Determined Kinsella rules the waves

Feargal Kinsella emerged overall winner of the Champion of Champions event at Howth Yacht Club yesterday. The 36-year-old was representing the Irish Disabled Sailing Association and defeated a host of top Irish sailors.

The locally-based champion has been a lifelong sailor and continued his passion after a motorbike accident confined him to a wheelchair. Maria Coleman, second in the world Europe fleet and a Sydney 2000 team member, topped the first flight on Saturday.

Defending champion Gerbil Owens was third of that flight along with Gerry Donleavy, the Flying 15 representative who opened the event with two straight firsts. In the second flight on Saturday, triple Irish Olympian Mark Mansfield took the first three races, instantly securing his place in the final.

Beautifully consistent sailing by Kinsella yesterday, boosted by a second and a first place in the five-race final, saw him prevail in one of the closest finales to the 54th edition of this championship. The final race saw Tim Goodbody take a runaway lead. To win, Kinsella had to finish sixth or better in the 12-boat fleet.

Sailing down the single downwind leg in eighth place, Kinsella battled his way up to fourth to win the series by 0.75 of a point from Goodbody in second and Andrew Craig half a point behind in third.