SAILING/Column: The annual post-Christmas fixture that dominates Australian sporting life reaches its climax this evening when the 55-strong fleet of the Sydney Hobart Race comes to the end of its 605-mile dash. More usually associated with strong winds and, sadly, loss of life in previous years, this epic offshore event has been enduring light winds and poor visibility from the start.
The fleet has been dramatically reduced for the 2002 event, fielding barely a quarter of the turnout associated with the event as recently as five years ago. However, the loss of life that resulted from the storm-lashed 1999 event brought more stringent safety and inspection measures into force though the quality of the leading boats has not been diminished.
Regardless of the weather, the event is the high-point of one Irish sailor's antipodean summer circuit. Fresh from a hugely successful season in Irish and British waters, Maurice "Prof" O'Connell is in the thick of the action Down Under and has already clocked up a third overall in the Telstra Cup, narrowly missing out on first place.
The 2002 summer closer to home brought him a clutch of significant event results racing for a variety of owners: British Melges 24 champion, 1720 European Champion, Irish J24 Champion and third in the UK Nationals. He sailed as tactician for America's Cup Team GBR-backer Peter Harrison on board Chernikieff 2 during the Commodores Cup at Cowes and again during the Solent Autumn Series.
That opening event was as helm on board Howard de Torres Nips N'Tux and he was asked to stay on with the team for the Sydney Hobart. Yesterday, managing less than six knots, the IMX40 was placed about 20th on the water and chasing a host of exotic maxis.
The end of this race neatly ties in with the Mirror Class World Championship taking place in Hobart on January 5th. O'Connell switches to coach mode in his support role for the attending Irish squad. This has been another feature of his 2002 season and he was involved with Maria Coleman in the Europe Class as well as John Twomey's Paralympian Sonar Class team.
A five-day gap follows the Mirror Worlds in which to get to Florida where he joins Diarmuid Foley's Mumm 30-footer for the annual crowd-puller at Key West Week. Immediately afterwards, the Olympic Classes circuit warms-up again in Miami and O'Connell reverts to coaching for Mark Mansfield and Killian Collins in the Star fleet.
His "off-season" programme concludes with the Sonar US Mid-Winter series and the NOOD Regatta with Twomey's Paralympics team in St Petersburg until mid-February.
