Torrential downpours didn’t stop the racing for the Mirrors in Lough Ree YC or the GP14 across in Swords Sailing and Boating Club this weekend. Our own Oscar Langan with crew Lughaidh Croasdell (Lough Ree) took 2nd place in the Mirror Easterns. Full report to follow.
Across in Swords, the GP14 Class belatedly got their domestic season underway following arrival of the boats back from Barbados a week or so ago. Swords hosted both the Purcell Trophy (Saturday) and the O’Tiarniagh Trophy over the weekend. The results of the Purcell on Saturday contributed to the O’Tiarnaigh qualifiers, concluded on Sunday morning and which saw the top gold, silver and bronze fleet sailors compete in a 3 race finale on Sunday afternoon. 
Congratulations to Sutton Dinghy Clubs Katie Dwyer and Michelle Rowley who took 1st Silver fleet in the Purcell, qualified for the final of the O’Tiarnaigh and then sailed superbly, taking race 1 in the final series to finish second behind World Champion Shane MacCarthy and Damian Bracken from Greystones. 
Former Sutton Dinghy Club Commodore Muriel O’Tiarnaigh was on hand in Swords to present the trophies.
Great to see Hugh Gill on the water for the first time in his new GP14. His crew for the day was Simon Revil normally the other half in the very successful IDRA 14 partnership with Alan Henry. Alan was also in the fleet partnering Simon Jeffrey from East Down BC. The 3rd Sutton boat in the fleet was helmed by up and coming youth sailor Peter Boyle. His father Stephen, 
President of the GP14 Class Association of Ireland made a special presentation to Shane MacCarthy to mark his momentous achievement in winning the recent World Championship in Barbados.
