This weekend sees more racing activity with Mirror Easterns in Clontarf Yacht & BC with hopefully 7 Sutton boats on the start line. With Oscar Langan in good form following his first podium at the Westerns in Sligo a few weeks ago, another 6 boats from Sutton Dinghy Club is one of the early fruits from our novice coaching programme but we also have to thank the huge efforts and support from Roisin McLoughlin for helping make this happen.
The Malahide YC dinghy regatta on Saturday will see further evidence of progress from the coaching when Helena Hughes and Ethan Hauer racing in Laser 4.7 fleet with Jane McClean (Topper) and Oisin Kelly (Optimist) stepping up from Regatta to Junior Main Fleet for the first time. On Sunday Howth Yacht Clubs dinghy regatta will see the return of the IDRA14 for the first time in a few years and we should see good Sutton representation. Abby Kinsella will race in Topper fleet with Oisin Kelly attending his second regatta in 2 days. Sunday also will see Puppeteers and Howth 17 race around to Sutton as part of the End of Season BBQ, Cruise Around. Good luck to all racing on this busy weekend.
Last week saw members of Sutton Dinghy Club racing on a number of fronts around the country. A victory in the penultimate race for Oisin Kelly was enough to see him win the Regatta fleet at the Optimist Nationals at Royal Irish Yacht Club. Still only 9 years, this was a great effort in a fleet of 45 boats and augurs well for his move up to the Junior Fleet. Well done Oisin.
Over in Galway the IDRA14s had to contend with very very strong winds on the Thursday for the start of their National Championships. With 18 competing boats, 17 launched for Race 1 into a forecast Force 5-6. This was to be the one and only race of the day and ended with only 6 finishers. Sutton took top 3 places. Alan Henry leads from Alan Carr with a super performance in very difficult conditions saw young Caoimhe Fleming with grandad Charles Sargent finish 3rd. The fleet were held ashore on Friday as strong winds continued. With little or no wind early on Saturday, the fleet had to wait till 2:30 before they were able to complete the series with 3 races. Alan Henry & Simon Revill prevailed with Alan Carr & Diarmuid Brody taking 2nd. Charles & Caoimhe had to settle for 5th and top Silver Fleet.
Up in Ballyholme, Sutton was well represented with 6 crews at the GP14 Championship of Ireland including Hugh Gill & Conor Twohig who were last years runner-up. On Saturday the fleet managed a single race, and with winds hitting 30 knots it was no surprise there were only 15 finishers from 30. Katie & Michelle delighted to get home in 15, considering they are almost the lightest crew. Alan & David were 3rd behind Shane MacCarthy. Hugh & Conor were 4th. First timer entry Shane & Rory finished 13th. Gear problem saw Peter & Stephen retire with lightest crew and first timers Orla & Erica retired. Sunday came and very little wind early on left the fleet floating around Ballyholme Bay for almost 2 hours before racing got underway. Owens/Morris took 2 wins from the 3 races to lead Henry/Geraghty by a point after discard. MacCarthy/Bracken are point back on 9. Sutton Dinghy Club Alan Blay & David Johnston after 9-2-4 day were in 4th also on 9 points. Hugh Gill & Conor Twohig lay 9th with Peter & Stepen Boyle and Katie Dwyer & Michelle Rowley 15th and 16th respectively. It wasn’t to be on Monday for Alan Blay & David Johnston in their efforts to make the podium as they dropped back to 6th. Ger Owens & Melanie Morris reclaimed the title with World Champion Shane Mac Carthy & Damian Bracken (2nd) and Southports John Hayes & Joel James taking 3rd. Bang in form Keith Louden & Alan Thompson from Sligo were 4th overall and 3rd Irish to take the Bronze ISA medal. This follows their superb 9th at the British Championships last week. Hugh Gill & Conor Twohig had a good last day and jumped to 8th overall. Other Sutton Dinghy Club placings saw Peter Boyle take Top Junior Helm and qualify as the GP14 rep for the Junior Helmsmans later in the season. And on their first GP14 event and having survived the F6 on Saturday Shane McLoughlin & Rory Murdoch went on to win the Bronze Fleet. Congratulations guys.