Four races were sailed on Saturday in 6 to 10 knots of breeze with the sun trying it’s hardest to brighten up the course. In Race 1, Ronan Collins sailing with his brother Killian and Donal Hegarty pushed hard to take the win ahead of Glenn Bourke, UK National Champion and 3 time Laser World Champion. Glenn was sailing with Enda O’Coineen & Jerry Dowling from Dun Laoghaire. In Race 2, Dave Barry, Gareth Nolan, Nevin Powell got the bullet followed by Sean Craig.
In Race 3 & 4 Ronan Collins & crew on The Kracken (3291) showed the fleet how it was done by winning two in a row, giving them an overnight lead with a score of 1,1,5,1. Sean Craig was lying 2nd overnight followed by Glenn Bourke in 3rd.
Saturday night was a hectic affair in the recently redeveloped clubhouse of Lough Ree Yacht Club. Before dinner, Glenn Bourke and Enda O’Coineen gave a very interesting presentation about the Volvo Ocean Race. After dinner everyone was glued to the television for the Rugby World Cup Final. The craic went on until late with 2 very willing barmen and Owen Hennessy & Co. playing great tunes.
Sunday morning dawned with a few fuzzy heads, a bit more breeze and the prospect of some downwind planing in 10 to 16 knots of breeze. Colin Galavan returned to the top of the fleet with a 1st in Race 5 following a disappointing start the previous day with a 14th and an OCS however he did have two 3rds on Saturday afternoon. John Malone took the helm of Helly Hansen in the absence of regular helm Tom Fitzpatrick and pulled off a 5th and a 1st on Sunday, along with a 2nd on Saturday, to gain a podium place with 3rd overall. Glenn Bourke showed great consistency with two 2nd places on Sunday to end up 2nd overall. However, the Cork crew of Ronan & Killian Collins & Donal Hegarty had done the hard work on Saturday and were happy with a 7th in Race 5. This was enough to allow the triumphant Corkmen an early shower without having to compete in the final race.
The inland waters of Lough Ree proved an interesting and very popular venue for an SB3 event with no tides, flat water and shifty breeze. The fleet prizes were kindly sponsored by Helly Hansen. In the Gold Fleet, Aiden O’Connell, sailing in his first SB3 event, took first followed by Colin Galavan in second and local sailor Christian Donagh in third. Another newcomer to SB3’s, Anthony Shanks, won the Silver Fleet followed by local sailors Martin McNamara & Donie Herraghty in second and Ger O’Rourke sailing his mini Chieftain into third. Emma McDonald received an award for best female helm and Emma received a voucher for a weekend for two in the Prince of Wales Hotel, Athlone.
Results:
1 | The Kracken | 3291 | Ronan Collins | 1.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 7.0 | (32.0 DNS) | 47.0 | 15.0 |
2 | Bád/Kilcullen | 3307 | Glenn Bourke | 2.0 | (6.0) | 5.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 23.0 | 17.0 |
3 | Hely Hansen | 3240 | John Malone | 5.0 | (12.0) | 6.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 31.0 | 19.0 |
4 | Squalo Bianco | 3281 | Sean Craig | 3.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | (11.0) | 5.0 | 33.0 | 22.0 |
5 | Backless | 3059 | David Barry | 8.0 | 1.0 | (10.0) | 5.0 | 3.0 | 9.0 | 36.0 | 26.0 |
6 | Sea Breeze 3 | 3271 | Colm Galavan | 14.0 | (32.0 OCS) | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 8.0 | 61.0 | 29.0 |
