Optimists
OPTIMIST CONNAUGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - KINSALE SAILORS WELL REPRESENTED
Big winds all weekend. Two days of racing in 20+ knots of wind and at times gusting to 30 knots + from the NW made for some very exciting sailing. It has been a few seasons since we have had such conditions in a competition. The experience will be invaluable to our sailors. Four races in total were completed with very exciting sailing for the competitors.
Day 1
The Race Officer got one race in before sending the fleet ashore after the anemometer on the Committee Boat quickly rose to 30 knots. It was a sleigh ride home once the decision was made. In the Senior Gold Fleet on Day One, Sophie Browne took 1st place, with Daire Cournane and Sean Waddilove 2nd and 3rd. The Senior Silver Fleet was dominated by Caitlin Waters who came first and Lucy McCutchen in 2nd place. Line honours in the Junior Gold Fleet on day one was taken by Issy Delamer, with Kate Lyttle and Ronan Cournane 2nd and 3rd. The real heroes of Day 1 were the Silver Fleet competitors. Many of whom have just progressed from the regatta fleet to handle the difficult conditions.All the sailors that started in both the Senior and Junior Fleet should be very proud of their efforts and will know that they are considerably better sailors than when they left shore on Saturday morning.
Day 2
The wind blew constantly at 22+ knots and after deliberation the race management decided to launch the Junior and Senior gold fleets only. The race management did well to get three more races in for the Senior and Junior Gold Fleets, ensuring a race discard came into the final result calculations. The Silver Fleet remained ashore to the disappointment of some of the sailors but the correct decision was made by the race committee given the trying conditions. So the results from Day 1 stood for the Silver Fleets at the event using the average points system. Amy Carroll did very well on her first real outing in a regional event to complete the race in very testing conditions on Saturday. Day 2 racing for the Gold Fleets was tough going for the sailors in the very demanding conditions.
In the Senior Gold our sailors performed real well on Sunday with Daire finishing 3rd overall and just missing 2nd due to a capsize in the last race. Sean finished 7th despite a capsize in race 1 and fought back admirably. Scott Levie handled the conditions very well to finish in 18th place overall. A great effort. Peter found the conditions tough but persevered and no doubt it will stand him well for the future. Junior Gold saw a great effort from Scott to finish 3rd overall and a bullet in the last race. Well done Scott. Ronan decided to stay ashore on the Sunday, a wise decision given size and weight but Ronan’s day will come. The regatta fleet remained ashore due to the conditions so Michael and the fleet were engaged with the coaches on all shore based activities. The reaches and runs were a magnificent spectacle with Oppies literally wave jumping they were going so fast. Seriously exciting on-the-edge sailing not to be forgotten by the sailors for a very long time.
Photo’s can be viewed on HERE
Full event results can be viewed on www.iodai.com
KINSALE'S SUCCESS AT THE ISA YOUTH NATIONALS AND OPTIMIST TRIALS - MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND
Kinsale had a strong representation at the recent ISA Youth Nationals and Optimist Trials which were held in Dun Laoghaire. We had seven sailors competing in the Optimist trials, three in Laser Radial, six in Laser 4.7 and one sailor competing in the 420 class. A big thank you must go to the Royal St. George Yacht Club, The National Yacht Club and the Royal Irish Yacht Club, Mitsubishi Motors and the ISA for a fantastic event. The race committee set great courses in conditions that were very difficult in a big easterly swell, strong tide and a wide range of wind conditions
In the Laser 4.7 Darragh O'Sullivan hoping for back to back titles performed magnificently to finish 2nd overall closely followed by Dara O'Shea in 10th, Conor Murphy 11th and Ross O'Sullivan in 15th. Our two girls Sorcha Ni Shuilleabhain and Cliodhna O'Regan battled the tough conditions in this their 1st youth Nationals in Laser 4.7. This year’s event was won by Seafra Guilfoyle.
KYC was also well represented in the Laser Radial class of 43 sailors which is the chosen ISAF boat for the next two years. Colm O'Regan finished the event in 8th place followed by Eoghan Cudmore 10th, Sean Murphy 12th and Katie Gambier-Ross in 29th. Eoghan and Colm will get another chance at this event next year as they are both underage for 2012. This year’s event was won by Phillip Doran who sailed a superb series and is one to watch out for in Croatia later this year.
In the 420 class Kinsale Aodh Kennedy was flying the KYC burgee. This season Aodh has teamed up with Daniel Brown of TBSC. This pair have being training hard all winter and were rewarded with 2nd place overall, only beaten on a count back which had to call on 2nd places - how close can it get?
In the ever super competitive Optimist trials Kinsale had great success with Scott O'Sullivan making the U12 team to travel to the UK Nationals later this season. Sean Gambier-Ross, brothers Daire and Ronan Cournane all sailed a great series to make the International Development team which will compete later this summer at the German Nationals which are to be held in Kiel. Scott Levi just missed out on a place for Germany but we all know he has the talent and ability to win a place next season. Peter Healy also sailed a great event and is now looking forward to the next class where he will make his mark. However, the star of the event for KYC has to be Cliodhna Ni Shuilleabhain who sailed a very consistent series to finish 2nd girl to overall winner Sophie Browne. Cliodhna joins a growing list of Kinsale sailors who have made their mark in the International Optimist class and she will go on to represent Ireland in the European Championships this summer in Portugal.
In wishing all our sailors success in the international events this summer, congratulations must also go to Sophie Browne TBSC winner of this year’s trials who has made the decision to attend the World Championship in New Zealand in January of next year.
The travelling Teams are as follows:
The European Team - Eoin Lyden, Harry Whitaker, Sean Donnelly,Peter McCann, Jil McGinley. Cliodhna Ni Shuilleabhain, Megan Parker.
This team will attend the European Championships in Portugal this summer
The International Development Team - Richard Hogan, Ronan Cournane, Alacoque Daly, Sean Waddilove, Sean Gambier-Ross, Robert Dickson, Fergus Flood, Aoife Hopkins, Daire Cournane.
The Under-12's Squad - Isabelle Delamer, Evie Byrne, Niamh Henry, Rebecca O'Shaughnessy, Ewan McMahon, Eoghan O'Buachalla, Kate Lyttle, Scott O'Sullivan, Ronan Cournane, Harry Craig. This squad will attend the British Nationals in Wales this summer.
All photos courtesy of Gareth Craig www.fotosail.com
PHOTOS OF THE TEAMS AND ON THE WATER ACTION ARE AVAILABLE HERE:
A big thank you again to the Royal St. George Yacht Club, The National Yacht Club and the Royal Irish Yacht Club, Mitsubishi Motors and The ISA for a fantastic event.
The Optimist Class Captain in Kinsale is David Ross, and his contacts are:
Tel: 087 9686177
Email: dross@eircom.net
The Optimist Class Calendar, Official Notice Board, Racing Results, Photo Gallery, Buy, Sell, Services and Class Open Meeting Information can be accessed by clicking on the menu to the left.