Irish wind in Admiral's sails

SAILING: The Admiral's Cup is coming to Ireland next year. David Branigan reports from London about efforts to revive the sailing event

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in London yesterday confirmed that the next Admiral's Cup is to break with tradition and move from Cowes to Dun Laoghaire in July 2003.

A radical revision of what was once regarded as the unofficial championship of offshore racing will also produce a number of incentives to rebuild interest in the 45-year-old event, which was cancelled last year due to a lack of interest. The Irish Government has also signalled its intention to support the move.

The regatta will be hosted by the Royal St George Yacht Club from Saturday, July 12th to Saturday, July 26th, 2003. A combination of inshore courses, yet to be announced, will lead into a full circumnavigation of Ireland, which will follow the existing 705-mile course.

At present, there are no plans to extend the number of entries into the current race, which will take place again this June. Increased interest in the new course from international sailors is likely to benefit next year's event.

In another revision of the traditional event, the single, three-boat team entered by a national authority has given way to two boats per club and a maximum of two teams per country. The event will be mainly for professionals, continuing the existing trend which emerged following the heyday of the championship in the late1980s.

The two boats will be handicapped under two popular international systems. The bigger size will cater for IRC (Endorsed) handicap aimed at boats of 50 feet and over. This class will be professionally crewed.

The smaller boats will cater for the IMS system but, in a fresh development, these boats will be grouped under a single body, to be known as the IMS 600 Class.

The latter system has been dominated by American and Mediterranean yachts and a raging transatlantic debate might have precluded this system in favour of the RORC promoted IRC/IRM systems. However, the IMS 600 Class is aimed at the 40-foot range of boats and includes IMX40s, Beneteau 40.7-footers, Tripp 40s and other popular production yachts which are easily modified to optimum racing condition.

Currently, more than 270 boats worldwide are eligible for this class. Such boats are popular in Ireland, raising the prospect of national qualifying events. Full-time sailors can comprise 50 per cent of a crew for this class, and many Irish professionals working overseas would be needed for a national effort.

Other eligibility requirements will require relevant club membership, though nationality rules will be minimal.

Sponsorship details will be announced in April, followed by specific class band and crew limitations.

The Notice of Race will be published in the Autumn. The Minister for Marine and Natural Resources,Frank Fahey, also spoke at the announcement in the RORC clubhouse where he confirmed that the Government would be providing financial support to promote the event overseas.

The Minister said Irish clubs have ploughed a lonely furrow in promoting sailing and added that the Government has at last recognised the potential of a sport which can provide worthwhile economic return on investment.

THE MAIN POINTS:

• Admiral's Cup to move from Cowes to Dublin for 2003 event
• Event will be "transportable" - moving to competing venues biennially
• Event to maintain offshore interest by retaining long-distance race
• Two-boat teams representing clubs rather than countries
• Event to be primarily aimed at professional sailors
• Venue criteria: include known offshore race, good shore facilities, marina and harbour plus enthusiastic locals