Sailing/ Sovereign's Cup: Though an imminent gale forecast for Saturday during the finale of the Sovereign's Cup at Kinsale threatened to curtail racing at the end of the four-day event, there was little doubting the outcome despite the choice of nearly half the fleet not to sail.

By late on Saturday evening the overall winner was declared to roars of approval from the crowd gathered at Kinsale Yacht Club when John Twomey and the crew of Shillelagh collected the Sovereign's Cup.

Fresh from his Class Three national title at the Saab Championships the previous week at Crosshaven, the Athens 2004 Paralympian is on a roll.

Using a modified Rustler 23-footer, Twomey is able to shift from side to side in Shillelagh's cockpit without releasing the tiller and control of the boat and, as the last four days have demonstrated, even in heavy conditions.

Although a regular competitor in other events, such as the Dragon class and the ISA's All-Ireland Championship, Twomey has found the ideal formula that allows him compete as an equal and not as a paraplegic. The last week has confirmed his strategy.

His crew, Brian O'Mahoney and Anthony Hegarty, face similar challenges, and the trio are challenging for selection in the Sonar class for the China 2008 paralympic regatta.

Meanwhile, whether due to the forecast gales or, for a few perhaps, the "Mount Gay" effect, or indeed both, most of the 158-strong fleet opted to stay ashore for the final day of racing. Class leaders all sailed to protect their leads, but the absence of so many may yet see some regatta organisers offer bonus points for the final day to encourage back-markers to take part.

Nevertheless, some results were inevitable. Apart from Twomey's victory in Class Three under IRC-handicapping that secured the Sovereign's Cup, Class Zero nearly took home the title as Conor and Denise Phelans' Jump Juice maintained their lead to win this fleet.

Yet, even here, Saturday's final race saw just four boats start, and all were busy calculating permutations of results and discard points so that, in the end, Anthony O'Leary's Antix Dubh was the only boat to cross the finishing-line; the others simply retired.

Dermot Cronin's Same Old Story held sway in Class One to the end. A final protest on Saturday in Class Two saw Anthony Gore-Grimes' Dux elevated to overall winner in this, the largest class in the event at 46 boats.