SAILING:JUST TWO weeks after Ireland lifted the Rolex Commodores' Cup at Cowes, plans are already afoot for the defence of the trophy, the first major victory by an Irish team in 40 years of competition at the prestigious venue.

Due to a potential clash of dates with the London 2012 Olympics, details have yet to be confirmed for the next regatta by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, though it is certain to be sailed in two years as usual, leaving a good lead-in period to regroup.

But with recession still foremost in the minds of many, can this be achieved in more straitened times? If the lessons from this year’s successful squad are a guide, then there are grounds for optimism.

First, the method of assembling a team was radically over-hauled from the previous years during the economic boom, when nine boats often had a substantial presence at the regatta, even to the extent of being pre-event favourites on three consecutive occasions.

But the overhaul changed that.

A simple strategy was adopted of a tightly-controlled squad of just three boats with crew-training, regatta practice and sail-planning paramount. A second squad was rumoured but wasn’t viable.

The second major feature of the 2010 team entered by the Irish Cruiser Racing Association is that it comprised entirely boats from the Royal Cork Yacht Club, with crews almost similarly drawn from the Crosshaven club.

“The multiple-teams diluted the effort in previous years for sure,” said a veteran of previous campaigns. “A large part of the 2010 success is undoubtedly due to the single-team approach.”

So the question arises, will a defence of the Commodores’ Cup rest solely on repeating the format of a single-club team, assuming boats of sufficient calibre are available? Or, if economic circumstances dictate a shortage of boats at one venue, will a team from various clubs end up being counter-productive?

“For this success to be repeated, the boats do have to be of a certain calibre for sure, but now we’ve learnt it’s down to the work-rate and mix of coaching, fitness and management,” said Dave Dwyer, skipper of marinerscove.ie, the middle-boat of this year’s team.

“We have the knowledge now, while we may have been happy to operate at 85 per cent (of performance potential) this year, we know now this needs to get to 95 per cent next time round,” he said.

“We’re getting close to an Olympic ideal in terms of performance.”

But what about the traditional approach of individual boat-owners turning up with their regular crew, usually comprising close friends and sailing mates?

“Those days are absolutely over, there are no friends in this campaign,” says Dwyer. “Everyone has to have the right attitude; it’s as tough as it gets.”

A marker has been laid down this year that if owners are committing the resources to a campaign, crew will have to match this in terms of commitment and investing their personal resource in time on the water.

“You have to be realistic about turning-up with just anyone,” said another veteran. “If you’re being serious about it, you have to be prepared to take some pain.”

How this will appeal to many club owners and sailors will have to be seen. But this year’s success leaves little doubt the climb to the pinnacle of this end of the sport has become even steeper.