Ireland's grip on the Mirror World Championships tightened after four races in South Africa this week with four Irish crews in the top 10 and Royal Cork's Marty Moloney (18) and Revlin Minihane (14) going into an overall lead with three wins scored in Wednesday's racing on Saldanha Bay.
After two days racing in the Cape Province championship the Crosshaven pairing now lead Britain's Toby Wincer and Richard Harding. Third overall are Australians Mark Padgett and John Fletcher with five races left to sail. Racing in the six nation regatta is scheduled to finish on Sunday.
In France, Ireland's Donal O'Halloran sailing a five-man 1720 class yacht won the sportsboat division of Spi Ouest regatta this week, though thick fog cut short the event short by two days.
The Irish design made a clean sweep of the sportsboat prizes with Tommy Murphy of Waterford second and Gordon Maguire of Howth third.
At home, cruiser results have to be recalculated following "teething problems" with the new IRC2000 yacht handicaps after the first race of Kinsale's April League. Results issued last Sunday were posted on "a certs or numbers to hand basis".
Although nearly half the league's 44 entries had lodged IRC2000 certificates, others had supplied numbers only and some have still to submit waterline measurements.
Organisers have now said that results will be recalculated retrospectively on receipt of certs. Meanwhile, Kinsale YC's big cruiser event of the year, the Sovereign's Cup, already has a confirmed entry of 36 boats from Wales, Scotland and Ireland, two months ahead of the June 23rd-26th regatta dates.
There is one change to venues for this weekend's Irish Sailing Association Safety seminars. The seminar advertised for Howth YC tomorrow will now take place on Sunday. More details from the Royal St George at 01 280 1811.
The association's a.g.m takes place tomorrow in Howth at 6.30 p.m. followed by dinner when the ISA's president's awards will be made.
On the South coast a 21-strong fleet gathered at Crosshaven for the Laser 2 Southern Championships over the Easter weekend. The event, run inside Cork harbour by the Royal Cork YC, provided some typically close racing in a class that is experiencing something of a regrowth in numbers after a couple of lean years.
Belfast pairing Michael Ennis and Gavin Doig took the event on 6.25 points overall a clear two points ahead of Dun Laoghaire's Noel Butler and Garth Ablett who won three races on the trot in breezy conditions on Sunday.
Local crew Marcus Spillane and Donal Hegarty finished in third place overall on 16 points.
MIRROR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (standings after four races) - 1 M Moloney/R Minihane (Irl); 2, T Wincer/R Harding (Brit); 3, M Padgett/J Fletcher (Aus); 4, S Jacobs/C HuttonSquire (RSA); 5, S Kennedy/S Grannery (Aus); 6, G How/I McNamee (Irl); 7, D Gebhard/J-M Gebhard (Brit); 8, M Barrington/J Phillips (Aus); 9, S Woodward/R Woodward (Irl); 10, N Meadow/R Seaton (Irl). 86 competing.
KINSALE YC - April League - Dragons: 1, D Matthews/D Good; 2, Tatsu (C Good/ H Lewis/S Furney). 1720s: 1, Union Chandlery (M Mansfield); 2, T Bone (T Durcan); 3, Cork Dry Gin (D Deane). Class 1, Echo: 1, Xerxes (D O'Neill/B Kennedy); 2, VSOP (J Godkin); 3, Luv Is (A O'Connor); IRC 2000: 1, VSOP; 2, Luv Is; 3, Amazing Grace (G & S Horgan). Class 2, Echo: 1, Luas (D Hennessy); 2, Sarabande (E Lisson/B O'Driscoll); 3, Mac Magic (McCarthys); IRC 2000: 1, Mac Magic; 2, Sarabande; 3, Eithlinn (J Twomey). Class 3, Echo: 1, Ragtime (P Salter); 2, Bunbury (D Buckley); 3, Suntrap (B Dorgan); IRC 2000: 1, Ragtime; 2, Giselle (T O'Sullivan).
