Brien gives Irish boost

SAILING:It was a day of mixed weather but good fortune for Ireland's 18-boat team at the Aberdeen Asset Management Dragon World Championships off Dun Laoghaire yesterday.

Although Britain's Gavia Wilkinson­Cox emerged as winner of yesterday's opening race, it was the strong performance of Cultra's Simon Brien, who took second, that gives the Irish team confidence for the next two rounds on Dublin Bay this morning.

Thirty-knot north westerly winds postponed racing in the 15­nation fleet for over two hours and, ironically, when the fleet finally left Dun Laoghaire harbour yesterday afternoon there was barely enough wind to get them to the start line.

Although race officer Alan Crosbie made minor adjustments to the course several times, the westerly breeze from between 275 and 290 stayed steady enough and picked up to over 10 knots by the end of the two windward leeward legs.

Wilkinson Cox - one of three lady helms competing - took a pin end start.

Eighty per cent of the fleet were bunched at the far committee boat end of the line so she had plenty of room to sail low and fast to the left-hand side of the course into Scotsman's bay.

Within minutes of the start she was four or five boat lengths clear.

It was an advantage she pressed home coming in to the weather mark some 10 lengths clear astern.

Crewed by Ron Rosenberg and John Mortimer, the Cowes helms woman from Royal Corinthian Yacht Club was chased hard by Belfast Lough's Brien who is sailing with regular partners, brother Mark and David Gomes.

Former Irish champion, Brien overhauled Cox at the start of the second downwind leg but the former windsurfing champion came back to win her first ever world championship race.