Pre-Worlds Report …. Tuesday

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As advised by Race Officer on Tuesday morning, the Flying Fifteen Pre-Worlds fleet completed three races in view of a forecast that suggested we may not get out on Wednesday.

Two windward-leeward races of two laps followed by a full sausage-triangle-sausage saw the on the water time similar to yesterday but more races sailed. The fleet also cooperated with the programme by getting away first time under a U Flag. As the race officer advised the purpose of the regatta is to race not get starting practice.

The conditions were more benign than Monday and indeed there were instances where crews were sitting in board.

The top ten now only has a solitary imposter, the Australian combination of Mike Hart & Dean McAullay; AUS 4063 whose results are 3, 7, 6, 3 & 4, good enough for 4th overall.

All the other “top-tenners” are from GBR, led by Nathan Batchelor & Richard Rigg; GBR 4070 whose scoreline is 7, 4, 1, 1, 3. Richard Lovering & Matt Alvarado; GBR 4002 are “demoted” to 2nd with race results of 1, 3, 5, 7, 1 leaving them with a 1-point deficit to the top spot. In third are Greg Wells & Andrew Jameson; GBR 5, 6, 2, 11, 2.

The South Africans Campbell Alexander & David Berridge RSA 4009 are 11th (11, 19, 10, 17, 6) followed by the first of the Irish fleet, David Gorman & Chris Doorly; IRL 3920 with a 19, 15, 12, 13, 14 and they in turn are just ahead of the Martin Brothers, Andy & Rory who have a scoreline of 18, 12, 18, 8, 24.

On Tuesday night the fleet were entertained by a group of speakers that include a member of the Irish Women’s Hockey Team that made the World Cup Final last year, Joan Molloy Irish solo sailor, Steve Goacher, Current Flying Fifteen World Champion and Prof O’Connell, a member of an Irish Melges 24 World Championship winning team dealing with the aspects of sport psychology.

With the Dublin Bay buoy recording 23 knots with gusts in the low thirties, the obvious decision, to cancel Wednesday’s racing was taken by Race Officer Jack Roy.

Overall Results: (top ten)

1 Nathan Batchelor & Richard Rigg 9pts
2 Richard Lovering & Matt Alvarado 10pts
3 Greg Wells & Andrew Jameson 15pts
4 Mike Hart & Dean McAullay 16pts
5 Graham Vials & Chris Turner 20pts
11 Campbell Alexander & Dave Berridge 44pts
12 David Gorman & Chris Doorly 54pts
13 Andy & Rory Martin 56pts

The first Irisman in the overall placing is Alan Green in the Anglo Irish combination with Charles Apthorp – finishing 8th overall.

In the Silver Fleet the honours go to the South African combination of Patrick Harris & Jeremy Kriek in 20th, followed by Lee Statham & Andy Paul (21st) (IRL) and Ashley Smith & Charles Apthorp (Jnr) (AUS) in 22nd.

In Bronze the honours go to Alistair Stevenson & Jeremy Valentine (GBR) in 36th, followed by Ben Mulligan & Cormac Bradley (37th) and Tom Murphy & Carel la Roux (39th), the latter two being part of the host fleet.

Prize-giving is scheduled for 18:00 with an Irish night to follow.

Report on Pre-Worlds Day One…!!

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In a boisterous start to the Subaru Ireland sponsored Pre-Worlds & Championship of Ireland, IRO Jack Roy gave the 55-boat fleet two of the sausage-triangle-sausage courses to stretch their limbs and sinews!

With a declared wind direction of 240 degrees and a flooding tide, the on the water conditions were quite comfortable. At his briefing in the morning the Race Officer declared that a U flag start would be used after an aborted start if he deemed the fleet to be at fault – it didn’t take long for the U-flag to be broken out and the black flag got some usage as well.

The Race Officer on coming ashore after the day’s proceedings advised that wind strengths in the first race were of the order of 12 knots gusting to nineteen and in the second 13 gusting to the low twenties. It felt more than that! There was some relief in the lulls but they were short-lived.

The overall scoreboard is dominated by the British entries with seven boats in the top ten. They are led by Richard Lovering & Matt Alvarado, GBR 4002 counting a 1,3. Next is Steve Goacher & Tim Harper GBR 4021 with a 4,2 and Mike Hart & Dean McAullay AUS 4063 with a 3,7. Graham Vials & Chris Turner GBR 4071 claimed the second race and added a 10 from Race 1 to close out the top five.

South Africans Campbell Alexander & Dave Herridge RSA 4009 lie ninth with a 11 and 9 and the Martin Brothers, Andy & Rory IRL 3974 close out the top ten with a 18, 12.

Three Irish boats occupy tenth, eleventh and thirteenth overall with Hammy Baker & Peter Chamberlain IRL 3756 sandwiched between the Martins and the leading boat from the host club, David Gorman & Chris Doorly who are counting a 19, 15. Bryan Willis & John McPeake from Whitehead and registered as GBR occupy twelfth.

A briefing is scheduled for 11:00 today where the word is we will be having a three-race programme due to an adverse weather forecast for Wednesday.

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