Sailing Dún Laoghaire RegattaLast night's opening race of the inaugural Dún Laoghaire Regatta Championship was reduced to lottery status as light airs arrived on Dublin Bay to play havoc with the six courses set for the 400-boat fleet.
While several classes had reduced numbers as crews apparently opted to wait for the weekend to begin their racing, it was the handicap Cruisers classes that fared worst in the light airs and strong ebb tide.
Just one boat completed the Class Zero course in less than three hours, but confusion in the sailing instructions that seemed to be intended to allow the smaller boats compete against Eamon Conneely's TP52 Patches failed to trigger an additional 45 minutes of racing.
As a result, 12 boats received maximum points that will soak up the single event discard that comes into force after four races are completed in the series.
Nevertheless, for this class the outcome of the regatta is fairly predictable in spite of the result last night as Patches out-guns her rivals. In effect, the entire fleet bar the winner restarts a no-discard series this morning, though tolerance with the race committee could fairly be stated at zero among the fleet should further mishaps occur.
Late last night The Irish Times learned that a protest seeking redress by the maligned Class Zero boats was being lodged in an attempt to set a fair competition.
Meanwhile, Sovereign's Cup winner Anthony O'Leary on Antix from the Royal Cork YC emerged victorious from the first joust in Class One, while a strong challenge from Andrew and Niall Allen's No Naked Flames from the Royal North of Ireland YC took second place.
Among the One-Designs, the visiting Beneteau 31.7 Checkmate led the locals around their own bay and even staged a comeback after losing out on a windshift.
Racing on the same course off Sutton, Tim Goodbody on White Mischief won the Sigma 33 class in usual form and retains his position as class supreme unless Paddy Varian or Dermot Baker on Rupert and Shillelagh respectively can catch him out.
