Sailors battle for Centra RS200 and RS400 Irish Nationals titles

by Alex Barry on 31 Aug 2016 33 RS’s travelled to Schull last weekend to battle for the National title. The event, kindly sponsored by Centra, saw 10 races completed for each class across two race courses with sailors experiencing the perfect mix of conditions. IRO Alan Crosbie and team took charge of the RS400 fleet South of Long Island and NRO David Harte and team took charge of the RS200 fleet outside Schull Harbour near Castle Island.

Friday – Glorious sunshine and light steady breezes ranging from 5–8 knots made for challenging but fair racing. The RS400’s completed all four races, two of which were sailed outside Long Island in dying breeze and two of which brought sailors back inside the sound where the breeze was just about holding up.

In the RS400’s, reigning national champions Alex Barry and Richard Leonard appeared to have had a good day with a 1,1,3,4 only to have been OCS in race one which meant Bob Espey and Tiffany Brien took the overnight lead with a 5,3,1,3. The weekend was to continue to be a battle between the two teams with it going right to the wire on Sunday.

There were four different race winners on the day with class stalwarts Emmet and James Ryan taking race one and laser supremo Chris Penney and Simon Martin taking race four. Katie Tingle and FionnLyden deserve a mention for leading to the first windward mark in race four in what was their first outing ever in an RS400 and likewise, a strong performance on the day for Laser Radial sailor Johnny Durcan and crew Grattan Roberts who sat in fifth overnight.

The RS200’s managed three races on Friday, Neil Spain and crew Shane Hughes had no intentions of being bridesmaids again and lead the unstoppable Marty O’Leary and Rachel Williamson by one point overnight. It seemed this was a sign of the weekend to come with the two boats continuing to blaze a trail on the rest of the fleet for the weekend. Jocelyn Hill and Katie Kane from Antirmhad a great day and lay in third place overnight.

Super Saturday – An earlier start of 11am on Saturday allowed for four races to be completed by both fleets. Winds had increased considerably from Friday and sailors enjoyed the perfect RS conditions with a South Easterly wind blowing 15–20 knots all day.

The new breeze meant for a change in faces at the top of the RS400 fleet. Class President Dave Cheyne and Stevie Kane having sat 13th overnight came out blazing with a 1,2 in the first two races and scored an impressive 15 points on the day having scored 50 the previous day. Likewise David Rose and Ian Hef had a very strong day with a 3,7,2,2 to score 14 points having scored 49 the previous day.

At the top of the fleet things weren’t looking good for the leaders with Bob and Tiff scoring a DNF in race one having to return to shore with slot gasket issues and Alex and Richie broke a rudder before the race but just made the start having secured a replacement. Bob and Tiff were back out of the blocks and recovered to score a 1,4,4 with Alex and Richie under pressure after a 4,5 managing to close the day with a 1,1.

This left Alex and Richie in the lead by a mere two points going into the last day. The day took its toll with sailors bruised and battered but still smiling and three boats on their side over night as their owners prayed that the replacement slot gaskets would dry overnight.

In the RS200’s Neil and Shane took the spoils scoring an impressive four first places and showing they meant business. Marty and Rachel had a DNF in the first race but came back out to take three second places. Past President Frank O’Rourke with local sailors Noah McCarthy were back on form with four third places on the day but consistency on day one was rewarding Royal St. George pair Toby Fowler and Greg Arrowsmith who sat in third place overnight. Special mention must go to the three boats from Cullaun Sailing Club who persevered on the day and particularly Aoife Cleary Ward and Niamh Edwards who were still smiling coming up the slip.

Sunday The RS400’s had two final races on Sunday with all three medal positions up for grabs. Sailors were greeted outside by a giant Atlantic swell and very light and shifty conditions as the sea-breeze fought the thermal North Westerly. With Alex and Richie scoring a second over Bob and Tiff’s third in race one Paddy Power had the odds in the Cork boys favour. All they needed was for Bob and Tiff not to win the race or for them to score a fourth but having hunted each other down in two general recalled starts, the Northern team slipped away on the first beat and found the best breeze to lead by ‘miles’ at the top mark, a lead they carried safely all the way to the finish.

Alex and Richie were left at the back of the fleet having fallen foul to the conditions and could only watch on as Bob Espey and Tiffany Brien crossed the line to secure the 2016 National Championships by one point, this being Bob’s second time securing the trophy and first time winning the event outright. Alex and Richie did enough for second place and Emmet and James Ryan did enough to fight off the pressure from young guns JohnnDurcan and Grattan Roberts to take third place and the bronze ISA medal.

