McCutcheon elected first woman president

SAILING:LAST WEEKEND'S gathering in Dún Laoghaire for the Irish Sailing Association's (ISA) annual conference culminated in an awards evening that recognised achievements across the sport in 2010. Before a crowd of more than 300, Nicholas "Nin" O'Leary of the Cork sailing dynasty was presented with the achievement of the year award.

Earlier in the day, ISA president Peter Crowley stood down at end of his term and handed over to the association’s first woman president when Lough Derg Yacht Club’s Niamh McCutcheon was elected at the agm.

No fewer than three O’Learys were short-listed, and though splitting a family of achievers was always going to be a tough choice, the winner was surprised he was picked over his winning Commodores’ Cup team father, or brother Peter, who won a gold medal at a major pre-Olympic regatta.

Several raised eyebrows seemed to ask: “What value a gold medal in an Olympic class?” Admittedly, Peter O’Leary’s win with German Frithjof Kleen as crew was at the London 2012 venue for what was in essence a test event, it was nevertheless against a full-strength fleet that included past champions and medallists.

His younger brother’s hat-trick of All-Ireland championship wins rightly received widespread acclaim after he defeated his father and other national champions in a windy finale in Kinsale last November.

In turn, Anthony O’Leary’s leadership as captain of the winning Commodore’s Cup team was regarded as crucial to the outcome of that long-awaited victory in Cowes: less than one month ago, he was named the Afloat magazine sailor of the year.

Other nominees for the ISA awards, sponsored by Euro Car Parks, included Mick Liddy and Mark Pollock, who competed two-handed in the Round Ireland last summer, while windsurfer Oisín Van Gelderen was short-listed as the fastest sailor in Ireland.

Other awards presented were: powerboating achievement of the year, sponsored by Yachtsman euromarine, to German visitors Markus Hendricks and Eric Smillie as the only international entry in the Round Ireland Powerboat Race which started and finished in Galway in May.

Volunteer of the year, sponsored by Eirisk, went to Brian Craig of the Royal St George YC for the vital role he has played in developing sailing in Ireland and specifically Dún Laoghaire over the past 40 years.

Youth sailor of the year, sponsored by Spirit Motor Group, was presented to Finn Lynch of Blessington for placing second at the Topper World Championships.

Instructor of the year, sponsored by Parasol Sun Care, went to Áine Carroll of Rush, noting 11 years instructing both adult and junior sailors at the north Co Dublin club. Training centre of the year, sponsored by Dublin Port Company, was the University of Limerick Activity Centre.

Meanwhile, Peter O’Leary is competing this week with his regular team-mate and veteran Olympian David Burrows. The pair are racing in Miami in the Bacardi Cup, is a traditional Star class event that has attracted 93-crews.