Two hundred boats to pack Dublin Bay

DUBLIN BAY will be packed with up to 200 boats for the opening salvos of the Royal Alfred Carlsberg sponsored Superleague tomorrow. The 10 race series takes in five club regattas in addition to the events of the Alfred itself, and as many as 1,000 crew are expected to take part.

The racing tomorrow will be the first major outing for several new boats in the RAYC's premiere class, including the long awaited Aztec, owned by Peter Beamish, while the John Corby designed Cracklin' Rosie, skippered by Roy Dickson, is already leaving her Howth stable mates standing.

Hopefully these will be able to keep up with Colm Barrington's Bashford Howison 41 Surfin' Shoes after her outstanding opening season last year. Cormac Twomey's new Beneteau 42 footer, Sarah J has been limbering up quietly under the careful stewardship of Mark Pettitt and has been almost out of sight since arriving before most of the local fleet were launched a month ago.

Meanwhile, after months of speculation the organisers of the Grand Mistral World Yacht Race yesterday released a statement stating their intention to post pone the start of the event for a full year. A fleet of 80 foot maxi yachts designed by Bruce Farr is being built for rental to teams.

According to Pierre Fehlman, the former Whitbread Race veteran turned event organiser, the additional time will allow the 40 or so declared syndicates to complete their sponsorship budgets.

The Grand Mistral attracted several leading skippers, including Frenchman Marc Pajot and New Zealander Grant Dalton. A delay of 12 months will see the race beginning within days of the start of the Whitbread.

Meanwhile, maxis are becoming fashionable once again for the Cork Dry Gin Round Ireland Race next month. British rockstar skippers Lawrie Smith and Eddie Warden Owen have been suggested as possible captains to Longobarda, which will be sponsored by Bridgestone.

The 12 person professional crew from the UK is being supplemented by one of Ireland's most successful smaller keelboats. Tom and Brian Earl's Flash won nearly all before her last season and is now for sale.

Another maxi is currently on passage from the Carribean to prepare for the `Round Ireland'. Sorcery will be skippered by Dubliner Paddy O'Brien of NCB Ireland fame and this will be the fourth big boat, joining cruising maxi Creighton's Naturally and the slightly smaller Equity & Law II.

. Bray Sailing Club expect up to 70 newcomers at their annual public sailing course that will be held at the club from next Friday to the following Wednesday.