Displaying items by tag: Loco

10th August 2010

'Gloves Off' Wins Calves Week Regatta Cup

Near perfect weather and the largest fleet of the week graced the waters off Schull on Sunday for the annual regatta and final day of Calves Week.With
the start line moved outside the harbour the fleets took in both the Goat and Calve Islands together with the marks off Castle Island.

In Class Zero IRC Kieran Twomeys "Gloves Off" finished a brilliant week of sailing to take the Regatta Cup and also the overall trophies in both handicap divisions, while Schull Sailing Club Commodore Morgan O' Donovan's "Loco" won the Regatta Echo cup.

In Class One IRC the overall result went right down to the wire with victory in the final race giving Donal O Leary's "D Tox" the title after a six points tie break with Simon Coveney s "Wavetrain". D Tox finished a very successful weeks racing by also winning the Echo overall trophy.

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Infinity and Beyond (left) and Loco on opposite tacks. Photo: Bob Bateman. More photos on the gallery here

Competition was also intense in Class Two IRC with Conor Ronan's "Ruthless" just edging out the Deasey/Ivers/Desmond crew in "Bad Company" for the overall trophy thanks to his better last race result, while in Echo a third place in the regatta race, behind Andrew Mackeys "Lornadrew" was good enough to win the overall for John McGowan's "Mackey G".

The overall in Class Three IRC was never in doubt with David Kenefick in "Tiger" scoring five bullet , while a third in the final race for Paul Murrays "Full Pelt" saw him claim the Echo overall.

In Class Four the Hanley Brothers in "Saoirse" finished off a productive weeks racing by winning the IRC regatta cup and the overalls in both handicap divisions with Una Buckley sailing "Tete-a-Tete to victory in Echo.

In the White Sail One fleet the Don McCarthy sailed VSOP won the regatta race, while a third place for Bryan Heffernans "Aisling" was good enough for
him to clinch the overall trophy. In White Sail Two Tadgh Dwyer's "Brazen Huzie" won the overall, having discarded the regatta result which saw Frank
Murphys "Dreamcatcher take the trophy.

The McMahon trophy for best local boat went to Paul Murray's "Full Pelt" while the Pearson "Spirit of the regatta trophy "was presented to Bill Rigney.

Published in Calves Week

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.