Ante raised but sibling Nils holds off late challenge

SAILING: A late challenge in the form of a race win by the Irish title-holder Ante Razmilovic was not enough to dislodge his brother Nils from the overall lead of the Anglo Irish Bank Etchells European Championship at Howth yesterday.

The Swedish-Croatian siblings have been locked in battle at the front of the 33-strong Etchells class at Howth for the second consecutive year. In yesterday's final, Ante came to within one point of adding the European title to the Irish class championship win from the previous weekend's event.

Nils would have to have trailed his brother by at least two places on the water and indeed was trailing by five places until the final downwind leg, when he powered to the front of the fleet to place second behind his challenger.

Best of the Irish fleet, now in its second full season, was pre-event favourite Dan O'Grady with Ben O'Donoghue and Raz Beshoff, who placed fifth overall.

Athens Olympian Killian Collins with his brother Mel and father Kieran, from the Royal Cork YC were sixth overall, just two-points ahead of another family crew led by Ulsterman Anthony Shanks with his sister Diana and Mark Delaney.

Plans now focus on attempts to have the International Etchells class Association select Howth as the venue for either the 2008 or 2009 world championship. America's Cup sailor Denis Conner competed in the national championship the previous weekend to assess the venue's suitability.

The 420 National Championships at Dunmore East ended at the weekend with Fionn Jenkison and John Downey taking the title after a windswept series that was curtailed on Saturday because of the weather.

The talent-studded fleet included the Irish junior team recently returned from the World Championships in France.

Ivor McNamara, Lisa Tait, Lynn Reilly and Kevin Stallard all featured on home waters while Ken Rumball and David Moran had to be content with second overall after their top-three result from the Junior European Championships.

The event also marked the first appearance of a team representing Spiddal Sailing Club, who had three boats taking part.

Meanwhile, the resurgence of international interest in the IOR Half-Ton Cup includes three Irish crews racing in Dinard, France, this week. Dick Dastardly, Blue Berret Pi and Scorpio 2 are all competing in the event that ends on Saturday.

ETCHELLS EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP (at Howth YC): Final overall: 1 Matatu (N Razmilovic, R Swedish YC) 11.00; 2 Swedish Blue (A Razmilovic, R Thames YC) 12.00; 3 Bushfire (J Tilly, R Corninthian YC) 28.00; 4 Wobbegong (D Flynn, R Corinathian YC) 31.00; 5 Gelert (D O'Grady, Howth YC) 32.00; 6 Tamborine (M Collins, Howth YC) 35.00.