#SAILOR OF THE MONTH – George Kenefick of Crosshaven is the Afloat.ie/Irish Independent Sailor of the Month for October after rounding out an already successful season with an inspired performance in the Student Worlds in France.

The 23-year-old helmsman won the Quarter Ton Classics Corinthian Division in July with his immaculately-restored boat Tiger, racing against a top lineup in the Solent. That performance saw him recruited to helm the English-owned boat Chimp in the Half Ton Worlds at the same venue in August. Kenefick showed the quality of his abilities by interacting with a crew he'd never sailed with before to become overall winner against an impressive international fleet.

George Kenefick, Mel Collins and John Downey celebrate their win on Lough Derg. Photo: Brendan Fogarty

Back in home waters, next up was the Waterways Ireland ISA National Championship on Lough Derg in the ISA's SailFleet flotilla of J/80s at the beginning of October. For this series Kenefick recruited Crosshaven clubmates John Downey and Mel Collins as crew. The opposition included former champion Mark Mansfield, who had returned to competitive sailing by winning the 1720 Europeans in Baltimore against a fleet including Anthony and Nicholas O'Leary, both former Irish Open Champions.

It went right down to the wire, with Mansfield and O'Leary emerging well ahead on 12–points apiece. On the countback, Kenefick was the new champion. Almost immediately, he was back in the thick of logistics and personnel organization in taking the Cork Institute of Technology sailing team to France for the Student Worlds, CIT representing Ireland as winners of our national series.

With sixteen college teams from all over the world, even in resources-rich French sailing the organizers were stretched in finding an evenly-matched fleet of sixteen Archambault keelboats. There were top class new boats, but some not so new boats, and a trio of boats well past their sell-by date. It was all in the luck of the draw, and the Irish and much-fancied Portuguese found themselves drawing the shortest straw.

In a demanding series, the Portuguese were never at the races with their tired mount, but the Irish simply refused to give up despite a boat which, with its equipment, was falling apart. There was ample opportunity to do this, as the series in the Bay of Biscay off La Trinite included some really rough stuff. In fact, the Irish revelled in the strong breeze, but in the light airs which settled in as the week drew on, it took pure skill.

By the final races last Saturday, they'd got themselves an unassailable third position, but the two British teams – defending champions are allowed an extra place – had miscalculated the points situation. So on the final day, they team raced, one of their boats sailing the Irish crew down the fleet in the best Ben Ainslie style. It was the first time Ireland had finished outside the top six, but they still had the bronze, the Brits took silver, and the French were well ahead to win overall.

More from WM Nixon in the Irish Independent here

Three Cork keelboat sailors top the fleet after today's qualifying rounds of the Waterways Ireland All Irieland Sailing Championships at Lough Derg Yacht Club. Royal Cork's George Kenefick leads on four points. Flor O'Driscoll, orignally from West Cork but sailing under the Howth YC burgee this weekend, is second on five points. Sharing the same points is four time Olympic Star sailor Mark Mansfield.

Gale force winds are forecast for tomorrow's final on Lough Derg.

Half of the invited helms have been eliminated and although a pre-event favourite Anthony O'Leary has been the major surprise casualty of the event so far, others that failed to qualify included Roger Bannon, Brian Goggin, David Gorman and Alan Henry.

Also through to tomorrow's final is Olympic dinghy campainer Ryan Seaton, one of three Belfast Lough sailors to make it in to the final eight. Seaton's club mate Adrian Allen is also through as is Squib sailor Gordon Patterson from Royal North.

The only Dun Laoghaire sailor through is Fireball ace Noel Butler.

Final Flight Competitors:

Name	Club	R1	R2	R3	Total
George Kenefick	Royal Cork Yacht Club	1	1	2	4
Flor O’Driscoll	Howth Yacht Club	1	1	3	5
Mark Mansfield	Royal Cork Yacht Club	2	2	1	5
Ryan Seaton	Ballyholme Yacht Club	3	2	2	7
Noel Butler	ISA	2	3	6	11
Gordon Patterson	Royal North Yacht Club	4	4	4	12
Adrian Allen	Ballyholme Yacht Club	8	3	3	14
Ben Duncan	Howth Yacht Club	4	6	4	14

Two Royal Cork sailors stormed to the top of this morning's opening rounds of the Waterways Ireland All Ireland Sailing Championships. ICRA chsampion George Kenefick scored 1,1,2 to finsh top of the group with 1720 sportsboat Mark Mansfield in second on 5 points. They both now progress to the finals and will be joined by Ballyholme's Adrian Allen and Howth's SB3 champ Ben Duncan, the first four sailors into tomorrow's shoot-out for the title of All Ireland sailing champion.

