Last Sunday, after a gap of 8 years the junior sailors from Sutton Dinghy Club and Royal Cork YC got to team race for a very special prize. The ‘Junior Book Trophy’, first raced for in 1980, is a junior version of the ‘Book Trophy’, raced between Sutton Dinghy Club and Royal Cork YC for the first time in 1944.
The event took place on the afternoon of 21st September with PRO Robert O’Shaugnessy taking the teams out to the Curlane Bank. The racers waited patiently in windless conditions for over 90mins before a course could be set.
Sutton Dinghy Club: Dan Gill (C), Conor Twohig, Shane McLoughlin, Callum Maher, David Johnston, Sinead Dickson
RCYC: Grattan Roberts (C), Jill McGinley, Jamie Tingle, Susi Fitzpatrick, Tom McGrath, Rebecca O’Shaugnessy.
Race 1 – Early on SDC in control with 2,3,4 but after 2nd mark Gill/Twohig hailed protest for contact by McGinley/Roberts. Umpire (Tom Crosbie) did not see incident so Green flagged but with wind very lite there was subsequent further contact resulting in red flag and 720 for Gill/Twohig. With wind dying Gill/Twohig in the turns lost contact with other 5 boats. Despite valiant efforts by McLoughlin/Maher and Johnston/Dickson to provide opportunity for Gill/Twohig to reengage the short course meant Dan ran out of track and time. Race to RCYC. Score 1:0
Race 2 – Sutton’s Johnston/Dickson put head to wind on line at the Committee boat so tacked off right initially giving Cork advantage out left but with building breeze to right Johnston/Dickson held position 1, seeing this Gill/Twohig and McLoughlin/Maher made efforts to go right before RCYC saw the situation putting SDC in advantage position of 1,2 and 4. McLoughlin/Maher almost caught lead RCYC boat but 1,2 4 was good enough to take the race for SDC. Score 1:1
Race 3 – 3 GENERAL RECALLS, I flag and an abandoned race as wrong boat numbers called out. Then McLoughlin/Maher damaged a rudder causing further delay. Racing finally got underway but now it was winner take all and Gill/Twohig taken across line by McGinley/Roberts and had to go round ends. With McLoughlin/Maher boat struggling, RCYC got into a 1,2 position with Tingle/Fitzpatrick and McGrath/O’Shaugnessy. With Gill/Twohig trailing and McLoughlin/Maher now with wobbly rudder, Johnston/Dickson could not halt victory but engaged McGinley/Roberts to try and improve the SDC position and while he edged out McGinley/Roberts on penultimate mark, they recovered to pass McLoughlin/Maher who was taking water before the finish. Score – 2:1 to RCYC.
With victory eluding the Cork club in the senior event back in August, the RCYC Admiral Pat Lyons was delighted to be able to present the ‘Junior Book’ to the winning RCYC team.
The Book records the races from previous years and for the young Cork team, they were following in illustrious footsteps. For some it was their parents footsteps. On the day many former Book Trophy sailors turned up to review the Book and re-engage with a unique piece of Irish sailing history. Those in attendance included Joe Fitzgerald, who sailed sailed in 1st Book Trophy race in 1944, Ted Crosbie, Archie O’Leary, Commodores Cup skipper and recently crowned Helmsmans Champion of Ireland Anthony O’Leary, Paul Tingle, Barry O’Meara, Anthony McCann amongst others.
The afternoon was delightfully brought to a close with a beautiful supper in RCYC dining room with both sets of sailors and alikadoos enjoying the special atmosphere generated by this unique event. For all the sailors it was a special race and something to look forward to again next year.
Check out RCYC report & photos by Bob Bateman.
[whohit]-2014 Junior Book Trophy-[/whohit]