were crawling down the run with limp spinnakers. They had to tack several times to drift across the finish line to claim their 4th world title sailing as a team in their newly named boat ‘Floaty McFloat Face’.

At one point it looked like the extended time limit of 30 minutes might cancel out a vast majority of the fleet but in the scramble to get across the finish line Justin Waples / Jackie McKellar drifted across to finish second. Third place was decided on the line when John Hassen and Kevin Griffiths of South of Perth YC had to give way to fellow Australians Chris Vila and Mark Holmes on the line. Fifth boat to cross was another Australian crew Mike Hart and Dean McAullay (RFBYC).

A number of the overall regatta leaders trailed in quite deep, Andy Mckee and Richard Jones (Dovestone SC) finished in 18th to claim second place overall and Richard Lovering and Matt Alvarado (Hayling Is SC) 12th to settle for third overall.

Australia’s Mike Hart and Dean McAullay finished 4th overall splitting up the dominance of the British fleet. South Africans Campbell Alexander and Dave Herridge finished the last race in 9th to claim 15th overall, a good effort in this highly competitive fleet. Andy and Rory Martin became top Irish boat in 17th just ahead of the New Zealand crew, Hayden Percy and Scott Pedersen.

First of the Classic boat division is the oldest boat in the fleet GBR250 ‘Fighting Fit’ sailed by Nick Heath and Pip Chapman from Cam Sailing Club.

Quotes:

Graham Vials & Chris Turner - winners:

“We had our ups and downs during the week but we have come away with the win which is fantastic. This has been the hardest title to win, Andy and Richard and Richy and Matt have been so consistent and we used up our discard with two days to go, so it has been pretty hard. It is really hard to be consistent in a fleet as competitive as this. It is good for the fleet as a whole.”

Chris on the name of the boat:

“All of our previous boats names have been a little bit risky shall we say and the urban dictionary didn’t have much left in the ‘F’s) so my kids actually came up with the name ‘Floaty McFloat Face’. 

Andy McKee & Richard Jones - second overall:

“Our performance this week has been incredibly consistent which has been the story of our season, Chris and Graham put together a really good series and we just didn’t have the cutting edge to challenge them in the end but we are really pleased to come second overall. It has been really challenging conditions out there you can see from the high scores.”

Richard Lovering and Matt Alvarado - third overall:

“It has been a fantastic week here sailing in Dublin Bay, we are delighted to come away with third position overall. We are very pleased, this is our Olympics, this is the second World Champs we have done and we only get to do it every 4 years. For the most part the racing has been just awesome. We have had plenty of breeze, lots of ups and downs, shifts and the race officer has done a brilliant job. We are super happy and we will have a few beers tonight.”

Top Ten Overall of 72 boats:

1 GBR4071 Floaty McFloat Face - Graham Vials / Chris Turner - 20.8 pts
2 GBR4005 Fiery Chariot - Andy McKee / Richard Jones - 38 pts
3 GBR4002 Hyderated - Richard Lovering / Matt Alvarado - 47 pts
4 AUS4063 Firefly - Mike Hart / Dean McAullay - 52 pts
5 GBR4070 Ovington Boats - Nathan Batchelor / Ricky Rigg - 59 pts
6 GBR3760 no name - Jeremy Davy / Martin Huett - 77 pts
7 GBR4030 Aatha - Greg Wells / Andrew Jameson - 77 pts
8 GBR3957 Fourwinds - Charles Apthorp / Alan Green - 80 pts
9 GBR4059 Puffa Fish - Hamish Mackay / Andrew Lawson - 92 pts
10 GR4065 Pondskater - David McKee / Mal Hartland - 95 pts

After the disappointment of sitting out two races yesterday due to boat damage in a collision for which they were awarded redress, Britain’s Graham Vials and Chris Turner sailing 'Floaty McFloatFace' from (Derwent Reservoir SC) are on the verge of winning their fourth world title after a flawless race today. There was only one race scheduled for day 6 of the Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championship at Dun Laoghaire on the penultimate day of the regatta.

The 72 boat fleet were kept ashore for two hours whilst the offshore breeze settled down enough to send the fleet out. It took several recalls and one abandoned race after the wind shifted all round the compass. Under dark black rain clouds and some light rain, finally, the Dublin Bay breeze decided to go back to the NW/W sector for long enough for the PRO Jack Roy to set a longer length windward / leeward race course.

