Ireland's best sailor to be decided next month

A fleet of national winners and Olympic athletes will gather in Dun Laoghaire in early October to decide Ireland's best sailor for 2002 in the Allianz ISA Helmsman Championship.

The two-day event will be staged at the Royal St George Yacht Club and will be sailed using the International Dragon class keelboat.

The line-up of invitees for the event is headed by 2001 winner Fergal Kinsella from Howth YC.

Currently training in a 2.4m single-hander, this wheelchair athlete held a practice session in a Dragon last week and later confirmed he would be willing to defend his title in the class.

Nominations for the event are made in two ways. Irish classes that have 26 or more national entries automatically nominate their best sailor.

Alternatively, a special Irish Sailing Association committee convenes to nominate 'wild cards' from the panel of elite crews and other top sailors.

Among the top class nominations are several top Irish club and international level sailors.

The 1720 class fields Maurice 'Prof' O'Connell who recently won the European Championship in the UK helming Des Feherty's Aquatack.

Barry O'Neill represents the J24 fleet and was top Irish boat at the recent Europeans on Dublin Bay where he scored eighth overall.

Among the leading nominations are: Maria Coleman, World No 2 in the Europe Class and major Olympic prospect; David Burrows - top Irish sailor at Sydney in the Finn single-hander and another potential for Athens 2004; Tom Fitzpatrick - three times winner of the Helmsman Championship and Olympic contender; John Twomey - top Paralympic sailor and Athens prospect.

The class nominations for the Allianz ISA Helmsman Championship 2002 are as follows:

· Laser Radial Conor Walsh

· Flying Fifteen Justin Burke

· Laser Russell McGovern

· GP14 Hugh Gill

· Squib Ruan O'Tiarnaigh

· Fireball Louis Smythe

· Multihull Neil Mangan

· Shannon OD David Dickson

· 420 Stefan Hyde

· Dragon Neil Hegarty

· Mermaid Sam Shiels

· Cruisers III Brian O'Neill

· J24 Barry O'Neill

· Ruffian 23 Graham Miles

· 1720 Maurice O'Connell

· Wayfarer Paul Killeen

Other wildcard nominations for the Allianz ISA Helmsman Championship to date include Gerald (Gerbil) Owens – 2000 Winner and Athens prospect; Conor Clancy - third in Laser II European Championship; Anthony O'Leary - 1720 Scottish series winner; Ciara Peelo - Bronze Medal at Laser Radial Worlds.