| Latest News | | The Gov takes charge | | 30/04/2010 | A convincing win in the Howth Yacht Club ‘Spring Warmer’ by Dan O’Grady has seen the Etchells Class Irish Governor finish the 2010 World Championship qualification series at the top of the Irish rankings, ahead of former Olympian David Burrows (with his father Richard).
Sailing the curiously named ‘Kootamundra Wattle’, the leading contender started the six-race series with a gun and followed that up with a 2nd, two third places and another bullet, discarding a 6th in race three to finish nine points clear of ‘Fetching’, helmed by the series organiser Stephen Quinn. The O’Grady/Reilly/Meade combination had five wins in the 13-race Worlds qualifying process. | | | Stephen Quinn had a remarkably consistent final day with three second places which helped him leapfrog ahead of Laura Dillon helming ‘Lambay Rules’ while the Burrows family in ‘Matatu Dubh’ – the previous leading qualifier - had to settle for fifth, (a good result considering they missed the first weekend), just behind European Champion Jay Bourke in ‘Northside Dragon’.
A fleet of 13 Etchells competed and experienced widely varying conditions over the three weekends of the event. The light winds of the first two Saturdays were replaced on the final day with strong south-easterlies, forecasted to reach 15 knots but which saw gusts touching 26, with awkward wind-against-tide conditions in the first races.
The five aforementioned crews have now been confirmed as qualifiers for the Worlds in August along with HYC’s William Lacy (‘Defiance’), John Flynn (‘Gelert’), Robert Dix (‘Glance’) and the Royal St.George’s Richard Grey (‘White Pointer’). Four more slots will be confirmed on July 1st. | | |
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