Kooijman lays down a marker

SAILING: A flavour of what the week ahead might offer was evident yesterday on Dublin Bay when the 52 entries for the Alfa Romeo-sponsored J24 European Championship ran their warm-up race in ideal conditions.

The 10-race series marks the third time the world's most popular keelboat class has chosen the Royal Irish Yacht Club to stage its international championships since 1990.

The fleet is well-spread in terms of talent, ranging from newcomers to the sport to multiple class champions and is drawn from six nations. Yesterday's race saw a close start from the fleet with a slight bias to the committee boat end of the line producing some incidents.

A strong contingent from Britain is tipped by many to produce the overall winner at the end of the week, though yesterday saw a host of continental entries to the fore. Stuart Jardine's Stouche proved with his twin brother that the pair of 70-year-olds are well able to challenge for yet another class win in an illustrious career.

Reigning J22 class European champion Albert Kooijman's Just 4 Fun set a blistering upwind pace and took the race with apparent ease, with the Dutch crew apparently determined to add a second title to their belt this season.

Others showing good form included the German national champion Leif Tom Loose on Rotoman. The helm is fresh from competing at the recent Rolex Commodore's Cup in Cowes, where his Dutch-crewed yacht finished second best boat overall.

The home fleet accounts for nearly half the turnout. Having found the majority of its support in its early days on Dublin Bay, the lower numbers from that area this week is accounted for by the explosive growth in other parts of the country.

Apart from the established northern fleet in Lough Neagh, both Carlingford and Lough Swilly have established racing in the class for half a dozen boats in each with most of the participants experiencing the J24 for the first time.

Nevertheless, just a handful of boats provide potential challengers for this event and yesterday saw Des Fortune's Hard on Port take second place in the practice race. As Ireland's most travelled campaigner in the class, the Royal St George YC crew heads a posse of other hopefuls that includes Bryan Maguire's Cries of Passion from the host club and Jerry Dowling's Bád.

Racing with a mixed crew is Maurice "Prof" O'Connell on James Griffith's Crew Clothing from the UK, with Howth's World Laser Radial bronze medallist Ciara Peelo calling tactics along with Carol O'Kelly of the Sigma 33 fleet on bow.

The Cork helm steadfastly refused to better his own prediction of top 15 for the week and while a 12th yesterday seemed to confirm his expectation, race observers suggest a higher result is entirely possible too.