Racing is taking place in flight two this afternoon in gusty 12 knot winds under race officer Geoff O'Donoghue of Lough Derg Yacht Club.

All three Dun Laoghaire helms competing in this morning's first flight were eliminated. Missing the cut by a single point are Mermaid champion Roger Bannon, David Gorman of the Flying fifteens and Alan Claffey of the Ruffians. Also going home is Donegal GP14 Champion John McGuinness.

Flight 1 Results

Results of the second flight later.

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat assisted three persons after their yacht capsized and sank close to Hare Island on Lough Der. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO.

At 17.04hrs Saturday September 10, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard following a report of two persons in the water off Hare Island, on Lough Derg. At 17.15hrs, the lifeboat was launched with Helm Colin knight, Johnny Hoare and Ger Egan on board, and was on scene 17.20hrs. The wind was southwest, force 6, with a 5ft to 6ft swell, visibility was good.

When the RNL lifeboat arrived on scene, a passing yacht was recovering two persons onto their yacht, but had lost a visual on the third person. The lifeboat immediately carried out a search pattern, located the third casualty some four or five hundred metres away, and recovered them to the lifeboat.

Lifeboat Helm Colin Knight said "these three people were very very lucky; the passing yacht only became aware of their plight when, on tacking, one of sailors heard calls for help on the wind and raised the alarm". He continued, "the persons were in the water for at least thirty minutes, in fairly hostile conditions, when the only boat in the vicinity heard their calls for help, someone was looking after them today".

Tasked by Valentia Coast Guard, the Irish Coast Guard Search & Rescue Helicopter team, Rescue 115, took off from their base at Shannon at 17.34hrs. Killaloe Coast Guard had also launched to assist. After establishing that the RNLI lifeboat could be at their station within 5 minutes, Rescue 115 requested the crew to take the casualties to Dromineer from where they5 would transfer the casualties to hospital.

The RNLI lifeboat returned to the yacht, and took a second casualty on board. Killaloe Coast Guard boat took the third person. All were then rushed back to Drominneer where they were met by the helicopter and transferred to Limerick Regional hospital for further treatment.

The lifeboat then returned to 'The Hare' to see if the sunken vessel was a navigational hazard, but there was no sign of wreckage or of the yacht. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 18.50hrs.

 

Shannon Boat Builder Jimmy Furey will be a special guest at the Dromineer Literary Festival at the end of the month. The appearance conicides with a screening of David Shaw-Smith's landmark documentary series
'Hands' featuring the Shannon-one-Design Boatbuilder.

The eighth annual Dromineer Literary Festival will take place from Thursday September 29 to Sunday October 2 at Lough Derg Yacht Club in Dromineer village.

At 8pm, Thursday night September 29, Dermot Healy, Kerry Hardie and Catherine Phil McCarthy will give a poetry reading at 8pm, Lough Derg Yacht Club, and on Saturday night, October 1, The Poetry Divas will perform at The Whiskey Still pub in the village.

The Meet the Authors event attracts huge audiences each year, and we are delighted that Jennifer Johnston and John MacKenna will be reading and in discussion on Saturday night, October 1, at 8pm at Lough Derg Yacht Club. We encourage our audience to read these authors to increase their enjoyment of the event.

A performance presented by the renowned Nenagh Players to close the weekend is of CS Lewis' A Grief Observed. This one man show, adapted and performed by Ronan Dodd, will take place from 8pm, Sunday night, October 2. A Grief Observed was written by Lewis after the death of his wife, Joy Gresham, from cancer in 1960.

The Sunday afternoon event afloat aboard the passenger vessel The Spirit of Killaloe, is entitled The Living Lake. Scientists Rick Boelens and Dan Minchin will give a talk on the hidden depths of Lough Derg; its biodiversity and environmental heritage. Places are strictly limited, to ensure a place, please contact Eleanor at emhooker@ eircom.net

This year, for the first time, the festival will feature film. A Short Movie written and directed by George Hooker, and produced by Sorcha MacKenna, students at DIT, will be premiered at 3pm on Saturday afternoon October 1 at Lough Derg Yacht Club. Filmed on location in Dromineer in June 2010, the short movie stars Nenagh Players actors, the late Stephen Toohey (with the kind blessings of his family), Niamh Hogan and Olly Griffin. All welcome. Admission is free.

