Barrington gets top post

Sailing: The Irish Sailing Association has announced that top offshore racing skipper Colm Barrington is to be the new chairman of the Olympic Group (ISAOG), taking over from former Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Anthony O'Leary.

The appointment is the first response of the New Year by the sport's national authority following a series of damaging setbacks to the ISA at the end of 2004.

The situation regarding the remaining members of the ISAOG will be clarified next month when a new group will be announced.

Barrington is best known for his series of successful racing yachts the most recent of which, Flying Glove, spearheaded an Irish challenge for the Rolex Commodore's Cup in Cowes that almost resulted in Irish victory having dominated almost the entire event. In 1998 Barrington won the Round Ireland Race on Jeep Cherokee taking both line honours, overall handicap victory and setting an as yet unbeaten course record.

Meanwhile, 19 applications for the post of chief executive officer for the association were made to the president John Crebbin by last Monday's deadline in the search to replace Paddy Boyd who steps down from the post in February and will resign from the role of secretary general following its a.g.m. in Kinsale at the end of March.

However, Boyd is set to continue his posts on two influential International Sailing Federation committees.

The situation regarding his functions with EUROSAF and the European Boating Association has yet to be decided while the incoming secretary general/CEO will take over liaison with the Department of the Marine and other national groups together with existing ISA managers.

Interviews of candidates for the post are expected to start within the next 10 days involving a "leading firm of recruitment consultants" on a pro-bono basis plus a panel of four board members whose identities are not secret but protected by protocol, according to the ISA.

The appointment of the controversial national Olympic coach is also expected to be announced shortly.

Athletes levelled sustained criticism at the ISA for the decision to proceed with this position before publication of the Wharton report in the Athens Games and also for the stated salary of €35,000, regarded by many as insufficient to attract high-calibre coaches with a proven track record from the continental circuit.

Meanwhile, three important events for the coming season will have near clashing dates at the end of June.

Kinsale Yacht Club's Sovereign's Cup regatta will incorporate the Irish Cruiser Racer Association's second National Championship in what is sure to be a well-attended event.

The 280-mile Dún Laoghaire to Dingle Race has moved its date from early July to provide a feeder race to the region.

But within days of Sovereign's Week ending, the fleet is faced with either a dash back to Dún Laoghaire Week on the east coast beginning the following Thursday or to Galway Bay Week barely three days later.

The latter event has just confirmed its dates following protracted negotiations with the organisers of WIORA Week in late July with whom they had previously had conflicting dates.