With the domestic season still some months away, the cream of Irish sailing is swinging into action over the coming weeks at international events around the world. While a massive national squad will attend the ISAF World Championships in Dubai later this month, six crews depart for Miami this weekend to compete in the second World Team Racing Championship.
The US event is particularly important as the 1999 championship will be staged in Ireland (Dun Laoghaire) and our crews are gearing up for a serious challenge. After ending with a second placing at the inaugural worlds in 1995, Ireland's A team have a real chance of winning a medal at Miami, although the home participants are favourites along with Britain, the title-holders.
The venue will be a centrepiece of the Miami International boatshow and grandstands will provide a close-up spectacle of the racing from the February 12th18th. In 1995 at West Kirby, an estimated crowd of 2000 people followed the finals and this has proved to be a key factor in the development of the event.
The two-person crews usually sail Firefly dinghies in Ireland and Britain but the Americans will host the event using their own Vanguard 15-footers. The British team has been practising in these boats for five months and while the Irish squad only had a weekend training session recently, they will have nearly a week of coaching time on these Laser II lookalikes before the competition begins.
The acceptance of team racing into the international sailing calendar and its championship status acknowledges a 40-year history based principally around English speaking nations and concentrated in university clubs. However, the worlds have expanded interest further afield with other teams coming from Mexico, Japan and the Czech Republic in addition to Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
The essence of team racing is fast boat-speed with quick tactical ability, emphasises Paddy Oliver, of Ballyholme Sailing Club, who is the sole member of the 1995 team attending Miami. "You work to get a winning combination across the (three-boat) team: you're not just out there sailing for yourself."
Races are decided on three basic tactical situations: mark roundings, slowing the opposing boats on the upwind legs and also working the opposition into penalty situations from the on-the-water umpires. The short races are a constant battle to keep the team in a winning mathematical place on the water. Instant and detailed knowledge of the rules along with a keen sense of the opposition's tactical options are crucial.
The 1997 Irish Championships last September determined the national squad for Miami which is headed by Ballyholme representatives. Sean Craig has been drafted in to replace Garreth Flannigan, who will be attending Dubai, and will sail with Linda Eadie. Paddy Oliver and Ben O'Donoghue are the second boat crew while the pairing of Jamie Boag with Aiden O'Connell should provide added sparkle to the leading team.
The Irish B team, all from the Royal St George YC, have been closely pacing their northern rivals in both competition and training and comprise Michael O'Connor and Dermot Boylan, Max Treacy and Emma Love grove, and Andrew Fowler with Brendan Fowely. Squad coach is Irish team-racing master Johnny Ross-Murphy.
Ireland is also represented on a high-powered panel of umpires by Tony O'Gorman.