Also on Saturday October 1, David Shaw-Smith will give a talk on his landmark documentary series 'Hands' Boatbuilder with Shannon-one-Design Boatbuilder Jimmy Furey attending as our special guest. Other films in the Hands series will be screened at Neddy's Cottage in the village, thoughout the weekend.

Committee is pleased to announce the 2011 festival programme.  Highlights include authors Jennifer Johnston, Dermot Healy, John MacKenna, and Vincent McDonnell, Poets Kerrie Hardie, Catherine Phil McCarthy and The Poetry Divas, a Short Movie by young filmmakers from Dublin Institute of Technology and more.

POETRY READINGS
Thursday 29 September, 8pm Lough Derg Yacht Club (Adm - €5)
– Dromineer Festival Poetry with Dermot Healy, Kerrie Hardie and Catherine Phil McCarthy
Saturday 1 October, The Whiskey Still, Dromineer Village
– 10.30pm The Poetry Divas will perform their poetry in The Whiskey Still pub

OFFICIAL OPENING
Friday 30 September, 7.30pm, Lough Derg Yacht Club
– Offical Opening with Dr. Ed Walsh.
– Competition Results & Readings

MEET THE AUTHORS
Saturday 1 October, 8-10pm, Lough Derg Yacht Club
– Meet the Authors with Jennifer Johnston and John MacKenna (Adm €12/€10)
–
FILM -SCREENINGS
Saturday 1 October, Lough Derg Yacht Club
– 3-4pm Short Film Premiere by Media Arts Students, DIT, Dublin.  Written & Directed by George Hooker. Directed by Sorcha MacKenna (Free Adm)
– 4-5.30pm Hands Boatbuilder.  Talk by David Shaw-Smith, followed by screening of his landmark documentary.  Special guest Jimmy Furey. (Adm - €5)

AFLOAT ON LOUGH DERG
Sunday 2 October, Sunday Afternoon Afloat
– The Living Lake, a talk by scientists Rick Boelens & Dan Minchin aboard The Spirit of Killaloe (Adm €12/€10)

DRAMA - Festival Finale
Sunday 2 October, 8pm, Lough Derg Yacht Club,
– The Nenagh Players present Ronan Dodd 'A Grief Observed'

Predictably Olympic campaigners were to the fore at the 2011 Irish Laser National Championships yesterday but host club Lough Derg Yacht Club in Dromineer, Co. Tipperary are celebrating the first time in thirty years that a Laser sailor has won a National Championship division at their home club.

Belfast Olympic campaigner James Espey came top of the combined 151 boat fleet but yesterday the local cheers were for Derg sailor, Eoin Keller won the Irish Laser Radial National Championships.

Eoin Keller with his parents Josephine and Pat, and LDYC Commodore Lucy Sanders. Photo: Geraldine Wisdom

Lough Derg Yacht Club hosted the Irish Laser National Championship from 25 to 28 August. A total of 151 sailors participated in the event. Sailors travelled from all over Ireland and the UK to race in the event. The Laser class has three rig categories according to the sail size: the 4.7 Lasers (48 boats), the Laser Radials (71 boats) and the Standard or full rigs (32 boats).

Hosting a National event for such a large fleet requires considerable organisation, both on and off the water. LDYC Sailing Secretary, Michael McCarney, said that the "seventy plus volunteers, helping out at the event, ensured four great days of racing". He said that the "wildly varying weather conditions provided quite a challenge for sailors and race management". He added that "events such as this help to promote tourism and the local economy of this scenic area".

Laser Racing starts on Lough Derg

The Principal Race Officer for the event was John Lefroy. He conducted the races from his boat the 'Phoenix', and managed to get ten races in very changeable weather conditions. Liam Moloney and his team managed the finishing line on his yacht, 'Synergy'. John Lefroy said that he was "very impressed with the mark laying and rescue", and added that "the sailors were well tired at the end of the four days as I set demanding courses. Competitors at this level want to be stretched at these events". Jack Bayly and Teresa Hassey collated and posted the race results promptly every day.

