SAILING:CLOSING OUT a memorable year for Irish sailing is a pleasant buffer against doom-merchants of all hues, especially when there is a choice of highlights on offer and the prospect of an exciting year ahead.
August appears to have been the peak month and, in case it was missed at the time, Ireland’s Commodores’ Cup team pulled off an historic win at Cowes after a decade of close results and almost 40 years of teams challenging for an international regatta on The Solent.
Once again, Ireland was tipped as pre-event favourite but, widely regarded as the kiss of death by team-members, the billing was ignored all the way to the final race and even after when the result was confirmed.
Team captain Anthony O’Leary on Antix, Dave Dwyer’s marinerscove.ie and Rob Davies Roxy 6 – all sailing under the Royal Cork YC burgee – had laid down an emphatic opening race result with wins in all three classes, but wouldn’t rest easy for another six days of racing when the trio won the event comfortably from Hong Kong in second.
More than 40 sailors took part in the team, virtually all amateurs in accordance with Royal Ocean Racing Club rules that limit professional involvement.
Yet the squad performed to professional standards which Dwyer later likened to Olympic commitment. The win set down a marker for the type of commitment needed, even at top-end club racing. The defence in 2012 will be even harder, not just for the need to build on the team’s experience.
Aside from the issue of having a pool of suitable boats, the fixture has been returned to June of that year when weather conditions have been flukier, unlike last August when the Irish crews excelled in windier conditions.
The season ahead should prove revealing as the Irish Cruiser Racing Association musters interest for the next challenge.
August brought more smiles to Crosshaven as Peter O’Leary won gold at the London 2012 Olympic regatta venue in Weymouth. Along with German crewman Frithjof Kleen, who was a late substitute for David Burrows, the pair topped the 36-strong Star class and memorably won against multiple past champions and Olympic medallists, including Freddy Loof, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, Robert Scheidt, Torben Grael and Iain Percy, who were all familiarising themselves with the venue in anticipation of 2012.
“Coming from Ireland it’s probably the closest thing we will ever get to a home Olympics as such, so we have to use that to our advantage,” said O’Leary at the prize-giving. “From that point of view it’s just like home for us.”
The peak of summer also saw Ireland play host to the Etchells World Championship at Howth, where 43 crews from nine countries competed over nine races. With a race to spare, Australian John Bertrand, winner of the 1983 America’s Cup, achieved a 30-year ambition to win the Etchells class that counts numerous former cup winners within its fleet.
Offshore sailing continued to re-build its participation in Ireland during the year, and despite concerns that entries would drop due to recessionary pressures, 37 crews started the Conway Media Round Ireland Race at Wicklow. Visiting boats claimed the top honours on IRC handicap, with Piet Vroon’s Tonnerre de Breskens 3 taking line honours and the overall win.
Among the professional circuit, Damian Foxall and Justin Slattery were snapped up for next November’s Volvo Ocean Race that begins from Alicante, Spain, and will finish in July 2012 in Galway.
Foxall is right-hand man to Franck Cammas’ hugely successful Groupama team which campaigns boats in multi-hull circuits and transoceanic races. Slattery has been selected by former Green Dragon skipper Ian Walker to compete on the Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team.
Meanwhile, their former boat remains in Galway and awaits sponsorship developments to allow another entry in the 39,000-mile race.
