Fitting that Strangford win in Glens

SAILING:It is an illustrious career, worthy of a place in any sports annals, but being alive and more than kicking adds a special edge. In Irish sailing history, a series of boats point to a heritage that forms the backbone of a sport, not just in these islands but also spreading far overseas.

The world's first dinghy one-design, the Water Wag, is still going strong in its spiritual home of Dublin Bay after more than 100 years, dating to the origins of the sport when yacht racing was starting to attract more than the highest echelons of society.

Fast forward just a few decades to the post-second World War era and the Alfred Milne-designed Glen class made its debut for members of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club. At 25 feet, with a small cabin and large sail area, it was the ideal inshore day racer of its time.

Testimony to its appeal can be witnessed in the fact that it is still not only sailing regularly but it features some of the most hotly contested races and, it might be ventured by some commentators, aggressive enthusiasm on occasion!

But that's only the fleet racing, where it is concentrated on both Dublin Bay and Strangford Lough which have almost 30 of the original fleet of 37 constructed still in regular use.

Last weekend, the northern venue hosted the 43rd Team Racing challenge between the two venues that co-incided with the 60th anniversary of the class. For fun afloat and a celebration ashore, the occasion neatly summarised the best that sailing has to offer.

But while Team Racing is competitive at the best of times and the action truly defines "boat on boat" racing, as can be witnessed in the terrifically exciting varsity championships in small dinghies, delivering this in wooden boats weighing several tonnes each is no mean feat.

So it was a deserved victory for the host club team, led by Commodore John Pannell, who scored four wins, while fairness was ensured in that none of the home team sailors were permitted to race their own boats.

Meanwhile, the south coast of Ireland is the centre of domestic racing attention this weekend.

Today sees a fun race for the fleet of 70 RS Feva dinghies at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club in Dunmore East where late last night their overall European Championship, sponsored by Three, came to a close.

After a hotly contested, 12-race series that saw challenging light airs and fast spring tides, Sofia Engstrom and Frida Langenius were overall winners with a seven-point victory.

Irish national champions Matthew O'Dowd and Jack Burke won the final race and were placed fourth overall and best of the Irish for their efforts.