Club Manager Claire Toohey coordinated Safety and Rescue for the Championship. This is a vital task, and Claire's organisational skills were very much in evidence. Claire commented that her brief was made easier by "top notch, well-trained local rescue crew, who did a superb job in quite testing conditions".

Summing up at the prize-giving, LDYC Commodore Lucy Sanders said, "I was impressed by the number of members who gave of their time to help out, particularly the younger members, who are the future of this Club". She went on to praise the work of the shore crew, including P. Keller and his helpers who efficiently managed the launch and recovery of boats, and Anne Atkinson and her team, who ensured the visitors were looked after with the hospitality for which the Club is well known.

RESULTS Irish Laser National Championship 2011

Laser 4.7

1st Seafra Guilfoyle - Royal Cork Yacht Club
2nd Cian Byrne - Royal Cork Yacht Club
3rd Eoin Curran – East Down Yacht

Laser Radial

1st Eoin Keller – Lough Derg Yacht Club

2nd Robbie Gilmore – Strangford Lough Yacht Club
3rd Finn Lynch – National Yacht Club

Standard Laser Sailors

1st James Espey – Royal Ulster Yacht Club

2nd Ryan Seaton – Carrickfergus Sailing Club
3rd Matthew O'Dowd – Royal St. George Yacht Club

At 07.47hrs on Saturday morning, July 16, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of 4 persons on board a 29ft cruiser that had suffered engine failure, but which had dropped anchor to prevent being pushed up on rocks. The crew had hoisted their distress flag to draw attention to their dilemma.

 At 07.30hrs, Saturday July 16, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist 4 persons whose vessel had suffered engine failure. The skipper of the cruiser had dropped anchor and that was holding them off from the rocks. The lifeboat with helm Peter Clarke, Colin Knight and Ger Egan on board, launched at 07.47hrs. Winds were south-westerly, Force 4, visibility was fair with frequent strong squally showers. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, a 29ft cruiser, at 08.29hrs. There were four persons on board, all were safe and wearing lifejackets. A lifeboat crew member checked the vessel and established the cause of the failure, he weighed anchor and the lifeboat took the vessel under tow to the safety of Terryglass harbour, where it was tied alongside at 08.41hrs. Lifeboat helm Peter Clarke said that the 'prompt decision to drop anchor was a good one as it prevented any further damage to the vessel'. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 09.15hrs

ALSO

At 22.30hrs on Friday night, July 15th Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to investigate reports that a vessel, first spotted near the Clare shore, was apparently adrift, but now in Dromineer Bay

 The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan and David Moore on board, launched at 22.40hrs. Winds were south-westerly, Force 4, it was dark. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, an 18ft speed boat, at 22.43hrs. There were two persons on board, and as they were under the canopy were unaware that they were drifting and were being pushed perilously close the outer wall of the harbour and into shallow water. They did not require any assistance from the lifeboat, but were advised to turn on their navigation lights. They made their way safely to their berthing inside the public harbour at Dromineer. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 22.55hrs

On Saturday evening, July 2, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of two persons, when their vessel suffered engine failure and was drifting in the Urra Channel just outside Dromineer Bay.

On Saturday July 2, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched, following a request by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist two persons on board a 22ft motor cruiser, that had suffered engine failure and was drifting close to rocks on the Urra shore. The Lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Ger Egan and Dom Sharkey on board, launched at 19.30hrs. Winds were southwesterly, Force 2. The lifeboat arrived on scene 19.35hrs. The two persons were safe and unharmed and both wearing life-jackets. The vessel was taken under tow, and tied safety alongside at the public harbour at Dromineer at 19.55hrs. The skipper of the vessel thanked the lifeboat crew and said that when he 'saw smoke coming from the engine, he had no option but to cut the power and call for help". He was reassured by the crew that he had done the right thing. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 20.20hrs.

