SAILING:AFTER A breezy series at Abersoch in Wales, Martin Byrne of the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire emerged overall winner of the Edinburgh Cup, the British Dragon class national championships.

Sailing with Adam Winkelman and Portuguese sailmaker Pedro Andrade, Byrne needed a win in the final race to secure the championship from Russia’s Mikhail Muratov, who was Friday’s overnight leader. A clean start in the final allowed Byrne to command the race and he won with a strong lead on the water.

The 62-year old trophy is considered one of several holy grails within the class along with the Gold Cup and World championship of this former Olympic keelboat.

Meanwhile, Anthony O’Leary on Antix narrowly missed winning the British IRC championship in Class 1 when he was beaten by a single point by Dutchman Piet Vroon’s Tonnerre de Breskens.