Irish J/24 Match Racing Champs at Carlingford Sailing Club

Graeme Grant's team win the Irish J/24 Match Racing Championships © CSC club member

Graeme Grant's team win the Irish J/24 Match Racing Championships © CSC club member

Last weekend Carlingford Sailing Club hosted the Irish J24 Match Racing Championships which brought 48 top-level sailors from all over Ireland onto Carlingford Lough to participate in this exciting event. This type of sail racing regatta is similar to the well-known Americas Cup currently being held in Valencia, Spain. Each team competes in a one on one battle, or match, with each and every other team, and wins by best using the wind, various blocking tactics or forcing the other team to make an error; all within the rules of course.

Twelve teams entered the two-day event, which saw very mixed weather conditions, with strong gusts and some showers on Saturday and for a time on Sunday morning no wind, which jeopardised the finals. Luckily enough for the race organisers the sea breeze kicked in at midday and held until evening; enough time to get all the races completed. The twelve teams of four crew per boat were split into two fleets, and in turn each fleet completed a round robin series. The top three teams from each fleet went through to the Semi-finals on Sunday morning for another round robin series and then on to the finals. In total a staggering 52 races were run over the two days, all of which were held literally just 10m off the clubhouse shore. Many sailors and non-sailors alike gathered to view this spectacular & exciting racing from the clubs rooftop terrace.

Competitors came from far and wide, from clubs such as Lough Erne YC, Lough Neagh SC, Carrickfergus SC, National YC (Dún Laoghaire), Carlingford SC, Portaferry SC, Ballyholme YC, Howth YC, Clifton BC (Galway) and West of Ireland SC. The wining team, named ‘Carlingford Sail Training Centre’, won an amazing 11 of their 12 races to get through to attain the winning title. This team was helmed by Graeme Grant (Senior Instructor in the centre) and crewed by Ivan Slater, Killian McCourt, Gordon Carey and Evan Graham (aka: Gigantor). Runner up in 2nd place was Chris Scott (Lough Erne YC) who won 9 of their 12 races, only losing out to Graeme. 3rd place went to Tim Sheard & crew (Lough Neagh SC); Tim was 2nd in last year’s event. 4th place was won by Pat McCormick (Carlingford SC), 5th also went to a local team, helmed by Mark Slater (Carlingford SC) and 6th went to Simon McGibney (West of Ireland SC). Other teams were helmed by John Coyle, Paudie Callan, Duirmuid O’Donivan, Redmond O’Hanlon, Eamon Toner and Michael McCabe.

Carlingford Sailing club would like to thank the main sponsors of the event ‘The Loughs Agency’ and ‘Interreg’ who part funded the event. Our sincere thanks also goes out to ALL the helpers that volunteered over the weekend.

For results and further photographs visit www.carlingfordsailingclub.net

Overall Results:

1ST CARLINGFORD SAIL TRAINING CENTRE, GRAEME GRANT (CARLINGFORD SAILING CLUB)
2ND LEYC TEAM ONE, CHRIS SCOTT (LOUGH ERNE YACHT CLUB)
3RD TEAM JAY KAY, TIM SHEARD (LOUGH NEAGH SAILING CLUB)
4TH FREDDY AND THE LAWN MOWERS, PAT MCCORMICK (CARLINGFORD SAILING CLUB)
5TH FOUR PLAY, MARK SLATER (CARLINGFORD SAILING CLUB)
6TH MIXED BAG, SIMON MC GIBNEY (WEST OF IRELAND SC, LOUGH NEAGH SC & CARRICKFERGUS SC)