Teng Tools ICRA Championship at Royal Irish Yacht Club - Day 1
by Irish Cruiser Racing Association 13 Jun 2014 22:02 BST
13-15 June 2014
Denise Phelan's Jump Juice from the RCYC ahead of a group of Class Zero entries at the Teng Tools ICRA Irish Championships © David Branigan /
www.oceansport.ie
Racing underway for five IRC national titles
Light winds prevail but full race schedule completed at Royal Irish YC
Despite light winds of between eight and three knots at times, both planned races in all seven classes at the Teng Tools ICRA Championships were sailed on Dublin Bay today where a 115-strong fleet has turned-out.
If today's results are a measure, consistency in light airs performance is paramount though many of the class leaders appear to have made easy work of the conditions - almost.
Nigel Biggs Half-tonner Checkmate V took two bullets for the day in Division Two but has a close challenge from The Big Picture, Richard and Michael Evans' equally consistent Howth performer with two second places.
After taking the first race with apparent ease, George and Neil Kenefick's Royal Cork YC quarter-tonner Nathan Kirwan Trust missed a crucial course amendment shortly before race two which cost an expensive sixth place and third overall for the day. The slip left the way clear for Jonathan Skerritt's Quest from the Royal Irish YC to take the overnight lead with a 2-1 result for the day.
The strongest overnight lead lead after day one belongs to John Maybury's Joker 2, a J109 from the RIYC that includes veteran Olympian Mark Mansfield on board. A 1-2 performance for the day plus mixed fortunes for the remainder of this 26-strong fleet gives Joker 2 a seven-point lead going into tomorrow's three-race programme.
Consistent form for Denise Phelan's Jump Juice from the RCYC with two second places for the opening day was enough to secure the overnight lead in Class Zero where eleven boats have entered. Scottish entry Roxstar appeared to have the upper hand in the series with a win in the opening race but slipped in the trickier conditions of the afternoon and lies on level points with George Sisk's WOW! from the RIYC: both had a win and a fifth place yesterday in what could prove to be a three-way contest for the class.
In the non-spinnaker classes, Paul Tully's Elan 333 from Dun Laoghaire Marina leads Class 5 with two wins while Windsor Laudan and Steffi Ennis from Howth YC were in similar form on the venerable Club Shamrock Demelza to lead Class 6.
Full results are available at cruiserracing.ie/icranats/racing/results/