Autumn leagues promising

The autumn season is traditionally the high point of the sailing year, with most crews well drilled and at their peak. Two of the major venues have already started their final racing series, while a third gets underway this weekend.

The CH Marine October League at Crosshaven begins on Sunday, when about 100 boats will compete. The results from the five Sunday races will make an interesting comparison with the outcome of the Sovereign's Cup regatta back in June.

Class One has seen a revival in fortunes for Jim Donegan's White Rooster, a veteran of many campaigns enjoying a new lease of life thanks to a replacement mast. Donegan's reign may be short-lived however, depending on how quickly two rival crews get to grips with new boats.

Kieran Twomey's brand new Farr-designed Beneteau 40.7, Flying Colours, is certain to have an impact on Class One, if not this autumn certainly by the 2000 season.

Equally, the McCarthy brothers have ended their domination of the Impala class on the virtually unbeatable Checkmate. They too have entered the Class One fray having taken delivery of X-Claim, a competitive X-99 from Dublin Bay.

One of the highest-profile sailors in the country will be looking to the October League to complete a hat-trick of wins in Class Two. Barry Rose and his Contessa 32 Obsession won both his class and the Sovereign's Cup outright earlier in the year and has been leading the field in the Cork Harbour racing this year. Added to that record is the Matthews Centre South Coast IRC Championship last weekend.

Dave Hennessy's Luas provides the main challenge to Rose and his crew. This year's WIORA champion boat will be better known as the former Paddington Bear, a previous winner of the annual Dublin Bay Sailing Club Cruiser Challenge.

Meanwhile, a successor to Paddington Bear is gradually rising to the top of its class at Howth during its Heineken Autumn League. Bob Stewart's Prima 38-footer Great Bear has been gradually tamed this season and is now a serious threat to the Class Zero master, Roy Dickson on Cracklin' Rosie.

Other certain "champions" amongst the handicap classes at Howth see some more regular names appearing. Colm Barrington's Velvet Glove is the epitome of a well-run campaign and nothing less than victory in Class One will be accepted. However, scratching the surface reveals a host of other worthy contenders led by Jim Hyland's Maxim.

Shay Moran and Enda Connellan's Space Odysssey is cresting nicely in Class Two after a difficult summer. Nearly every imaginable gear problem frustrated their racing.

So far, they have three out of three victories to their credit - two more would secure the series.