ISA Junior All Ireland Sailing Championship at Scull, Co. Cork - Overall
by Rachel Solon, Irish Sailing Association 23 Sep 2012 17:10 BST
22-23 September 2012
Cork sailor Fionn Lyden has won the prestigious ISA Junior All Ireland Sailing Championship with style. The Laser Radial sailor stormed in to the lead yesterday winning all five of the day's fleet races putting him four points clear of Finn Lynch, the current U17 European Radial champion. With a further three fleet races followed by a double points medal today, it was all still to play for as the twenty one boat fleet of TR3.6 dinghies took to the beautiful waters of Schull Harbour.
Conditions remained ideal with a steady easterly breeze of between 10 and 12 knots on the windward leeward course. Under the management of David Harte, racing got off to a good start at 10.30am and Fionn and his crew of Anna O'Regan were quick to take the lead yet again. Continuing their domination of the fleet, the duo from Schull Community College Sailing Club were unbeatable as they won all three of the remaining fleet races putting them on 7 points entering the medal race followed by Finn Lynch and his crew Sean Donnelly on 24 points and Eoin Lyden and Darragh McCormack on 28 points in third place.
At 1.25pm the top 10 sailors, consisting of eight boys and two girls, crossed the start line for the last time. Fionn got off to a bad start but echoing his skill from the previous races, he sailed hard and rounded the first mark in first place. The wind dropped off to only 3 knots at the windward mark but Fionn extended his lead while his cousin Eoin Lyden chased him in vain from second place. Never wavering from his leading position, Fionn crossed the finish line in first place to take the ISA Junior All Ireland Championship title with an astonishing nine race wins from a total of nine races sailed and a grand total of 9 points.
Meanwhile Finn Lynch from the National Yacht Club and Eoin Lyden from Royal Cork Yacht Club had been fighting it out for the silver. Finn had a four point lead going in to the medal race but the 2012 ISAF Youth Worlds silver medallist had a disastrous final race finishing in 10th place. The additional 20 points meant he dropped to third overall to take the bronze. Eoin however sailed a great race finishing in second place moving him up to second overall to take the silver.
Competing for the title of First Girl were Aisling Keller from Lough Derg and Laura Gilmore from Northern Ireland. Both girls had sailed a strong regatta with a total of nine top 10 finishes between them but ultimately a 4th in the medal race for Aisling saw her finish the regatta in 7th overall taking the prize for Frist Girl with Laura finishing in 9th overall.
For full results see www.sailing.ie