7 | Scheaky Boys | 3232 | Eoin Leahy | 4.0 | 7.0 | (11.0) | 7.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 43.0 | 32.0 |
8 | Flash | 3257 | Gordon Petterson | 9.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | (10.0) | 8.0 | 4.0 | 47.0 | 37.0 |
9 | Trouble | 3247 | McDonald /Turner | 6.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | (15.0) | 13.0 | 13.0 | 53.0 | 38.0 |
10 | Ridgefence.com | 3258 | Bob Espey | (15.0) | 3.0 | 8.0 | 12.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | 54.0 | 39.0 |
11 | Monkey See... | 3279 | Aidan O'Connell | (20.0) | 8.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 3.0 | 59.0 | 39.0 |
12 | Mosquito | 3272 | Christian Donagh | 13.0 | (24.0) | 15.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 68.0 | 44.0 |
13 | --------- | 3337 | Joe Hughes | 7.0 | 10.0 | 13.0 | 14.0 | (21.0) | 16.0 | 81.0 | 60.0 |
14 | The Edge | 3270 | Owen Hennessy | (23.0) | 19.0 | 12.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 23.0 | 100.0 | 77.0 |
15 | Artful Dodger | 3340 | Roger Bannon | 17.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 13.0 | (22.0) | 20.0 | 100.0 | 78.0 |
16 | Indecision | 3241 | Martin McNamara | (25.0) | 11.0 | 25.0 | 17.0 | 16.0 | 11.0 | 105.0 | 80.0 |
17 | Mephisto | 3308 | Stephanie Bourke | 10.0 | 15.0 | (21.0) | 21.0 | 17.0 | 19.0 | 103.0 | 82.0 |
18 | Orestes | 3286 | Eoin Quinlan | 12.0 | 22.0 | (23.0) | 16.0 | 19.0 | 14.0 | 106.0 | 83.0 |
19 | Chieftain | 3243 | Ger O'Rourke | 18.0 | (23.0) | 19.0 | 22.0 | 15.0 | 12.0 | 109.0 | 86.0 |
20 | ---------- | 3043 | Audrey McGovern | 16.0 | 13.0 | 20.0 | 18.0 | 20.0 | (26.0) | 113.0 | 87.0 |
21 | Big Blue | 3143 | Anthony Shanks | 22.0 | (25.0) | 17.0 | 19.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 | 112.0 | 87.0 |
22 | Commotion | 3288 | Declan Hartnet | 11.0 | 17.0 | 24.0 | 20.0 | 23.0 | (25.0) | 120.0 | 95.0 |
23 | Smoke | 3320 | Louise McKenna | 19.0 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 23.0 | (24.0) | 24.0 | 122.0 | 98.0 |
24 | Sacre Bleu | 3164 | Doug Smith | (24.0) | 18.0 | 22.0 | 24.0 | 18.0 | 22.0 | 128.0 | 104.0 |
25 | Mandarin | 3321 | Rory Byrne | (26.0) | 21.0 | 18.0 | 25.0 | 26.0 | 18.0 | 134.0 | 108.0 |
26 | Das Boat | 3025 | Foley/Potter | 21.0 | 20.0 | (28.0) | 26.0 | 25.0 | 17.0 | 137.0 | 109.0 |
27 | Vathoudi | 3248 | John Watson | 27.0 | 26.0 | 26.0 | 27.0 | (30.0) | 27.0 | 163.0 | 133.0 |
28 | Sonic Boom | 3040 | Ian Kelly | 28.0 | (32.0 DNF) | 27.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 32.0 DNF | 175.0 | 143.0 |
29 | Sunday Brunch | 3297 | David Dwyer | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 27.0 | 21.0 | 176.0 | 144.0 |
30 | Sidewinder | 3268 | Declan Keogh | 30.0 | 27.0 | 29.0 | 29.0 | (31.0) | 29.0 | 175.0 | 144.0 |
31 | Totally Calm | 3196 | Paul Marron | 29.0 | 28.0 | (30.0) | 30.0 | 29.0 | 28.0 | 174.0 | 144.0 |
Overall Top 3 & Platinum Fleet
1. 3291 Ronan Collins - The Kracken
2. 3307 Glenn Bourke - Bád/Kilcullen
3. 3240 John Malone - Helly Hansen
Gold Fleet
1. 3279 Aiden O'Connell - Monkey See...
2. 3271 Colm Galavan - Sea Breeze 3
3. 3272 Christian Donagh - Mosquito
Silver Fleet
1. 3143 Anthony Shanks - Big Blue
2. 3241 Martin McNamara - Indecision
3. 3243 Ger O'Rourke - Chieftain
1st Female Helm prize. Weekend for two in the Prince Of Wales Hotel, Athlone or the Skeffington Arms Hotel, Galway.
3247 Emma McDonald - Trouble
