Anthony O’Leary looks to make a best defence of All-Ireland

After years coming close to lifting one of Irish sailing’s most coveted trophies, Anthony O’Leary finally lifted the Helmsman’s silver salver barely one year ago. Now he returns as defending champion for the 2015 ISA All-Ireland championship at the National Yacht Club with his quest to deliver on the double.

Should he win for a second year, it would mark a second victory for the Royal Cork YC following the junior “champion of champions” event at Kinsale where Peter McCann won the title with Jamie Venner crewing.

Clare Gorman of the National YC won the top girl’s trophy.

The O’Leary family already feature prominently on the Helmsman’s trophy with Nicholas O’Leary taking the honour of being the only consecutive triple winner in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In all three events, father Anthony was the runner-up.

Then in 2012, his Olympian son Peter closed out that significant year by winning the title with his Olympic racing experience fresh from Weymouth and the London games.

Anthony O’Leary will be fresh from recent campaigns and is just back from Newport, Rhode Island, where he led the sole Irish team at the New York Yacht Club’s international club invitational series.

Having taken the overall lead after race five of 12, his RCYC crew eventually placed seventh overall in the 17-strong fleet competing in 43-foot one-designs.

One-design sportsboats

Big boats are his forte and his Antix campaign is building towards another defence next year, this time in the Commodores’ Cup at Cowes. But the All-Ireland’s are sailed in much smaller one-design sportsboats provided by the ISA and their J80 Sailfleet boats.

Closer to dinghies than the big IRC boats that O’Leary is perhaps best known for, he is also passionate about 1720 Sportsboat racing where he regularly excels so his competition will have a significant challenge over the two-day series at the National YC.

Of the 22 national class association that submitted a nomination, the ISA has selected the three largest dinghy classes and the three largest keelboat classes by turnout at their own national championships. Each receive a place in the All-Ireland while the next six largest classes on the list receive the next six places.

The challengers feature some of the best known sailors in Ireland and though their classes are held up in a spotlight during the championship when the final results emerge, inclusion in the championship is still regarded as an honour.

Of the line-up, some names jump out as having a potential edge in the event: Michael O’Connor from the SB20 class and the Royal St George YC will be in familiar waters as will his neighbour Dave Gorman.

Cruiser Racer sailors also have places at the event following the ICRA Nationals held at Sovereigns Cup in June. Cillian Dickson led the Howth YC youth team to a memorable ICRA Class 4 victory in their J24 and victory would neatly cap a winning streak.