SAILING:A FOUR-YEAR plan to spread Irish cruiser-racer competition around from the Cork-Dublin axis comes to fruition this weekend as dozens of crews begin to descend on Fenit, where the combined national championships for four classes and two handicapping systems will be decided.
Organisers are hailing the 75-strong entry as a significant success against the twin backdrops of the economic recession and additional distance to be travelled from the traditional venues.
Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) commodore Barry Rose has paid tribute to the Kerry club’s commitment. “There’s great enthusiasm in Tralee Bay Sailing Club for the event,” he said. “Alan Crosbie and his team will be running the races afloat and there’s sure to be a great atmosphere ashore.”
Feeder races begin this weekend with the biennial Dún Laoghaire to Dingle, O’Sullivan Marine 100-mile from Galway and Kinsale to Dingle races all timed to maximise participation.
It’s a far cry from just a few years ago when crews would be torn between an east-coast event one week, followed by a south-coast event the next before another east-coast event. Meanwhile, west-coast events operated in their own time-zone.
Rose points to the role the ICRA has played in ensuring greater harmony between the various bodies, such as Nora (Northern Offshore Racing Association) Wiora (West of Ireland Offshore Racing Association) and Scora (South Coast Offshore Racing Association).
Although well-represented at ICRA, east-coast sailors lack a single representative body.
“It’s probably true to say that the east coast doesn’t have as vibrant an organisation collectively as the south and west,” said Rose.
Next week’s series off Fenit will sail for the overall ICRA national titles as well as for IRC and Echo handicap systems. Pro sailors are only allowed in Class Zero, while classes one, two and three are all amateur club crews.
“This is the premier event at championship standard and is akin to international,” said the past class champion. “It’s as good as you get in Britain or the Continent.”
That level is the benchmark for the biennial Rolex Commodore’s Cup that is next scheduled for August 2010 in Cowes. Unlike the past three events, when the Irish squads were variously tipped as pre-event favourites only to narrowly miss-out on victory, ICRA is adopting a more guarded approach for the next event.
“We’ve worked harder and earlier than ever before, but the less said about the Commodore’s Cup, the better – both nationally and internationally,” said Rose. “We’re active but low-key, well-organised and professional.”
To prove his point, the former Royal Cork Yacht Club admiral would not be drawn on speculation that two new boats are being planned to contest the event.
Meanwhile, at the opposite end of ICRA’s spectrum where entry-level participation is promoted through the “white sails” fleets around the coast, Rose is not fazed by recent controversy surrounding which definition should be used to determine the class.
“It’s a pity that not everyone wants to use the ICRA standard for White Sails,” he said.
“But it’s not about strait-jacketing people and we already make provision for local events to do their own thing if they choose.”
branigan@indigo.ie
