After a long winter of qualifying races and selection trials, the teams for this year's Optimist class World and European Championships were decided at Dun Laoghaire yesterday. Sixteen of the best young Irish sailing talent were tested across a range of conditions with Skerries 15-yearold Ray Otto emerging overall winner and securing his place on the team for the worlds in Martinique this July.
Fifty boats competed in the trials comprising the best 25 from last season plus a further 25 that represented the best of an 80-boat fleet that competed over the winter for places at the team trials proper. Eleven races were sailed at three venues: Wexford saw light a shifting conditions while Skerries was average and Dublin Bay this weekend produced fresh and gusty winds.
The full line-up for the worlds is: Ray Otto (SSC), Nicholas O'Leary (RCYC), James McCarter (SLYC), Kier Clarke (SLYC) and Philip O'Reilly (RstGYC).
Howth YC's Ross MacDonald leads the squad for the Europeans in Greece along with John Downey (RCYC), Matthew Lindsey (SLYC), Conor McGonagle (SSC) and Spencer Mitton (RstGYC). The girls are Elizabeth Tait (RCYC), Aishling Canty (RCYC) and Gillian Burke (HYC). The `squad' members are Geoffrey Tait (RCYC), Jack Grimes (SSC) and Gretchen Lennon (EABC).
Meanwhile at Howth on Saturday, Robert Dix placed his stamp firmly on the East Coast 1720 Sportsboat fleet warm-up series, winning both races of the day. Philip Watson had threatened in race one but an `on-course side' disqualification cost him a result and Adam Winkelmann's ESAT Telecom took second with fleet newcomer and former class one supremo Max McMullan taking third.
The tricky conditions for the day were added to by some occasional lobster pots, of which several competitors fell foul.
1720 Spring Warmer (at Howth YC) - 1, Schulduggery (R Dix - 2.00); 2, Esat Telecom (A Winkelmann - 8.00); 3, On All Fours (M McMullan 9.00).
