Sailing/Sigma European Championship: Blue skies and moderate to fresh winds graced the 46-boat fleet in Dublin Bay yesterday on the opening day of the Alfa Romeo Sigma European Championship, confirming the summer sailing season as under way.
In another marker, the size of the Irish class was reflected in the number of leading boats counted at the front-end pack.
Ben Richard's Lucent held sway overnight, counting a third and second place, but with the top four boats separated by single point differences, the possibility of a split emerging between the talented leader group and less drilled back-markers is set to become fact today.
Although a light winds forecast could upset the running order, the leading pack will be watching one another closely.
Principal challengers from the local fleet count Richard Lovegrove and Paddy Varians's Rupert in third place overnight, while top favourite Tim Goodbody on White Mischief pulled back from the brink when he followed an eighth in race one with victory after lunch. The Royal Irish YC sailor, also event chairman, lies fourth by a point this morning.
While post-race debriefings will doubtless be calculating the permutations of discards, only a few are likely to significantly build performance as newcomers to the class will still be getting to grips with the cut and thrust of a large fleet.
Sixth place David Palmer is certain to be eyeing a podium result, in spite of being on the wrong side of the points cut. A sixth and an eighth place was acceptable, but several seasons of racing on the bay should give him an advantage. Those summers in Dublin also place him as a "must beat" for many of his former rivals in the early days of the Sigma class on the east coast of Ireland.
A ninth in race two for Dermot Baker's Shillelagh left him 12th overall, down on expectations and a definite candidate to take full advantage of the discard. A 12th and an 18th for Henry Leonard's Leeuwin leaves the host club boat in 14th overnight, within sight of the top 10. A fourth for Neil Love on War Dance in race one suggested potential, but a 27th in the afternoon was also well below form.
Yesterday afternoon fresher winds built a short rolling sea that created its own obstacles for the cruiser-racers, though no significant incidents were reported.
SIGMA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP (at Royal Irish Yacht Club
Overall after two races:
1 Lucent (B Richards); 2 The White Tub (K Aitken); 3 Rupert (Lovegrove and Varian); 4 White Mischief (T Goodbody); 5 Pepsi (A Milton); 6 Princess Jalina (D Palmer).
Results provisional - subject to protests.