The RS200’s needed three races to complete the card and with it all but sewn up, Neil and Shane had a scare in race one scoring a third while Marty and Rach took the bullet. This wasn’t enough to phase the experienced pair who went on the win race two giving them the 2016 National Title and the freedom to head home early and miss the last race. A convincing win for the boys left them with nine points and Marty and Rachel went on to win the final race giving them the silver medal on 13 points. Toby Folwer and Greg’s consistency continued as they scored a 2,5,2 on the day securing them the Bronze medal.

Social: Brosnan’s Centra in Schull kindlylayed on a BBQ immediately after sailing each day which was very well received by sailors. Despite the tiring conditions of Super Saturday and impromptu party kicked off in the upstairs of Newman’s bar with massive craic had, a South v North sign off, apt for the year that’s in it, adding to the banter. Special mention for John Downey and Stevie Kane who’scountries can be very proud of their performances on the night.

All in all an excellent weekend was had by all, only made possible by David Harte and his massive team in the Fastnet Marine Outdoor Education Centre in Schull including RS400 OOD Alan Crosbie, the generous support from Centra, the people of Schull for providing camping facilities, good food and tasty pints.

Rank	Helm	Crew	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Total
1st	Neil Spain	Shane Hughes	1	1	1	1	1	(3)	1	(15 RET)	9
2nd	Marty O'Leary	Rachel Williamson	2	(15 RET)	2	2	2	1	2	1	13
3rd	Toby Hudson Fowler	Grey Arrowsmith	(10)	2	4	(8)	4	2	5	2	26
4th	Frank O'Rourke	Noah McCarthy Fisher	6	3	3	3	3	4	(7)	3	30
5th	Jocelyn Hill	Katie Kane	3	4	5	5	(7)	6	3	4	34
6th	Sarah Byrne	Ciara Byrne	5	(11)	(11)	6	6	7	6	6	45
7th	Triona Hinkson	Charlie Moloney	4	6	8	4	(10)	5	4	7	46
8th	Aaron Jones	Rebecca Rock	(13)	7	6	7	5	8	8	8	57
9th	Richard Franck	Rose Paget	8	9	7	9	8	9	(11)	5	60
10th	Mike O'Dea	Sean Hynes	9	5	10	11	9	(12)	(12)	12	76
11th	Meg Tyrrell	Michael Tyrrell	7	8	(15 RET)	(15 RET)	15 DNS	11	9	11	78
12th	Hugh Clery Ward	Colum Ward	11	(15 DNS)	(12)	12	11	10	10	10	82
13th	Conor Little	Andrew Tobin	12	10	9	10	(15 DNF)	13	13	9	88
14th	Aoife Clery Ward	Niamh Edwards	14	(15 DNF)	13	(15 DNF)	15 DNS	15 DNS	14	13	111

Rank	Helm	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	Total
1st	Robert Espey	3	1	3	(20 DNS)	1	4	4	3	1	20
2nd	Alex Barry	1	3	4	4	5	1	1	2	(14)	21
3rd	Emmet Ryan	(18)	6	2	8	8	3	5	(10)	2	35
4th	Johnny Durcan	2	4	(16)	6	4	5	7	(11)	6	41
5th	John Downey	4	5	6	5	(9)	8	(20 DNS)	6	5	43
6th	Barry McCarten	13	2	5	7	13	(20 DNF)	(20 DNS)	1	4	47
7th	David Rose	5	13	(18)	3	7	2	2	(14)	12	57
8th	Chris Penney	7	12	1	(14)	10	11	10	5	3	59
9th	Mike Ferguson	(15)	10	(14)	9	3	9	9	12	8	63
10th	Dave Cheyne	12	(15)	11	1	2	6	6	(17)	15	65
11th	Peter Bayly	16	9	13	2	6	7	3	(18)	(20 RET)	72
12th	Andrew Woodward	(17)	(17)	7	10	11	12	15	4	9	77
13th	Alexander Rumball	8	11	10	(20 RET)	(20 DNC)	16	8	7	13	79
14th	George Kenefick	9	8	15	11	(16)	10	12	9	(20 RET)	89
15th	Woo Kearney	14	7	9	(20 DNC)	(17)	14	14	15	7	90
16th	Owen Laverty	6	16	12	(20 RET)	14	15	(20 RET)	8	11	96
17th	Robbie O'Sullivan	10	14	17	12	15	(18)	13	16	(20 RET)	105
18th	Liam Donnelly	19	18	8	13	12	13	11	(20 DNC)	(20 DNC)	112
19th	Thomas McGrath	11	(19)	19	(20 DNS)	18	17	16	13	10	115