Dún Laoghaire set to salute Byrne and Hurley

SAILING:TWO CORK sailors with achievements in completely different sailing disciplines will be saluted in Dún Laoghaire this weekend. Cian Byrne, who last week won a British Optimist dinghy title, is back in Irish waters and competing in the biggest one-design event of the year on Dublin Bay while on Sunday afternoon transatlantic champion Barry Hurley will be applauded on his return to Dún Laoghaire harbour.

The Royal St George Yacht Club is hosting 243 Optimist dinghy sailors competing for the Mitsubishi Motors Irish National and Open Championships.

An international fleet of 183 boats is fighting it out for the senior titles, while more than 60 compete in the regatta fleet on Dublin Bay in testing conditions so far.

Although the size of the fleet mustered in Dún Laoghaire is a show of strength any class association would be proud of, it is the achievement of Byrne in clinching the British Under-12 Optimist title that has really put class enthusiasts on a high. The Royal Cork sailor took three third places on the final day of the 12-race series at Largs in Scotland a week ago to beat US sailor Jack Johansson and bring the title home to Ireland for the first time.

Although all starts in the senior and junior fleets got away on time yesterday in Dún Laoghaire, racing for the more inexperienced sailors in the regatta fleet was cancelled with westerly winds gusting to over 25 knots. And after six races Byrne lies second this morning in the Junior fleet to club-mate Peter McCann. Seafra Guilfoyle, also of Royal Cork, leads the senior fleet after six races in the blustery conditions so far.

This Sunday the Royal Irish Yacht Club is celebrating the success of Ostar single-handed transatlantic race winner Barry Hurley. Barry and his boat Dinah plan to sail through Dalkey Sound at 3pm, continue into Dún Laoghaire and berth at the Royal Irish YC for a celebration of the achievement at his first attempt. Earlier this month Cobh Town Council hosted a civic reception for the Cobh native, now based in Dublin.

Staying on Dublin Bay, Howth sailor Tom Fitzpatrick won the latest leg of the Match Racing Tour of Ireland last weekend, pipping circuit leader John Sheehy in the final of the Leinster Open. Sheehy retains overall lead of the league, six points clear of Fitzpatrick.

The National YC’s Francis Rowan has finished third overall at the Fireball French Nationals and European Championships at La Rochelle that finished yesterday. There were eight races sailed in the 89-boat fleet. Rowan crewing for England’s Tom Gillard were a potent force. The combination looks set to threaten the top English teams at next week’s 10-race world championships at the same venue. Best of the Irish were Irish champions Noel Butler and Seamus Moore in 22nd.