Under black flag the fleet started around 1545 hrs in 16 - 19 knots sailing in the now familiar short chop. The first upwind was well spread from one side of the course to the other and it was difficult to predict a top mark leader. Early in the race Graham Vials and Chris Turner appeared to be ducking sterns but as all true champions do, they seem to carve a lane for themselves to appear at the windward mark in the lead, ahead of Irish boat Andy and Rory Martin of Strangford Lough YC and Charles Apthorp and his crew, local National Yacht Club member Alan Green.

Ffantastic Mr Ffox sailed by Niall Meagher and Nicki Matthews of the host club Photo: Frank Miller

The leaders split down the run with Vials / Turner going offshore and another British boat sailed by Justin Waples and Jackie McKellar (RCYC/WSC), going inshore. Vials and Turner had already carved out a handsome lead at the turn at the gate ahead of GBR’s Andy Mckee and Richard Jones (Dovestone SC) who had also turned on the afterburners down the run. Waples / McKellar made significant gains down the run.

The long beat back up to windward saw Vials / Turner extending again and McKee / Jones also establishing themselves in control of the second. However, the remaining top 5 - 6 spots were still up for grabs. British boats David Tabb / Chewey Sherrell (Parkstone YC), Richard Lovering / Matt Alvarado (Hayling Is SC) and Hamish Mackay / Andrew Lawson (Royal Thames YC) all had their chances but by the final gate rounding Waples / Mckellar looked to have third place under wraps.

The final winning margin for Vials / Turner, the champions-elect, was a healthy 1 min 30 secs over second-place overall McKee / Jones. Waples / McKellar scored their best result of the regatta so far with a very good 3rd, the highest position for a mixed crew in the championship so far. NB: Jackie McKellar is sailing her first major regatta in the Flying Fifteen class!. Lovering / Alvarado just squeezed over the finish line for 4th just ahead of Tabb / Sherrell in 5th.

Justin Waples and Jackie McKellar on their excellent podium finish:

Justin: “We saw the first aborted start and how it paid to go right and actually looking at the smoke from the chimney we decided it worked first time and it worked again so it was really as straight forward as that really.”

Jackie: “I think we made about 4 or 5 places by going down the right (inshore) on the first run. We were very pleased with that. It is a mixed boat and our first world championship sailing together.”

The final race of the championship is scheduled for Friday with Graham Vials and Chris Turner firmly in control on 19.8 points some 11 points ahead of Andy McKee and Richard Jones on 31 points. They do however hold discards of 19 and 23 as opposed to Mckee’s 21 and 7, so technically they do still have to keep their powder dry in the final race of the championship. Richard Lovering / Matt Alvarado remain in 3rd overall with 35 points, Australia’s Mike Hart / Dean McAullay 4th on 47 points and Nathan Batchelor / Ricky Rigg 5th on 49 points.

Andy and Rory Martin were top Irish boat with their best result of the championship 9th. Despite some fairly rough sailing conditions some of the visitors from France, Spain, Canada and Hong Kong have completed almost all races of the series never giving up showing the true essence of the corinthian competitor in the Flying Fifteen class. Indeed one of the boats sailing under the flag of Hong Kong is aptly named ‘Hakuna Katoa Katika’ which is Swahili for ‘Never Give Up’. She is sailed by Barry Hayes and crew Helen Selden. Worthy of mention to is the all-female crew of Louise McKenna and Hermine O’Keefe who sail under the burgee of the Royal St George YC in Dun Laoghaire. The ladies have sailed very persistently all week and only failed to finish one race by being one of 60 odd boats outside the time limit.

Andy Martin IRL3974 9th today:
“We were so jammy that the first race was abandoned!, and jammy in the start because under black flag we were being so careful because we have already got one DNF. We sailed the middle and got it our own way today and it is the first time in the regatta we were able to sail the shifts. My brother Rory who sails with me, his work rate is massive, he managed to pull us around the weather mark second, then I took a bit of a kamikaze gybe off and sailed right down the middle where we thought there was pressure but we must have done at least six gybes. We went around the bottom mark 3rd and then it's just a fight to hang on to places.”

Graham Vials on his horizon job today:
“We had a good win today, yesterday was slightly traumatic with the hole in the boat so to just go out and sail was nice. We were going well today, you have a game plan and our game plan is usually up the middle and take the shifts but be conservative,not to be too extreme. At one point we took some sterns because we thought the wind was going to go right which it did. We got into that and towards the top we got a really nice lift and what you can use out there was the chimney with the smoke. You see the breeze in the future and what it might shift.
Having rounded in the lead it was pretty easy from there on. We cannot rest on our laurels we still need a good day tomorrow.”