The Aqua Restaurant-sponsored 420 National Championships sailed at Howth Yacht Club over the August Bank Holiday Weekend were won in impressive style by the young Royal Cork YC pairing of Patrick Crosbie and Grattan Roberts who took the gun in five of the 9 races and never placed lower than 3rd.
Four races on day one were sailed in fresh but steady winds and two firsts, a second and a third put the Cork crew in a commanding position ahead of the eventual runners-up, Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove of the host club who had two firsts and a second but also had a DSQ.
In lighter, shifting winds on the second day, the Howth crew won the first race of the day but then had a second DSQ while their Cork rivals scored two bullets to stretch their advantage. Two races on the final day saw the honours even between the two front-runners but after discards, Crosbie & Grattan had five points to spare over Dickson & Waddilove.
PRO for the 3-day event was Richard Kissane, assisted by National Race Officers Derek Bothwell and Neil Murphy, with support from Emmet Dalton manning the on-the-water Jury Boat.
The Championship attracted 16 entries from six different clubs and the silver fleet was won by Hugh McGuire and Harry Johnson of the Royal Irish YC. Other prize-winners were:
Tara Flood & Chloe Crosbie (HYC/RCYC) - 1st Ladies Overall
Laragh Lee & Sarah Hyland (RStGYC) - 1st Ladies in Silver Fleet
Philip McDowell & Cian Buckley (MYC) - Youngest Helm & Crew (13+14)
Medb Glackin & Saoirse Kelly (HYC) - Best local boat outside the top 3
Aisling McGowan & Aoife Linnane (CY&BC) - Most sociable boat
Robert Dickson & Sean Waddilove (HYC/SSC), Adam Hyland & Bill Staunton (RStGYC/SSC) and Cian Walsh & Fiachra McHugh (GBSC) are travelling to the Junior Europeans in Lake Garda this week.
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