New stance on illegal movements

SAILING/Weekly column: In a move to clamp down on illegal sail "fanning", "pumping" and "ooching" at next week's Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championships in Dún Laoghaire, race officials are carrying out pre-regatta briefings on what looks certain to be a rigorous enforcement of the propulsion rule.

Organisers have also taken the decision to publish the latest interpretations of the international sailing rule 42 as part of the regatta programme.

"The inclusion of the rule is to inform sailors of the standards involved. The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) have asked us to do this," international judge Paul Murphy said.

Three policing boats will also operate on the water to stop techniques that illegally propel boats around the course.

The rules say a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, decrease or maintain its speed but kinetic techniques such as persistent "flicking", the effect of trimming a sail so abruptly that the normal shape of the sail is changed, will be outlawed next week.

First-time offenders will be made to complete a 720-degree turn. Second offenders will have to retire from the race and third-time offenders will be forced to retire from the regatta.

The rule goes on to say that the crew may adjust the trim of sails and hull, and perform other acts of seamanship, but shall not otherwise move their bodies to propel the boat.

The move stems from the latest interpretations of a situation highlighted by an ISAF conference in April on an issue that has bedevilled regattas for a long time.

So sophisticated are the techniques employed that crews can actually use body movements to assist in negotiating the whole way round a course - even in the absence of wind. It's a scenario that has caused some sailors to call for a worldwide rules rethink.

The problem of breaching rule 42 is more acute in light and medium winds and the techniques are particularly effective in lightweight dinghies but are employed in the heavier flying fifteen keelboats too.

Prohibited techniques include "torquing", a fore aft and aft rotation of the body that has been banned in flat water but limited use is permitted in waves.

Other exaggerated body movements such as "ooching" and "rocking" involve the repeated rolling of the boat.

Meanwhile, Shane MacCarthy and Roger Gilbert finished third overall at the 2003 Fireball Europeans hosted by Lerwick Boating Club in Shetland last weekend.

The 10-race event attended by 48 boats from France, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Slovenia, and Britain finished in dramatic fashion as MacCarthy overhauled Britain's Vincent Horey in the last race to take a podium finish with 32 points to Horey's 35.

MacCarthy, from Greystones SC and has previously been runner-up at the Enterprise Worlds in 2002, joined the professional sailing ranks this season with Richard Estaugh's Speeds Sails Team in the UK.

The rest of the nine Irish boats enjoyed tight racing in the middle of the 48-boat fleet as the honour of being the second Irish boat was up for grabs.

This went to Frank Miller, sailing with Leo Bishop finishing 23rd overall having recovered from a shaky start which included a retrial from capsize in the heavy airs race four.

Irish Finn single-hander Aaron O'Gradyfinished second in a fleet of 39 at the British Nationals off Southampton last weekend. He narrowly miss out on the British title which was won by Charlie Cumbley on nine points.

Although a medal is no longer a realistic proposition, Ireland, under coach Ciara Peelo, have managed some strong individual race performances at the ISAF world youth championships in Madeira this week.

Perhaps the best result so far is Nicholas O'Leary's rise to eighth in the boys Laser fleet, the Royal Cork junior finished second in the fourth race.

The girls 420 dinghy sailed by Lisa Tait and Pippa Wilkinson also maintained their position of 12, with a fourth in race seven.