MARK Mansfield and David Burrows claimed their place in Atlanta in impressive style this week which included winning a race in the European Olympic qualification at Lake Garda, Italy.

Light, tricky conditions on a normally tempestuous Lake Garda frustrated crews on the penulimate day with racing delayed until yesterday afternoon.

The pair also scored a second placing in race three of the 10 race series.

After completing the eighth race yesterday the pair were snug in seventh place overall on 13 points in the 19 boat fleet and though they must sail a final race today, the second discard allowable if the series is completed guarantees their Olympic participation.

The three man Soling team of Marshall King, Dan O'Grady and Garrett Connolly have also qualified for the Olympic Games and even with two races left to sail in San Remo today, the Irish crew cannot drop below qualification in their 19 boat fleet.

Fireball world champion John Lavery and Ben O'Donoghue's attempts as parachute candidates for a wild card entry in the men's double handed dinghy discipline are now in full swing. The pair have taken delivery of a new 470 dinghy and are based full time in the south of France with their first test of Olympic competition being the Hyeres Olympic classes regatta at the end of the month.

A ten year old rule devised by the organisers of Ford Cork week has been taken up by some of the world's top regattas in an attempt to take professionalism out of yacht racing.

Twelve competitors have been barred from competing in this year's Rolex Commodores Cup regatta so far as a result of the "subjective" rule that prohibits professional participation in the international regatta.

Under new rules announced by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), amateur offshore sailors are being given the unique opportunity to compete in force at the Commodores Cup for the first time in the event's history.

Professional participation will now be limited to two sailors on the largest boat and one on the medium, but the smallest will be restricted to amateurs. In addition, no professional will be allowed to helm a yacht in the event. The nine series regatta event takes place from July 22nd to August 1st.

The Channel Islands, the US (the current holders) Chile, Australia, Norway and Russia are all expected to field a team while England, Wales, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden are expected to attend with two teams each. The Irish Sailing Association said yesterday that no team as yet had been selected for Ireland.

The move comes as organisers attempt to breathe new life into international regattas which until now have been the hunting ground of professional helmsmen and where amateur owners never stood a chance according to Cork's Donal McClement who chairs the Royal Ocean Racing club's eligibility committee for the Commodores Cup and a similar committee for Ford Cork week.

The committee can ask competitors for a sailing CV if they are in doubt about a sailors status. The rule, according to McClement, has to be totally subjective because as soon as you put your cards on the table people look for ways to cheat or circumvent the rule.

The committee can ask sailors for a list of regattas that they have competed and what results a particular sailor has been connected with over the previous few seasons.

The RCYC is adamant that the amateur rule introduced some 10 years ago is popular with the vast majority of sailors. McClement maintains that this has been the single most important factor in the outstanding success of the Crosshaven based regatta which will attract up to 400 boats this year.

Professional sailors are only allowed to race in Class Zero leaving the rest of the racing to amateurs, which is what, say the RCYC, the punters want.

"It is quite noticeable at Crosshaven that many of the well known pros have not even bothered to apply for a status ruling. They accept that they are pros and leave it at that," said McClement.

Interestingly enough a paid hand may not necessarily be classed as a pro. If a top class sailor who works in the marine trade has been a regular crew member of a particular yacht over the past few years he too could well be given amateur status.

Eight to 12 knot breezes blew away the winter cobwebs for the Laser II Class Southern Championships held by Schull Harbour Sailing Club over the Faster.

Five races over triangular and sausage variation courses saw Dublin Institute of Technology sponsored Tom Fitzpatrick and David McHugh emerging as overall victors from the 26 boat fleet with a second place and three firsts leaving them with a clear margin much to the chagrin of second placed Sean Craig and Heather King.