In spite of a two-year hiatus caused by cancellation of the 2018 event, John Maybury on Joker II from Dun Laoghaire delivered his fourth consecutive Division One national title at the ICRA championships at the weekend.

While the opening regattas of the main Irish sailing season have proven to be robust affairs, it fell to Kinsale and the opening races of the O’Leary Life Sovereigns Cup to provide some respite yesterday.

In a perfect end to a season of victories, Anthony O’Leary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club emerged overall winner of the All-Ireland Sailing Championship at Howth yesterday.

WITH just a little luck, this morning’s first race in the biennial Sovereign’s Cup will have sunshine and breeze marking a return to last weekend’s champagne sailing conditions at Crosshaven during most of the ICRA championships.