Sailing Column: A return to the glory days of big boat racing gets under way today when no less than 15 boats take part in class zero of the annual Dublin Bay Sailing Club Cruiser Challenge.
A fleet of 65 boats has registered and the series has attracted entries from Cork, Galway and Belfast Lough as well as local crews - thanks to the IRC Championship title on offer.
Of particular interest in the big boat class will be the first contest between the leading custom designs that meet for the first time en masse this season.
This event will be an opportunity for Colm Barrington to settle the not insignificant matter of his defeat at Sovereign Week in Kinsale to John Killeen and his team on Nimmo from Galway. The latter is expected to also compete in the Howth Autumn League next month, so this weekend will be a showcase of sorts for the pair.
But added into this mix is an array of contenders that makes this event so appealing in finally setting the country's top racing crews against one another.
Also entered are Bob and Bairbre Stewart's Azure, as is Roy Dickson's Cracklin' Rosie.
Newcomers to the bay this season include Eamon Crosbie's Irish-built, Jason Kerr designed Voodoo Chile and the production IMS 40-footer Loose Change, entered by Kieran Foley. Both pose challenges to the older campaigners.
A small entry leaves Class One wide open to a number of the 11 boats but in Class Two, a very healthy 23-boat fleet is topped by Anthony Gore-Grimes's Howth entry Dux who is on top form.
Sigma 33-footers complete the line-up and European champion Tim Goodbody might be considered favourite, though Neil Love's War Dance is also on song this season.
In other news, Shane MacCarthy and Tommy Hall won the Irish Fireball National Championships hosted by the RCYC at Crosshaven last weekend.
At Lough Erne, Alan Henry and Gerry O'Hanlon from Sutton Dinghy Club won the IDRA14 National Championship after a five-race series.
Also on inland waters, Stephen O'Driscoll with his brother John and Tony Geraghty won the Shannon One Design National Championships at Lough Derg Yacht Club.
