Report – IODAI Optimist Leinster Championships
Spare a thought for PRO Michael Tyrell and his team who had to wait until Sunday afternoon to deliver 3 races so that the Optimists Leinsters could have a championship. After waiting in vain for wind on Saturday thankfully on Sunday a weak easterly breeze was enough to get racing and complete 3 races, thereby constituting a championship.
The Leinsters hosted by the National Yacht Club was support by sponsors Viking Marine, Keogh’s Pop Corn, Craftinsure and 1 minute 40. 133 sailor competed with 44 in the main fleet senior, 35 in main fleet junior, 39 in regatta racing and 15 in the regatta coached. For many sailors this was their first Optimist event and the gentle conditions meant singing, paddling and chatting to friends was as much a part of the weekend as racing.
Under RO Chris Moore, and let by IODI Coaches Alex Walsh and Sophie Gorman, the younger fleets of Racing Regatta and Coached Regatta were based in the Harbour had some success with the only race in Dublin Bay completed on Saturday and then a full compliment on Sunday. The short sail to the race area and lack of current in the Harbour allowed for some great racing. The steady improvement of the sailors through out the weekend saw Louis Trickett take home first spot in Racing Regatta and Tom Fitzgerald shone in Regatta Coaching. The top 5 in each fleet were;
Regatta Racing
1st Louis Trickett
2nd Kate Kovtun
3rd Arthur Fegan
4th Jackson Clark
5th Brendan Hughes
Regatta Coaching
1st Tom Fitzgerald (Most improved)
2nd Catherine Walsh (Sportsman ship)
3rd James Keating
Best youngest Sailor Freddie Hoefler
Most determined Alannah Wheelan
Best local sailor Charles Richard
The main fleet who raced in Seapoint Bay had to wait until Sunday afternoon for 3 races with light weather ace Harry Dunne of Howth pipping Caoilin Geraghty McDonnell for the championship win in Senior Gold. Gemma Brady, Conor Cronin and Carolina Carra completed the top 5.
Senior Gold
1 Harry Dunne
2 Caoillin Geraghty
3 Gemma Brady
4 Conor Cronin
5 Carolina Carra
In Senior Silver it was Kate Spain who led the way.
Senior Silver
1 Kate Spain
2 Niamh Baynes
3 Jonathan Dempsey
4 Nathan Harris
5 Aoife McEligott
Senior Bronze
1 James Crawford
2 Kate Doolan
3 Nathan Rothl
4 Will Cullen
5 Tom Darcy
The junior fleet for sailor under Oppie age of 13 saw a 1, 2, for sisters Maeve and Emily Donagh with Patrick Fegan coming home in 3rd place.
Junior Gold
1 Maeve Donagh
2 Emily Donagh
3 Patrick Fegan
Junior Silver
1 Basile Dion
2 Thomas Coistealbha
3 Abigail O’Sullivan
4 Eoin Pierse
Junior Bronze
1 Jacob Browne
2 Isaac Vaughan
3 Angus Huang
4 Charlie McKibben
5 Holly Cantwell
While thanking the organisers and huge volunteer effort that goes in to making these events possible, IODAI President Paddy Ryan acknowledged the large numbers of sailors present in the two new Regatta Fleets saying that ‘it cannot be underestimated the how important these fleets are in creating the right culture within the association and helping one of the largest fleets in the country foster sailors to be engaged with the sport for life’.
In very tricky conditions a huge thanks are owed to the Flore Dion and Aileen Dempsey class captains at the National Yacht Club and to the race officers and volunteers that made the event a success.
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