Dublin – July 20, 2019
For the overall ICRA Boat of the Year, a solid regatta season win at Sovereigns and the Dun Laoghaire Regatta for Checkmate XVII has lifted them into contention with season long front runners, Rockabill VI.
Victory in Howth’s Autumn League could see Nigel Biggs and crew take the trophy, but with Rockabill VI also sitting pretty at the top of Class 0 in the yearlong Dublin Bay Sailing Club series it will likely be too little too late.
With a return to inshore racing Eleuthera also did the regatta double in Class 0, lifting them clear of Forty Licks but behind the champions elect. In class 1, honours look to belong to Joker II whose championship nerve held strong in the face of a new challenge from Outrajeous at the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.
A National Championship and Irish Half Ton Cup in their first season will be a substantial achievement but a slide in form for Mata in Dun Laoghaire, where they finished outside the top 3 has left them too far behind to overhaul Checkmate XVIII in Class 2. Dux moved up a division for the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta taking on the challenge of racing the Half Tonners. Her series began well but she eventually finished off the podium. An unchallenged runaway victory for F’n Gr8 at the same event has left them in a strong position as top boat in Class 3. Dux may yet have the last laugh if it blows during the HYC Autumn League, and it usually does.
Demelza is still sitting pretty amongst the non-spinnaker competitors, her early season success more than making up for not making the start line at VDLR.
With six scoring events now completed, we are half way through the scoring series and events switch West and South to bring non Dublin boats into the scores.
