Kenny breaks Irish speed record

SAILING:IT'S AN ill wind that doesn't blow some good. In the south Atlantic and in Co Waterford, winter gales have produced record results for sailors this week while a record-breaking run, set in a summer gale, will be toasted in Wicklow tomorrow night.

While Ericsson 4 smashed through the 600-mile barrier in the first leg of the VOR on Wednesday, on inshore waters an Irish speed sailing record was set by windsurfer John Kenny in Dungarvan last weekend.

Kenny lifted the National Speed Sailing Championship last weekend when he reached a speed of 38.379 knots in windy Dungarvan.

It's the first such championship in 10 years and a reminder how fast, in relative terms, the sport has become.

Earlier this year Kenny, a 35-year-old steelworker from Ringsend in Dublin, broke the 40-knot barrier, recording 40.44 knots at Southend-on-Sea in England.

Ashore, tomorrow night the focus on speed continues when ICAP Leopard's record-breaking July run is remembered at the BMW Round Ireland prizegiving at the Grand Hotel, Wicklow. It is a significant gathering for offshore interests.

More than a few will remember that this week's world speed record holder was among the starting line-up at Wicklow pier last July. Torben Grael was at the helm of Alegre, only to pull out when the race was postponed for 20 hours.

When Leopard's owner Mike Slade lifts the Denis Doyle Trophy, it'll serve as a reminder that the Round Ireland milestone time of 65 hours, 48 minutes and 47 seconds is a significant offshore challenge - and, Irish offshore fans would like to think, an obvious future test for Grael.

BMW ROUND IRELAND PRIZE WINNERS: Line honours (Denis Doyle Trophy): ICAP Leopard 3, Mike Slade. IRC Overall (Norman Barry Trophy): 1st Ireland West, Aodhan Fitzgerald; 2nd Dinamite-Tee, Blyn Sheffield; 3rd McCarthyMotors.ie, George Radley. Two-Handed (Noonan Trophy): 1st Mumbo.ie, Patrick Cronin/John Chambers; 2nd Slingshot, Michael Boud/Niall Dowling; 3rd Jalfrezi, Gareth Thomas/Brian Millea. Class Super 0 CK: 1st Lee Overlay, Adrian Lee. Class Super 0: 1st Formidable 3, PW Vroon. Class 0 (Mew Island Trophy): 1st Team Kingspan, Matt Davis; 2nd Nadie, Cian McCarthy; 3rd White Tiger, Anthony J O'Brien. Class 1 (Tuskar Cup): 1st Ireland West, A Fitzgerald; 2nd Dinamite-Tee, Glyn Sheffield; 3rd Galileo, Kelleher, Lemass and Tennyson. Class 2 (Fastnet Cup): 1st McCarthyMotors.ie, George Radley; 2nd Ocean Spirit of Carlingford, Peter Finegan; 3rd Aquelina, James Tyrrell. Class 3 (Skellings Cup): 1st Cavatina, Ian Hickey/Eric Lisson; 2nd Mumbo.ie, Patrick Cronin/John Chambers; 3rd Blackjack, Darren Nicholson/Clifford Nicholson. Class 4 (Tory Island Trophy): 1st McCarthyMotors.ie, George Radley; 2nd Cavatina, Ian Hickey/Eric Lisson; 3rd Blackjack, Darren Nicholson/Clifford Nicholson. ISORA Trophy: Galileo, Kelliher/Lemass/Tennyson.