Eve of race modifications that included the addition of a bow sprit to Roy Dickson's Cracklin Rosie have produced a class win for the Howth Yacht club veteran in the Fastnet race.
Finishing at noon yesterday, Cracklin Rosie - the smallest boat on handicap in her 30-boat class zero B division - was well ahead of 20 other finishers that included Kit Hobday's Independent Bear.
Cork helmsman Denis Doyle (80) was the first of five Irish skippers across the Plymouth finish line to complete his 20th Fastnet. This year has seen no records but plenty of action in the 608-mile classic.
Another Irish yacht, Aquelina (James Tyrrell) was reported to be close to finishing yesterday but Howth's Changeling (Kieran Jameson) was believed to be some distance behind. At home, in what will be a fitting climax to a hectic cruiser class season, the national titles for three classes are to be decided on Dublin Bay as part of the eighth outing of Bank of Scotland's Challenge on August 25th.
Adding extra spice to the autumn event, the Sigma 33 class joins classes zero and one to decide Irish championship honours in a weekend event that promises to draw up to 100 keelboats from Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the England.
The bulk of the fleet, however, will be Dublin based and will include Colm Barrington's Gloves off and Cracklin Rosie.
Intent on rounding off the season with some silverware is Simon Brown's White Knuckles which returns to these shores having taken fifth overall at this month's Cowes week.
In a busy conclusion of summer sailing tomorrow, there will be six courses in operation on Dublin Bay, to include a Royal Alfred series, the East Coast Cruiser III Championships, the J24 National Championships as well as three DBSC fleets.
Injury rules out 420 Munster and Leinster champion Marty Moloney from this morning's nine-race national 420 dinghy championships.
Moloney, the former World Mirror Champion, who finished sixth in the French national championships, has suffered a crushed verterbra following his return from the world championships in Italy. He will be out of action for up to six weeks.
It may be an opportunity for the new partnership of Daire O'Reilly and Dave Sweeny of Howth, who are in top form after being the best placed Irish boat in Italy.
Amy Byrne and Gillian Burke (RStGYC) also have a hard season behind them having competed in the women's Worlds in Revens in Italy and the Youth Worlds in Crozon Morgat in France.
