French making waves

Yesterday’s forecast of strong and gusting winds on Dublin Bay came good for the 350 competitors in the Four Star Pizza Youth World Sailing Championships — just as racing ended for the day.

Heavy rain and a complete calm in the morning delayed the start for over an hour until eventually a moderate breeze allowed race management to set the three courses for the eight classes.

A growing ebb tide running across the course proved challenging for many of the visiting crews, many from countries unused to open sea conditions or lacking tidal currents of note.

France’s reputation as a bastion of 420 class sailing was reinstated through Guillaume Pirouelle and Valentin Sipan, who had a second and a fifth place respectively, though an eight point lead is still not yet comfortable to declare them solid favourites.

Ireland’s Patrick Crosbie and Grattan Roberts (RCYC) had a 16th in the first race of the day but as the breeze built to almost 20 knots, they used their discard for the 23rd place in the 30 strong class and now lie 17th overall as racing breaks for a rest day.

Other classes have tighter results amongst the leaders where the French are to the fore. In the 29er skiff class, Lucas Rual and Thomas Biton are within a point of the lead from Spain’s Carlos Robles and Florian Trittel.

Sean and Tadgh Donnelly from the National Yacht Club had their worst result of the series to date with a 20th in the light conditions but regained their form to score a 13th in the second race to hold 12th overall.

Ireland’s best hopes for a strong showing in the championships rest with Blessington sailor Finn Lynch in the single-handed Laser Radial boys class where he is eighth overall.

Sophie Murphy from Quoile Yacht Club is Lynch’s female counterpart in the Laser Radial girls’ class lies 16th overall.