15 Irish Fireballs enjoyed sunshine and moderate breezes for the opening day of the last regatta of the season at Clontarf writes Cormac Bradley. With boats from N Ireland, Skerries, the host club and Dun Laoghaire, it was the most representative fleet we have had this season.
Due to the tidal constraints of the venue a five-race programme was scheduled and four races were sailed today. The race area was inside the confines of the harbour with Olympic courses used for each race.
The wind tracked northwards as the day progressed causing the RO to move the weather mark progressively leftwards.
On the water, proceedings returned to a sense of normality with the return of Barry McCartin & Conor Kinsella who were to have a successful day on the water, scoring three race wins and dropping a second place.
Noel Butler & Stephen Oram weren't always where they would have preferred to be at the first weather mark but it's the finish that counts and a scorecard of 3,3,2,1 sees them in second place overall.
Team Clancy, Conor & James, kept their favourite number, 4, off their scorecard using a 2,2,6,3, sequence to take third overall.
Mick Creighton & Joe O'Reilly are fourth overall, with two fourths and two fifths.
Alan Henry & Simon Reville had a very good day by their short Fireball career standards to lie fifth with a 4,7,10,4 run of results.
McCartin & Clancy had very good speed on the water and won the first race very comfortably, but thereafter the margins became tighter. Butler & Oram seemed to have the reverse problem, below par first beats, but recovering as the race progressed.
With a very important rugby game due to be played tomorrow at 13:00 racing will start after Ireland's game against Argentina.
After 4 races;
1. McCartin & Kinsella (15114) - 3pts
2. Butler & Oram (15061) - 6pts
3. Clancy & Clancy (14807) - 7pts
4. Creighton & O'Reilly (1506X) - 13pts
5. Henry & Reville (14645) - 15pts
