SAILING:LIGHT-AIRS LOOK set to dominate this weekend's Irish Sailing Association All-Ireland Championships, which get under way at Crosshaven today where several "showdowns" could emerge.
First, Nicholas O’Leary of the host Royal Cork Yacht Club will be defending his 2009 title and seeking a hat-trick of wins. Only Mark Lyttle and Tom Fitzpatrick have won the event three times, but neither were consecutive winners: could 2010 be a first?
This year could also be a long-awaited first for O’Leary’s father, Anthony, who has yet to add his name to the 63-year-old silver salver.
He is nominated as the Irish Cruiser Racing Association Class Zero champion and is one of the three winning Commodore’s Cup helms taking part, along with Nicholas and Roxy helm Andrew Creighton.
But the three-day series is unlikely to be simply down to an O’Leary family contest.
For the first time, category three sailors (full-time and professionals) are not allowed to take part in the line-up. This means gold medallist Peter O’Leary, the 2006 winner, cannot take-up his invitation even if available.
This still leaves a talented fleet that includes Ben Duncan from Howth and Seán Craig, the 1993 winner, both nominated for the Laser SB3 class and well-suited to the ISA Sailfleet J80s.
ICRA Class Three champion Neil Kennefick will face off against his near rival and J24 nominee Flor O’Driscoll on their native Cork Harbour, with both capable of delivering an overall challenge.
But is a fleet of 21 helms drawn from all corners – and abilities – of Irish amateur sailing and contesting the “champion of champions” trophy an unfair contest?
“I don’t think so, because everyone likes the opportunity to sail against the top sailors,” said ISA racing manager Ed Alcock yesterday.
“People don’t really look at the classes they are nominated from, and anyway, if you start splitting it then you’re into divide and conquer territory – there’d be no synergy in it.”
Alcock points to Percy Boyle from the Mermaid class who came close to winning the entire event in 2001 as an example of the capabilities of the “classic” classes who are represented each year.
As far as banning professionals, this is a new initiative that will be watched closely.
“It could lead to an arms race, so we thought we’d try it out this year,” said Alcock. “We might look at it again in terms of invited skippers, but bringing pros as crews might disadvantage the less well-funded sailors.”
Racing begins this afternoon with the first flight of seven crew going into action on Cork Harbour, with the second and third flights scheduled for tomorrow.
Meanwhile, there are 20 competitors in the junior and girls’ championship titles.
ISA ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP ENTRIES: Defending champion: Nicholas O’Leary Royal Cork YC; IDRA 14 Pat O’Neill Clontarf Y and BC; National 18 Nick Walsh Royal Cork YC; Squib Gordon Patterson Royal North of I YC; Shannon OD Laurence Hanley Lough Ree YC; Howth 17 Conor Turvey Howth YC; GP 14 Niall Henry Sligo YC; Laser SB3 Ben Duncan Howth YC; Sigma 33 Clem McElligott Kinsale YC; ICRA - 0 Anthony O’Leary Royal Cork YC; ICRA - 2 Daire O’Reilly Howth YC; ICRA - 3 Neil Kennefick Royal Cork YC; Mermaid Jim Dempsey Skerries SC; Puppeteer Garrett May Howth YC; Laser James Espey Ballyholme YC; 31.7 Simon Mitton Royal St George YC; Fireball Noel Butler Dun Laoghaire MYC; 505 Ewen Barry Monkstown Bay SC; J24 Flor O’Driscoll Royal St George YC; Laser SB3 Sean Craig Royal St George YC; RCC team Wild Andrew Creighton Royal Cork YC.
