Further boost to Irish racing Sailing Column

SAILING: Ireland race with support from BMW a second car marque will give cruiser-racing in this country a further shot in the arm with the announcement of Saab's sponsorship of the first National Championships for cruiser divisions at Howth in mid-May.

Following last month's prestigious sponsorship boost to June's Round

With up to 100 entries and over 1,000 participants, it will be the biggest championship event on Irish waters this year. Cork Week is, of course, three times as big, but as the north Dublin organisers are keen to out point out is not a championship event.

Promoted by the newly-formed Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA), it will be held at Howth Yacht Club from May 14th-16th.

The three-day event will provide up to seven races for four divisions over a mixture of round-the-cans, windward-leeward and trapezoid courses.

In addition to boats from east coast Clubs, entries are expected from Cork and the North, with the possibility of some from the UK. Racing will be on both IRC and ECHO handicap systems, with the rating bands published on the official Notice of Race. The closing date for entries is May 10th and online entries are being accepted on www.hyc.ie.

ICRA have already pledged to rotate the championship with the 2005 event already forming part of Kinsale's Sovereign's Cup event on the south coast.

At Royal Cork, race officer David O'Brien described yesterday's opening day of the University sailing championships as one of the most frustrating he has ever had at sea.

A combination of fog and light winds on the Curlane back thwarted an ambitious target of 40 races to just one. The event which runs on a round robin basis until Sunday has attracted 24 teams with 144 sailors racing in a combination of Fireflies, Laser 2 and Lark dinghies.

Meanwhile, the tragic death occurred recently of the Inistioge yachtsman and veterinary surgeon Brian Coad (66) when his vehicle collided with a truck between New Ross and Waterford.

In sailing circles, he was held in the highest respect, particularly for his exploits as a single-handed yachtsman. He completed the Azores and back race from Plymouth several times and entered into two single-handed Transatlantic races.