SAILING:Sailors may have been stormbound at home this week but there has been Irish success abroad where Colm Barrington's debut performance in Florida has caused John Bertrand to sit up and take note in IRC class two and in France, Damian Foxall has been named as co-skipper in this year's Barcelona World Race in November.
With only a few days to go before he launches the 60foot yacht Paprec Virbac in New Zealand, Jean-Pierre Dick (41) revealed the name of his Irish co-skipper yesterday.
Kerry's Foxall will partner Frenchman Dick in the latest non-stop round the world race.
"When Jean-Pierre asked me I didn't need to think hard about it! For me, he is one of the favourites," said Foxall.
Foxall said the pair, one of nine entries to date, will spend most of 2007 preparing for November's start to the gruelling 25,000-mile voyage that rounds three capes: Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn.
Foxall has competed in two Volvo Ocean Races, in 2005/'06 on board Team Ericsson, where he was responsible for bow, mast and rigging; and in 2001/'02 with Team Tyco.
He was part of the America's Cup 2004 K Challenge crew for Acts 2 and 3 and was one of the Cheyenne crew for their successful assault on the Jules Verne non-stop crewed round the world record, setting a new time of 58 days, nine hours, 32 minutes and 45 seconds.
As a result, he is one of only a few Irish sailors who have made it on to the professional circuit but most recently, he hit the international news headlines in 2005 for all the wrong reasons.
The Caherdaniel sailor was evacuated by helicopter from his stricken trimaran Foncia following an Atlantic capsize that hurled the 37-year-old into the rigging of the 60-foot craft. He broke three ribs, a shoulder and collar bone.
The accident kept him out of the opening leg of last year's Volvo Round the World race and he will be keen to avoid any mishaps this time.
Dick is a double winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre, the race in which Foxall capsized, and was sixth in the Vendée Globe 2004/2005.
The Barcelona race aims to bring together the two worlds of extreme solo and crewed "Volvo Ocean Race" style competitions on board high-performance IMOCA Open 60 monohull racing boats.
At Acura Key West regatta in Florida, Barrington's Magic Glove and Doug DeVos' TP52 Windquest are tied for overall honours in the series which finishes later today.
Magic Glove, A Ker 50, may have scored its fourth win of the series in race six but Bertrand is skippering Windquest, which had placed second in every race until taking third in race six.
The result thus far is an impressive performance for the Dún Laoghaire crew which is making its debut in Florida.
At home, it has been confirmed the Allianz Boat Show at the RDS will be one of the country's biggest ever consumer exhibitions. There will be over 7,000 square metres of power and sail craft on show at the RDS Simmonscourt from February 14th. It will also be the venue for the announcement of the Cork Dry Gin sailor of the year award. More details on www.dublinboatshow.com
