Consistent Gilmore wins Laser Radial duel with Lynch

Strangford Lough sailor Robbie Gilmore held his series long form at the ISA Youth Nationals on Lough Derg yesterday to win the Laser Radial class despite a late run from the defending champion.

His victory was at the expense of Carlow’s Finn Lynch, sailing for the National Yacht Club, who also won silver at last year’s ISAF Youth Worlds on Dublin Bay.

The sole Irish place in the Radial section at this year’s worlds in Cyprus was also at stake and Gilmore is set to take that when the Irish squad is announced shortly.

On paper, the pair were finely matched but Gilmore had the steadier nerve over the four-day series while Lynch had a 14th which he discarded plus a weighty 12th place compared to his rival’s string of top-fives.

An incident on Saturday looked set to finish off Lynch’s hopes as he was judged to have started early by one official boat, a decision later overturned when it was noted that the committee boat had ruled ‘all-clear’ at the start.

The official boat at the other end of the line had called Lynch over early but only on the sound of the starting gun; the margin of error was attributed to the slower speed of sound and Lynch was reinstated.

That left yesterday’sfinal two races to Gilmore to dominate Lynch, which he did by beating him by a place in each race.

Their private duel left the way clear for Baltimore and Schull’s Fionn Lyden to win both races and take third overall behind Lynch.

The other senior class featured a smaller fleet of 13 boats with one clear leader but a three-way tie for the runner-up place.

Howth’s Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove won the 420 class by 13 points ahead of a trio of would-be rivals.

Peter McCann and Arran Walsh from the Royal Cork YC took second, while clubmates Patrick Crosbie and Grattan Roberts were pipped for third by Adam Hyland and Bill Staunton from the Royal St. George YC.