Sailing Column: The arrival of Pyewacket and Morning Glory in the last two days marks the start of the build-up to the biennial spectacular that is Cork Week.
The pair of Z86 maxi sisterships will be the highest profile entries competing in the five days of racing as well as adding significantly to the €10 million economic boost to the region.
Already, visiting boats are exploring the area ahead of the start of racing next Monday while the improvement in weather overnight clears the way for the remainder of the 500-strong fleet to make their landfall at Crosshaven.
The size of the event on the south coast, both in terms of craft and numbers, contrasts with a clutch of other significant, though lower profile, events taking place in Ireland this summer.
For Ireland's up and coming sailors, however, major international titles decided on home waters are a bonus.
In the wake of the Mitsubishi Motors Youth Regatta at the Royal St George Yacht Club earlier this week where sailors from Ireland, Britain and France took part under the watchful eye of top coach Jim Saltonstall, 16 countries have been confirmed for the 420 Junior European Championship, sponsored by Liffey Developments, next month.
"The 420 is the only three-sail youth boat in the Irish Sailing Association's Performance Pathway. As most people spend their life in crewed boats, its very important that we have a strong double-handed youth class in Ireland," said Bill O'Hara, ISA youth performance manager and double-Olympic veteran.
Meanwhile, the feeder class for the 420 is to have its European Championship on Lough Derg from Friday, July 30th to Friday, August 6th.
Upwards of 150 boats from this country, Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden are expected to compete during the Waterways Ireland Championships.
Still on the continental championship theme, Skerries Sailing Club will host the Laser Two European Championships in the second week of August with Conor Byrne of the host club proving a strong homeside favourite after showing good form in recent events.
Overseas, Ireland has sent strong teams to two major youth events. Racing begins tomorrow in Gdansk, Poland for the Volvo ISAF Youth World Championships for 254 sailors from 53 nations are in their final preparations for the world's premier championship for under-19s.
A first for the national Optimist fleet is that the worlds squad has a majority of girls sailing this year. The five-strong team departed for Ecuador this week.
A series of National Trials were sailed earlier this year in which the top 70 ranked "Oppie" sailors in Ireland from 32 counties competed over two long weekends to pick Worlds and Europeans teams for 2004.
ISAF YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Gdansk, Poland)
Irish Team: 420 Class: Troy McNamara and Simon Rattigan (Royal St George YC/Howth YC); Lisa Tait and Pippa Wilkinson (Royal Cork YC); Laser Standard: Nicholas O'Leary (RCYC); Laser Radial: Jenny Murray (RCYC).
OPTIMIST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - Ross Vaughan - Royal North Of Ireland YC; Conor O'Brien - Lough Derg YC (current national champion); Katie Tingle - Royal Cork YC; Rachel Guy - Lough Derg YC; Alyson Rumball - Royal St George YC Liffey Developments 420
JUNIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - Irish Team: Boys Mixed Team: T McNamara and S Rhatigan (RSGYC/HYC); F Jenkinson and A Kissane (SYC/HYC); K Rumball and D Moran (RSGYC/RSGYC); T MacColgain and D MacColgain (RSGYC/RSGYC); S Mitton and C Magee (RSGYC/RSGYC); I McNamara and S Cullen (RSGYC/RSGYC); K Stallard and P Duggan (KYC/KYC); D Reddy and C O'Reilly (RSGYC/RSGYC); C Rhatigan and D Anderson (RSGYC/RSGYC); B Byrne and J Rattigan (WSC/WSC); Reserves: K Coleman and S Osborne (RSGYC/RSGYC); Girls Team: L Tait and P Wilkinson (RCYC/HYC); L Reilly and F Macken (HYC/HYC); J Buckley and S Ryan (KYC/KYC); C McCarter and H Lennon (SLYC/SLYC); Reserves: A McKenna and M O'Brolchain (RSGYC/RSGYC).
