Tom Roche, Dun Laoghaire's international offshore skipper, whose impressive record earned him a place on the victorious 1997 American Admiral's cup team, was honoured at home twice this week: firstly, by Royal Alfred (RAYC) commodore Dick Lovegrove, who made him the RAYC's outstanding sailor of 1997, and then by the chairman of the Sports Council, John Treacy, who presented the Royal Irish Yacht Club skipper with the Cork Dry Gin Sailor of the Year award.
Eight of the leading names from dinghy and offshore circuits were in the running for the Cork Dry Gin prize at the National Yacht Club on Tuesday after individual and crew performances from the pick of Irish sailing were assessed. Roche, who scored an overall class victory at Key West Week in his Mumm 36, Jameson, in March, did not escape the attention of the American Admiral's Cup team and was selected as the small boat entry that played a significant hand in the American's eventual success.
Other campaign's considered for the title included Anthony O'Leary, the inaugural 1720 champion, and double helmsman's championship winners Tom Fitzpatrick and David McHugh, now in a full-time campaign for selection in the Olympic 470 class.
In an unprecedented offshore campaign for an Irish skipper, Roche recorded class wins in his Mumm 36 at the Kenwood Cup, the San Francisco Big Boat Series, Key West Regatta and SORC (Southern Ocean Racing Conference), concluding with his winning membership of the American Admiral's Cup team. It was a set of results that the Royal Alfred YC deemed appropriate to award Roche the Dr John O'Leary trophy for his world class results.
Meanwhile, improving facilities may well be the key to unlocking the tourism and leisure potential of Ireland's marine and freshwater resources, according to a Marine Institute report following the first systematic analysis of the area.
Sailors, the report says, identify lack of facilities, lack of information, and pollution/litter as their primary concerns.
Domestic boating on the coast and inland waterways generated a £43 million contribution to the Irish economy in 1995/96, supporting an estimated 1,600 jobs. Over 30 per cent of this expenditure related to domestic boating holidays. Boating enthusiasts made 1.58 million day trips in the report's survey period, with 162,000 overnight trips averaging three to four days.
Participation in sailing and "other coastal boating" activities is highest in the 16-29 age group, and falls consistently as participants age. Participation in all three categories is higher among those with a third level education. All categories of boating are more popular among the professional, managerial, self-employed and skilled occupational groups.
A waiting list has been established for the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club's (DMYC) frostbite series following the organisers' decision to close entries for the 110-boat event. The sell-out series, which continues until next Easter, is the country's oldest winter dinghy league. The winter surge in dinghy numbers is in contrast to the recent decline in summer fleet sizes. This is due in part, according to the DMYC organiser, Valerie Kinnear, to the absence of any cruiser racing option. Instead, cruiser sailors account for at least one sixth of the DMYC fleet.
Another reason for the league's success is the participation of sailors from afar afield as Wexford harbour and Lough Derg. Sailors from eight other clubs, in addition to Dun Laoghaire's four, are also competing.
Tony Nolan and Marita Connaughton, in a 420 dinghy, lead the Portsmouth Yardstick handicap fleet for this Sunday's fifth race, with Fiona Kiely and Orlaith O'Byrne (420) and Noel Butler and Angelo Dati (Laser 2) in joint second place.
Karl Cooney and Jonathan O'Dowd lead the Mirror division from Andrew Greer and Darren McCann, while Richard Hodgins leads Frank Cronin in the single-handed Laser class.
