After four races, host club sailors lead two divisions competing for 2023 Munster ILCA/Laser Championship honours in Balimore, West Cork.
Fionn Lydon tops the ILCA 7 division with youth sailor Sorcha Ní Súilleabháin in charge of the ILCA 4s.
The threat of a Sunday gale prompted Principal Race Officer Ciaran MacSweeney to get ahead of the original schedule and stage four races on Saturday to complete the required number of races to constitute a Championship.
The breeze is set to build all day on Sunday, but the timing of the increase, which could threaten further racing, is still unclear.
108-boat fleet
To the surprise of some seasoned observers, the first ILCA championship of 2023 has produced an extensive fleet in West Cork, especially for so early in the year.
The Standard fleet is noticeably strong with 25 entries, but 44 are also competing in the ILCA4s (formerly 4.7s), and the ILCA 6s (Radials) are solid with 39 boats.
A mixture of courses was used, but mainly trapezoid, to avoid the three fleets meeting with a single jury boat in operation.
Lydon, a former Olympic Finn dinghy campaigner, is on five points, with rival West Cork sailor Michael O'Súilleabháin from Kinsale two points behind in second place. Ballyholme Yacht Club Master Colin Leonard from Belfast Lough lies third in the 25-boat fleet on ten.
Southerly winds ranged in strength from 10 to 20 knots in the gusts. The race area saw the upwind leg run from the sound at Sherkin Island to a buoy under the land at Baltimore Harbour.
ILCA 6 lead for Coulter
Counting a first-race win and two second places, consistent East Antrim Boat Club ace Tom Coulter is the leader of the ILCA 6 division. The Larne youth has a margin of two points over RStGYC's Fiachra McDonnell, who has already had international racing experience this month at the ILCA Euros in Italy. Third is McDonnell's clubmate, Sam Ledoux.
Sorcha Ní Súilleabháin Tops of ILCA 4s
Baltimore Sailing Club, youth Sorcha Ní Súilleabháin has a one point lead over Howth Yacht Club's Cillian Twomey in ILCA 4s, the biggest fleet of the weekend. Howth's Cillian Twomey lies second, with RSGYC's Kate Flood lying third.
The results are below.