Highlights of 2004 Dinghy Racing at HYC
  Kevin Darmody reviews 2004 and outlines some plans for 2005
  Author: Kevin Darmody      Posted on: 8/11/04

Club Racing

Optimist
Series 1 - due to their determination and consistency, Conor Cawley and Jamie Carton took 2nd & 3rd ahead of series 1 winner, Ross Darmody. In fourth place was Diana Kissane. Other fleet results worthy of mention include Vivienne Kenny 6th, Frank Murray 8th and Ian Martin in 9th.

In Series 2 Diana and Adam Lawless competed in every race and took 1st & 2nd respectively. Luke Malcolm proved his talents with a 3rd ahead of Ross in 4th. Highlights elsewhere include 7th for Conor Headon and Sarah Keoghan 8th.

Back for Series 3, Andrew Ryan didn't miss a single race and his consistently good sailing put him on top of the podium. Adam was 2nd again with Andrew Tyrrell an excellent 3rd and Ross 4th. Other good personal performances in the class include

The cumulative Optimist club racing results for the three series were very close. The overall winner of the for the Vice Commodores Cup was Ross Darmody on 32 points, with Andrew Ryan 2nd on 34 and Adam Lawless 3rd on 36. The 'Silver fleet' Optimist sailors put in a good appearance with Conor Cawley the highest placed. In the 'Bronze', the most consistent sailor was Meghan Darmody just 9 points ahead of Grainne O'Leary.

Diana Kissane was best U/12 (for the Christopher Cup) and was also winner of the Fraser Casey Cup for three special races.

Picos & Mirrors
Turnout was poor for the Mirror class but Ger O'Sullivan won the first series, with David McGinn the first Pico. Gill Condy won Series 2 Mirror and the Pico was won by Katie Malcolm. Series 3 Mirror winner was Dara Deegan and the Pico winner was Joanne Cawley. The Malcolm family has donated the Aura Trophy for Pico Club Racing Overall and Joanne Cawley was the first winner.

Lasers
The great numbers during the Laser Frostbites are in stark contrast with the entries for club Laser racing. Jeremy Beshoff won the first series, Alistair Kissane the second, and John Pearson won the last series.

Parents' Race
On the last Friday of August, four dinghys took to the water for the Parents' Race. Three were Picos and one an Optimist (Gabriel Foley). Of the Picos, the winners were Dave Cagney with brother, Roger 2nd. Next was Eddie Ferris & crew.

August
Optimist
Optimist Europeans - Tim O'Laoire, Diana Kissane & Marc Geraghty represented HYC.
Optimist Nationals - HYC hosted over 180 entries. Strong winds. Optimists still raced in conditions that cancelled Dragon Championships in Dun Laoghaire. Great team effort by HYC organisers made the event memorable and enjoyable for sailors and supporters alike. The warmth of the Howth welcome has brought reciprocal invitations to the Netherlands and Great Britain.

September
Optimist
The Dutch winner of the Optimist Open Championships in HYC in August were so appreciative of the hospitality they received that they invited a team of HYC optimist sailors to compete in Dutch Selection Trials 17-19 Sep. The results of the ten-strong team were very strong across the board and the expedition included a number of newcomers to the HYC racing group.
 
420
National Championships hosted by HYC. Very close competition. Conor Clancy and Stephen Campion crowned winners.
 
Firefly
Girls Helmsman's Championships in Cultra 19 Sep.- Suzanne Burke (sailing a Firefly) finished second.
 
2.4 Metre
Feargal Kinsella was satisfied with 15th at Paralympics as it matches his ISAF ranking.

October
Optimist
GB End of Seasons event with 250 entries. Good performances by HYC members: Andrew Ryan(49), Alan Ruigrok(112) & Alyson Rumball(12)
Irish End of Seasons (for the Gorman Trophy) in RCYC 22-23 Oct. Good turn-out from HYC fleet with 4 sailors in the top 10 in a fleet of 80.
HYC hosted the first leg of the open Polar Series on Sunday 31 October. MYC hosts the second leg on 14 November and the NYC will have the third day on 5 December.

November
The End of Season Junior Dinner, Prize-giving & Disco was well enjoyed by all on Friday 5 Nov.

