The 70-year old Mermaid dinghy returns to its birthplace tomorrow for the nine-race class national championships and Amy, the very first clinker-built Mermaid owned by Dr Frank Keane, will be on display at the National Yacht Club, D·n Laoghaire.
The championship event, which has retained its week-long format since 1970, will be raced over a traditional nine-leg Olympic course and has attracted a fleet of 40 boats for the Dublin Bay staging of what is mainly an east coast boat.
Long-time campaigner Jim Dempsey will defend his national championship crown from front-running club-mate Percy Boyle from Skerries. Boyle may well be Dempsey's main worry following the decision by Derek Joyce - a three-times winner - not to compete. In spite of the absence of the Wexford sailor, his boat, Zulieka, will be sailed by former Shannon One Design champions Stephen and John O'Driscoll.
The host club's Roger Bannon - another former champion - is making a comeback in the beautifully restored Endeavour.
Across the bay, 86-boats from six countries will contest the Datalex-sponsored Mirror World Championship at Howth Yacht Club on Sunday. A further 40 boats are expected to compete in an international regatta being run concurrently.
The major overseas contender is expected to be Britain's Dave Gebhard, the current European and British Champion.
Based on current form, the leaders of the 30-boat Irish pack should include Chris Forristall of Royal Cork YC, the current national champion and third at last year's Europeans; Nick Meadows of Carrickfergus SC, who heads the Irish Mirror Class rankings, and Alex Kaiser (RCYC), second in this year's British Nationals.
Coming into form on the eve of Sunday's event is Peter Bayly from Lough Derg YC, who won the Mirror Eastern Championship at the world championship venue in late July. The worlds fleet is completed with 12 Australians, 28 British, one Dutch, eight south Africans and seven Swedes.
It is the second time the event has come to Ireland - it was held in Sligo in 1987 - and Howth YC's previous record of organising such high-profile events was a significant factor in it being awarded the Worlds. The championship consists of 10 races, sailing back-to-back over five days under the control of highly-experienced race officer David Lovegrove, and the organising committee chaired by former Commodore Andrew Knowles.
One of the world's most popular sailing dinghies - and the largest class in Ireland with over 500 boats - the Mirror Class holds its world championship every two years. The current champion is Marty Maloney of Cork who will not be defending his title.
In Cork, thanks to $50,000 obtained through the offices of Olympic Solidarity has enabled the participation of a further three Irish sailors to compete in the World Laser championships off Crosshaven. Aimed at developing sporting nations, the grant has enabled organiser Bill O'Hara to extend invitations to Belarus, Equador, Venezuala, Peru and Uruguay.
The top sailor from the Olympic Solidarity grouping will be presented with a special award by OCI chief Pat Hickey on August 8th.
