FASTNET INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS REGATTA 2009
The 22nd Annual Fastnet International Schools Regatta was recently run over 4 days in Schull Harbour, hosted by Schull Community College and Fastnet Marine & Outdoor Education Centre. This prestigious event was incredibly successful due in no small way to the exceptional weather conditions, with plenty breeze and sunshine throughout.
The FISR fleet in the sheltered waters of Schull harbour
Photo: Dan Cahill
The entry list included Bronze, Silver and Gold Fleet entries in various classes of boats including 420’s, Laser, Topaz, Topper, and Optimists, and some of the top youth sailors in the country with a number of overseas entries.
Silver/bronze fleet
On the first day conditions in the morning provided a major challenge for the silver and bronze fleets who raced with 15 knots of wind. As the wind picked up to 20 knots around noon it was decided not to run Race 2 in the less experienced fleets and set course for the Gold fleet races.
The Bronze/Silver fleet battle it out on the reaching leg
Photo: Dan Cahill
As the second day of racing got underway with bright sunshine and winds of 11 - 12 knots the Bronze and Silver Fleets were first on the water to complete races 2, 3, and 4. The overnight leader in the Silver Fleet, Tom Morehead, continued on his winning way with clear victory over the very consistent Mikeala Neely with Denis Kelleher, in third place, all sailing Laser 4.7’s. It was decided to on the basis of these results that Morehead be moved into the Gold Fleet which proved prudent as he his excellent run of results continued. Kelleher again proved his worth in Races 4 and 5 with wins, while Neely managed a 2nd and 3rd respectively in these races. Unfortunately for her, she swapped places with Patrick Cahill, The Harold, Glashthule, sailing an optimist in both races.
The Bronze Fleet racing was dominated by the 420 of Tom Downes, Fionnbarr McDermott Long, winning races 2 and 4 with a second placing in race 3. Also consistent was the 420 of Ella Neely/ Ross Mulhall, finishing second in all races and winning race 3. While Thomas O'Suilleabhain, in a topper finished 3rd in races 2, 3, and 4.
On the final day the Silver & Bronze Fleets were provided with 3 races in a good breeze of between 8 and 10 knots with occasional gusts of up to 14 knots. Overnight leader Mikeala Neely continued her winning way with good victories in races 5,6,& 7 in her Laser 4.7. This left her as overall winner of the Silver Fleets and Silver Laser 4.7 class. Mikeala was closely followed by Patrick Cahill, St. Canleths (Optimist) in race 5 with the Uno Topaz Plus of Harriet Selka/Craig Murray, Bedales School, Hampshire/Schull Community College in 3rd position. Races 6 & 7 rapidly followed with Neely followed home by Alacoque Daly, Knockaderry National School, Farranfore in an Optimist and Cahill again in 3rd. The minor positions in race 7 were filled by Denis Kelleher and Daly, on this occasion, filling 3rd position.
Bronze Fleet results for these final races had a familiar look about them as Tom Downes/Fionnbarr McDermott Long in a 420 won all 3 races, while Ella Neely/Ross Mulhall, exchanging the minor places with Thomas O'Suilleabhain. Overall finishing positions were confirmed on these races with Downes/McDermott Long winning from Neely/Mulhall and O'Suilleabhain in 3rd place.
Gold fleet
On the first day, the experienced Gold fleet sailors relished in the strong winds and raced under mixed handicap and class racing with a particularly strong 4.7 laser class. Race 1 commenced on schedule and first to show impressively was the local 420 of Oisín O’Driscoll and Connor Millar, Schull Community College, they had 5 minutes to spare on corrected time on the Optimist of John Durcan of Douglas Community School with the Laser 4.7 of Brian Leonard of De La Salle, Skibbereen in 3rd place, marginally ahead of the other 4.7 fleet.
Oisín O’Driscoll and Connor Miller, Schull Community College
Photo: Dan Cahill
Meanwhile, as Race 2 began, the sun appeared and the wind picked up further which allowed the more powerful 420 of O’Driscoll/Millar to dominate proceedings and have clear advantage over the Optimist of Durcan and 3rd place honours going to Cian Cahill, St. Canleth’s.
Day two, after a very positive start to the Gold Fleet conditions continued to improve throughout the day. The dominant boat here was certainly the local 420 Oisin O Driscool/ Connor Millar, winning all races on familiar waters. Also doing extremely well was John Durcan, in his optimist with second place in all races and another Optimist of Harry Whitaker, St. Lukes, Douglas, Co Cork finishing 3rd in races 3 and 4 this rounding of the top 3 in the overall championship.
Start of one of the Gold fleet races
Photo: Dan Cahill On the final day of the event the tables turned and overall honours went to John Durcan sailing an Optimist having completed a clean sweep of race wins in the final day. In so doing, he overhauled the overnight and leaders from the start of the regatta - Oisin O'Driscoll/Conor Miller, in their 420. The revelation of the event was Tom Morehead, having previously been upgraded from the Silver Fleet returned results of two consecutive 2nd places and did enough to win the Laser 4.7 class.
But the day belonged to Durcan who becomes the 5th Optimist Winner of the event over the past 6 years.
L-R: Tim O'Connor, Peter Crowley, John Durcan, Dave Harte & Barra O'Briain
Photo: Carlos Benlayo
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