Focus on individual classes

Although two months or more of the season remain, Ireland's individual classes are rushing to complete their national championships. But what of the events already held?

One of the first series to be held provided some of the most spectacular and close racing of all the championships to date. Ace helm and three-times Olympic veteran Mark Mansfield took the 1720 class title at Kinsale YC in late June during an especially windy series. The class supremo didn't have an easy win, relying on the final leg of the final race to clinch the championship.

Also at Kinsale in July, wins in the first two races of the Flying 15 nationals secured the overall championship for Gerry Donleavy and David Gorman of the National YC.

Last weekend, the best turnout of J24's since 1995 on Dublin Bay saw Tim and Shirley Sheard of Lough Neagh emerge overall winners of the ESAT Fusion Nationals racing in the oldest boat in Europe. The event was again decided on the final race leaving Bryan Maguire and the crew of Cries of Passion taking second overall.

Thirteen-year class veteran Derek Mitchell on Ruff n' Ready faced up to Gerry Jones on Scamp during the final race of the Affinity/All-weather Auto Glass Ruffian Irish Championship at the National YC in mid-July to score his first national title win.

The Irish-built cruiser-racer fleet of Shipman 28-footers staged their national event two weeks ago, also at D·n Laoghaire. The event was won by Richard Hooper's and John Bourkes' Hobo V.

Two traditional dinghy classes have also decided their national champions in the last 10 days. Scorie Walls won the IDRA14 class title at Lough Ree last weekend. Mermaid Week at the National YC two weeks ago saw Percy Boyle of Clontarf emerged overall victor.

Amongst the high-performance classes, six boats from the international circuit dominated the 80-boat Envirotech 420 Nationals at Kinsale. The event was decided on a tie-break: Daire O'Reilly (Howth YC) with David Sweeney (Bray SC) were beaten by Spencer Mitton with Richard Franck of the Royal St. George YC.

Although beaten by a run of first places by Brian Mobbs and Graham Bristow from Britain, Noel Butler emerged Laser 2 National Champion at Antrim Boat club earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Peter Kennedy with Norman Gilfillan of the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club was the only confirmed result - Irish Champion - of the Squib nationals over the August bank-holiday weekend. Peter and Chris Shackleton of Howth YC will have to wait for a complicated protest hearing before learning if their fifth place overall is confirmed.

A massive 210 boats are competing at the Optimist Nationals at Lough Derg YC that started yesterday while a team of 20 Irish boats is expected at the World Championships at Pwellhi in Wales from next Monday.

Lack of breeze at Waterford Harbour SC hampered the opening day of the Laser nationals yesterday where Peter O'Leary is defending his title. Alex Kaiser of the RCYC is set to become the new winner of the Mirror class championship title at D·n Laoghaire where the final two races will be sailed today. Also racing this weekend will be 45 crews of the GP14 fleet at Ballyholme, Enterprises at Greystones and Toppers at Wexford Harbour Boat Club.