Liddy's record faces a swift foreign challenge

Sailing: Barely has the dust even started to settle on Capt Mick Liddy's new solo Round Ireland sailing record, set on Monday morning, than a new challenger has emerged. This latest attempt will be the fourth this season and confirms a veritable outbreak of interest in circumnavigating this island.

Michel Kleinjans, who previously held the Round Britain and Ireland solo record has already delivered his water-ballasted Open 40-footer to Dun Laoghaire and is presently back in Belgium awaiting a suitable weather window to begin his attempt.

Earlier this year, Jean Philippe Chomet set a new monohull record with his crew on board City Jet Solune of two days, nine hours, 41 minutes and six seconds in May. This was followed by Dave Parker in the first solo attempt that ended after gear failure on the North coast.

Larry Hynes from Galway successfully completed the course but failed to break the record. Sailing a 14.6-metre aluminium sloop, The Killary Flyer, he met a foul tide and lack of wind on the final approach to the Dun Laoghaire finish.

Liddy's own record encountered a similar ending but with 46 hours in hand he was able to allow the flood tide to carry him past the West Pier finish and beat Peter Keig's 2001 time of seven days, 10 hours, 24 minutes and 27 seconds.

Following submission of the time by the National YC official recorders, the World Speed Sailing Record Council yesterday ratified the time. But, given the right weather conditions, the new record could yet be superseded by the Belgian sailor.

Liddy is under no illusions about this latest challenger. "He's a high-level professional sailor with a rocket-ship who has a very strong chance of breaking my record," Liddy said yesterday. "With water-ballast and carbon rig, his boat is specifically designed for single-handed sailing."

But Liddy readily admits his was a Corthinthian challenge and Kleinjans' campaign was inevitable.

"For me to jump straight into an Open 50 or Open 60 would have been too much and too costly," he said.

"With his speed, he should be able to do the course in four days so this means just one weather system is needed. In my case, I took a chance on the conditions on day five and beyond when my weather window arrived."

Meanwhile, in Weymouth, Stefan Hyde of the Royal Cork YC tops the Irish contenders in eighth overall in the 55-boat event but was taken out of the event after being 't-boned' by an Italian boat on Wednesday and has been awarded average points. National champion Andrew Algeo on Scandal is in 34th place.

Closer to home, seven teams of three boats each will compete in the Dublin Port Masters Squib Invitation Team Racing this weekend.