Champion Hyde in it for the fun

Sailing News round-up:An addiction to racing for last weekend's winner of the ISA's All-Ireland Championship delivered a winning edge to Cork's Stefan Hyde, as he became the 60th winner of the famed Helmsman's Championship silver salver.

And while his opposition comprised many of the top names in Irish sailing, the 25-year-old retains an amateur outlook with a firm emphasis on fun.

Winning the "champion of champions" title is a challenge restricted to a tiny minority, as nominations invariably comprise individual class winners or wildcard nominees such as Olympians or international-grade sailors.

Although light winds severely curtailed the racing programme, cancelling the repechage round and limiting the final to a single race, Hyde was under no illusions as to which way the event could end.

"When we got into the final we knew that anything could happen," he told The Irish Times this week. "After we won the first race (the final), we were nervous waiting for the 'anything' to happen."

His clean start left him well positioned to deal with Athens Olympian Ger Owens and clear of Maurice O'Connell, though the latter clearly showed an edge sailing without spinnaker as he is used to in the Star keelboat.

When the wind failed to fill in for a second race, the championship became a single-race clash, winner-takes-all.

"This is definitely the best personal achievement for me so far, as winning the helmsmans trophy is the number one event in the country," he said.

"Where to next is the big question for sure, but it's definitely not the Olympics."

Yet despite his satisfaction from victory last weekend, Hyde is disappointed that the sport in Ireland appears to be losing some direction, at least as far as the top end of big boat racing is concerned, and he lays the blame on too much emphasis on professionalism and not enough on fun.

"After Optimists, there seems to be a big drop-off in participation; loads of my friends aren't sailing any more," says Hyde, who began sailing as an 11-year-old in Monkstown, Co Cork. "While some people get their kicks from taking part, many people are taking the racing so seriously that when they don't win then they're not having fun. We've become so professional with our approach to sailing that the fun is being lost."

Event organisers are missing the point also, with some running the risk of losing support completely.

"The autumn leagues that used to be brilliant are now lifeless. There isn't the same charisma that used to be there even 10 years ago," he suggests.

"I'm definitely going to stay in the sport as I absolutely bloody love sailing," he enthused.

He thinks that the new Sailfleet J80s that were used for last weekend's event have a future for getting people into sailing.

"They're fabulous boats, they look solid and feel solid, which is very important when loads of people are going to be using them."