At 17.23hrs on Friday July 1, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist two persons in difficulty in the water, after their jet ski failed close by the Scilly Islands, at the south-western end of Lough Derg. The Lifeboat with helm Peter Clarke, Eleanor Hooker and Ger Egan on board, launched at 17.35hrs. Soon after launching, the lifeboat was informed that a lakeboat was also going to the assistance of the persons in the water. The lifeboat arrived on scene 17.55hrs. The crew spoke to fishermen in the only lakeboat in the vicinity. The fishermen had no English but conveyed to the crew that they had taken the jet ski and the persons to a landing place on the Tipperary shore. Lifeboat crew searched the Tipperary shoreline indicated by the fishermen, including private harbours, but were unable to locate the jet-skiers or their jet-ski. The Coast Guard were unable to make contact with the person who had called in the request for help. The lifeoboat was stood down at 18.10hrs. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 18.40hrs

On Saturday evening June 25, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, towed a vessel and its skipper to safety, after it grounded on rocks, off Scarriff Bay on Lough Derg.

At 19.26hrs, Saturday June 25, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, to assist a person whose vessel had grounded on rocks west of the Scilly Islands, in Scarriff Bay on Lough Derg. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clarke and Colin Knight on board, launched at 19.40hrs. Winds were southerly, Force 3, visibility was good. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel, a 32ft cruiser, at 19.58hrs.

The person on board, senior but with a lifetime of boating experience, was quite unsettled by his experience, having misread his location. He was reassured by the lifeboat crew. After a thorough examination of the vessel, which was not holed, it was taken off the rocks and into safe water. With a crew member on board, the casualty vessel was taken under an alongside tow, via Scarriff Bay, up the Scarriff river in County Clare to his mooring. The vessel was tied safely alongside at 21.20hrs.

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 21.40hrs.

In one of her last official functions as Minister for Sport, outgoing local TD Mary Hanafin attended the Irish Sailing Association's annual Ball last Saturday in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire.

Attended by 315 people the black tie ball featured an awards ceremony that has been hailed  'a great success' by the association.

On Saturday afternoon the association elected a new President, Niamh McCutcheon, the first female ISA President since the organisation was founded in 1945.

A collection in aid of the RNLI raised over €2,250.

Award details below:

ISA Sailing Achievement of the Year
This award is presented by the ISA to recognise the outstanding achievement in a sailing craft by an Irish person or in Ireland during 2010.
Winner: Nicholas 'Nin' O'Leary, Royal Cork Yacht Club
Nicholas' achievements included narrowly beating his father Anthony at the ISA All Ireland Championships in 2010 by just a single point after a nail-biting finale in difficult conditions off Kinsale in November. The win made it three-in-a-row for this remarkable young 24 year old sailor - the only person to achieve this in the 64 years of the event's history.

ISA Volunteer of the Year
This award is given to a member of an ISA affiliated club or class who has made a significant voluntary contribution to their sport during 2010.
Winner: Brian Craig, Royal St. George Yacht Club.
Brian has been nominated by the Royal St. George Yacht Club for the vital role he has played in developing sailing in Ireland and specifically Dun Laoghaire over the past 40 years. His most recent success was winning the bid for Dun Laoghaire to host the 2012 ISAF Youth Worlds.

ISA Youth Sailor of the Year
This award is presented by the ISA to recognise the outstanding achievement by a sailor competing in ISA Performance Pathway boats during 2010.
Winner: Finn Lynch, Blessington Sailing Club
Placing 2nd overall at the Topper World Championships in 2010 left the Carlow sailor in good stead for a Youth Sailor nomination. A determined sailor and strong character, it's clear that with these strengths Finn has the potential to go far in our sport.

ISA Instructor of the Year
This award recognises the role instructors have in providing access to our sports. The final 5 have been nominated by their students with the ultimate winner selected by an ISA judging panel.
Winner: Aine Carroll, Rush Sailing Club
Aine has been an ISA instructor for the last 11 years, instructing both adult and junior sailors in Rush Sailing Club. A keen Mermaid sailor, her love of sailing, her enthusiasm for the sport and willingness to give her time to her sailors have been infectious and remarkable. Apparently the kids at the club think she is a 'legend' and 'cool'!

ISA Training Centre of the Year
The face of ISA water sports to thousands of participants. The best in 2010 as nominated by their students.
Winner: University of Limerick Activity Centre
Situated on the sheltered shores of Lough Derg, University of Limerick Activity Centre has been in operation for over a decade. ULAC provides a varied programme of adventure activities to the general public. The University of Limerick Activity Centre runs ISA courses in sailing dinghies, windsurfers, powerboat as well as emergency care training courses.