The Irishman at the centre of a revolution in the French offshore sailing scene intends setting up a coaching centre in this country as single and shorthanded racing experiences a renewal of interest. Damian Foxall (29) from Co Kerry is a rising star in France following his performances in the Figaro class over the past 15 months.
However, the French-based sailor faces an uphill struggle at a time when regular coaching programmes in Ireland are in their infancy and little or no demand for such a service is perceived by national officials. Foxall maintains that, in recent years, this area has moved from being an adventurist pursuit to being a more mainstream sport.
Traditionally, single-handed sailing in offshore and ocean-going keelboats has been regarded as a mavericks arena. While Foxall admits that the renegade image has been true in the past, this has changed with Olympic type training and fitness regimes now the norm.
"People have this image of single-handers heading offshore for thousands of miles but it's still a contact sport - we're rarely out of sight of another boat," he says. "Its not all about going offshore and not keeping watch either. Most of our sailing is day racing around the cans."
Nevertheless, the watch-keeping issue is undisputably the biggest hindrance to development of this area and recognition by official bodies. Under International Maritime law, every vessel must keep a permanent look-out while at sea. In the case of solo sailors, sleep requirements makes fulfilling this obligation impossible.
Solo sailors defend themselves with various arguments such as the routine of sleeping for 20 minutes in every hour or delaying rest periods while in busy shipping lanes. Foxall also admits that it is a grey area but questions how many incidents involving solo sailors actually arise from breaching this requirement.
A possible valve for this area of sailing lies with short-handed rather than solo competition. Although the Figaro race has been visiting Ireland annually for the last 20 years, this event represents only the climax of a season-long series. While most of the circuit is solo, it is short-course racing where sleep is not an issue. There are also several two-handed races where the watch issue does not arise.
Following his 1998 results, which included winning the prologue and final stages of La Solitaire du Figaro, Foxall feels more confident about a top-three result next year. For the foreseeable future, his goals centre on the Figaro class.
Meanwhile, single-handers sailors are still in the news this week, this time in Sydney at the Olympic classes regatta there. Baltimore's Maria Coleman is lying ninth in the 36-boat Europe class among all the major contenders bar the reigning world champion Kristine Roug. A high final placing for Coleman would complete a summer of excellent performances from potential Irish squad members for Sydney 2000.
