Irish Team named for ISAF Youth Worlds

by Jane Curtin on 17 Apr 2012 Four intense days of racing at the ISA Mitsubishi Youth National Championships on Dublin Bay out of Dun Laoghaire, involving 380 sailors from ten nations competing across seven classes, concluded on Sunday with the announcement of the Irish team selected for the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Worlds.

The morning's racing started with all to play for in each class with some of the most exciting racing in the boy's Laser Radial where the top three boats were within one point of each other going into the last race. Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Academy Sailors Finn Lynch and Robbie Gilmore punched the line well in the last race. Lynch pulled in front and controlled the fleet well to win the last race and overall event ahead of Tomasgaard (NOR) and Robbie Gilmore.

In the girl's Laser Radial, Sophie Murphy (IRL leapfrogged Georgina Povall (GBR) and Ellie Cumpsty (GBR) to take 'first girl' and secure her place on the Irish team for the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Worlds this July.

The French team of G Pirouelle and V Sipan continued their dominance of the 420 winning by 15 points ahead of team mates J Poret and L Chevet in a fleet with a tremendous international showing. Patrick Crosbie and Grattan Roberts (IRL) were the first Irish boat coming in at eighth place with 84 points and taking the Irish 420 slot for the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Worlds.

In the Topper class where the sailors battled changeable conditions, Liam Glynn (IRL) takes the Topper title with a large 12 point lead ahead of William Thomas (GBR). Dougie Power (IRL) placed third just two points off Thomas.

In the Laser 4.7 class, British sailor M Whitfield won overall ahead of R Auger (FRA). Erica Ruigrok (IRL) was the top Irish sailor with a third overall and first girl overall. In the Optimist Championship class after the final two races, Peter Fagan from the NYC took first and Michael O'Suilleabhain from Kinsale YC took second.

Announcing the Irish team for the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Worlds, Niamh McCutheon, ISA President said 'The ISA is delighted to confirm the team for the Youth Worlds where 64 nations will compete, at the conclusion of the national trials. We are equally proud of the exceptional standard of the team and their commitment to representing the very best of Irish youth sailing on the world stage. We wish them fair winds and excellent sailing.'

Brian Craig, Chairman, Dublin Bay 2012 said 'The 'nationals' gave the organisers a fantastic opportunity to test out all systems for the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Worlds in July, both on the water and ashore, as we have a lot of the same teams in place for both. We were also fortunate to have had good mix of weather including some difficult onshore winds, which tested the teams in boat retrieval on the water. We have also learned the race lengths and time and distance for the fleets which has been very useful.'



The Irish Team selected for the Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth World Championship 2012:

Boy's one person dinghy - Laser Radial: Finn Lynch (National YC)
Girl's one person dinghy - Laser Radial: Sophie Murphy (Royal St George YC)
Boy's two person dinghy - 420: Patrick Crosbie and Grattan Roberts (Royal Cork YC)
Open skiff - 29er: Sean Donnelly and Tadhg Donnelly (National Event website