Coaching
Race Coaching & Sail Training
Junior Optimist and Laser Pico classes sail training has been popular throughout the Autumn.
Pico involvement is encouraging and shows dedication not previously attributed to this group.
Optimist Team Racing practice (low cost) is being held on Sat afternoons when dates permit, let us know if you're interested. Along with Dinghy Coach, Gillian Guinness, senior team racers like Frankie Dillon & Nicky Smith have been bringing their time and experience to their younger fellow-members.
420 National Class will use HYC for a week-end's training for the class in November.
A Premium Coaching programme has started for Optimist and Laser classes. Let us know if you'd like to be included.
Laser Frostbites Racing continues every Sunday until 19 December. Additional Laser training can be arranged subject to interest. Requests through Paul Harrison (as Laser Captain) or Gillian Guinness (as Club Dinghy Coach).

Significant Dinghy Events to be hosted by HYC in 2005
Optimist Vice-President's Trophy for Team Racing : Sat. 28 May 2005
Laser Leinster's : Sat-Sun 30-31 July 2005.

Sailing Instructor Training for 2005
lack of availability of trapeze boats may preclude HYC from running these courses next year. Can anyone assist us to borrow 420's or Laser 2's for this instructor training this year?

Common Thread
According to the Optimist class website, 78% of the skippers of the medal winning boats at the 2004 Olympics were former Optimist sailors. And over 70% of these had sailed in IODA World and continental championships. This is more than double the percentage four years ago in Sydney.

In the monohull dinghies all the skippers were ex-Optimist except for two who started in the Cadet. This increase mostly reflects the increasing spread of the Optimist in the age group from which the medallists come. The proportion is higher in the monohull dinghies, especially the double-handers, than in the Tornado or keelboats where the average age is notably more "pre-Optimist".

Among these dinghies it is notable that while most Finn sailors did start in the Optimist relatively few had the chance to sail internationally before becoming too big for the boat. - www.optiworld.org/exopolyfull.html

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  Associated Articles
HYC Sailors take part in the Dutch Optimist Association squad selection trials
2004 East Coast Optimist Polar Series
2004 East Coast Optimist Polar Series
Optimist Trials 2005 - Lough Ree - April 1st to 3rd
Optimist Easter Regatta at Braassemermeer in Holland
Optimist IODAI Trials 2005 - Some Statistics
Final Results of the 2005 Optimist Trials
2005 IODAI Optimist Connaught Championships
HYC is well represented in the 2005 World and European Irish Optimist Teams
HYC's Scott Flanigan wins 2005 Optimist Crosbie at RIYC 23rd & 24th July
2005 Optimist World Championships - Preliminary report
Optimist Worlds 2005 - Final Report
Helen Mary Wilkes Elected IODA President of Honour
Irish Optimist National Championships 2005. 17th - 20th August
Ice on Broadmeadows prevents Racing
Optimist Easter Regatta at Braassemermeer
Optimist Trials 2006 - Final weekend at Skerries
16 boats from Howth YC go to the Optimist Leinsters
HYC Optimist Sailors Clean Sweep at Ulsters
Optimist Team Racing trophy returns to Howth
Optimists - Howth trio taste success at Crosbie Cup
Irish Optimist Championship again won by HYC's Diana Kissane
GrandOptical Champions' Cup at Lake Ledro, Italy
HYC Optimist Sailors in Palma
HYC's Diana Kissane won Optimist Connaught Championships
Snowballs in Braassemermeer, Netherlands
Tara Flood of HYC takes first prize at the End of Season Optimist Regatta in Dun Laoghaire
Half way point at IODAI Optimist Trials 2009
HYC Success at Second Leg of Optimist Trials
Optimist Munster Championships 2009 - 16th & 17th May at Kinsale Yacht Club
Optimist Vice President's Trophy 26th June at HYC goes to Cork
Success for Howth Junior Sailors at the CYBC Regatta
Leinster Optimist Championships 5th & 6th September - A Re-run away Success
HYC Sailors Excel at UK Optimist Nationals - 25th to 30th July
Optimists get Wet and Wild in Galway Bay for the Optimist Connaught championships