Club Racing – Last Sunday evening we had a very decent turnout for Club racing with 6 optimists, 3 IDRA14, 3 GP14 and 2 lasers. With a late tide and overcast night PRO went for a single startline for all Classes to get 2 races complete before the light faded. Well done to Fionn Mulhall who won both Optimist races but with a single start that included all the big boats, all the Opi youngsters deserve a mention for their handling of the busy startline. Well done Abby Kinsella, Luke Kellet, Oran and Fionn Mulhall, Conor McLoughlin and ?. Good to see Adam Bradley up and running in his laser and Caoimhe Flemming take over helming duties in IDRA 14 Smufette. Hugh Gill had Tim Coyne out getting some time on the water before they head to UK Nationals next week.
Earlier in the day, the Fireball Nationals concluded in Howth Yacht Club, with unfortunately no racing on the 3rd day of the event. Our own Alan Henry and Simon Revil finished in 4th a single point from a podium place. Some very good results through the event however were tempered by gear failure during the heavy weather on Friday afternoon. The event was won by Noel Butler and Stephen Oram.
The 2016 Optimist Nationals kicked off in Lough Derg yesterday. With 220 boats on the water including 170 on Main fleet (Junior and Senior) start lines and 50 in the Regatta fleet. Three races raced in all fleets. Sutton Dinghy Club has young Oisin Kelly (8 years) racing in Regatta fleet He finished the day in 17 position. A gusty day on the lakes with a lot of wind shifts providing plenty of challenges for the regatta fleet sailor. Tomorrow conditions are predicted to be more challenging and with probably another 3 or 4 races. Further updates this week on our Facebook page.
The GP14 UK National Championships kicks off this coming weekend and sees 3 of our GP14 fleet head across the Irish Sea to Pwellhi in Wales. Hugh Gill will have Tim Coyne as crew while Peter Boyle will likely be the youngest helm with his father Stephen on crewing duties. Alan Blay and David Johnston will be hoping to have another good event after 2 race wins and a 6th in Brixham last year. They guys have been training hard and had a good Leinster Championship when they pushed World Champion and current UK National Champuon Shane MacCarthy all the way 2 weeks ago in Sutton. With Shane MacCarthy and Curly Morris also travelling it shows the Irish GP14 fleet to be in good health. The event runs from Sunday 20th to Friday 25th with the crews then making a dash for the Holyhead ferry to make the start of the GP14 Championship of Ireland which starts the following day in Skerries (Sat 26-29). Have a good event guys.
With the fleet celebrating 70 years, next week sees the 2016 IDRA14 Championships in Lough Derg YC (Aug 24-27) and there looks like being well over 20 boats including the new addition from CYBC Wicked Sadie. The event will see Alan Henry & Simon Revil going head to head with Club mates Alan Carr & Ian McCormack to try and retain the Championship. Word is that both our Senior Instructors, Callum Maher and Cian McNally will be teaming up for the Championship. With Jim Lambkin, John Lynch, Charles Sargent also sailing there could be 6 Sutton boats on the start line. As usual this will be a great family event with families camping and the Sat dinner and prize-giving.
Last weekend saw the conclusion of the Mirror Europeans in Royal Cork YC, Crosshaven. Sutton Dinghy Club had 2 representatives: Oscar Langan sailing with Luagaidh Croasdel (LRYC) and his younger brother Cathal making his event debut crewing with Martin Egan who is the Mirror Class measurer from UK. The event saw a strong RCYC contingent in the 19 boat fleet including former Mirror World medallist Mel Collins sailing with his daughter. The Mirror Nationals runner-up in Sutton Caolann Croasdel and Peter O’Farrell from Lough Ree YC, held off the Collins pairing to take the title. Oscar & Luagaidh finished 7th with Martin Egan and young Cathal finishing 8th.
Unfortunately last Sunday week, the weather Gods intervened and we had to cancel our Club Regatta. With winds over 20 knots and gusting and no forecast for any improvement, the PRO and Sailing Committee made the difficult call at 9:30 am.
[whohit]-Aug 16th Racing Roundup-[/whohit]