PETER McCANN and DAIRE COURNANE STRIKE GOLD FOR RCYC AT LOUGH DERG

The Optimist Connaught Championships took place at the weekend on the 29^th and 30^th of May at Lough Derg Yacht Club.

National Trials winner, Peter McCann won the Senior Gold Fleet with a total score of 5 points while Daire Cournane, the current Munster Junior champion, on 5 points also, added the Connaught Junior Title to his growing collection.

Just as it had been at the Munsters, two weeks previous, the wind forecast for the weekend was light winds on Saturday and even lighter winds or possibly no wind on Sunday.

The forecast proved to be correct and with the fleets launching circa 12.00 noon on Saturday, progress to the race area was quite slow. The race officer was anxious to get under way as soon as possible and the first gun went soon after both fleets had arrived to the race area.

In the Senior fleet, Patrick Crosbie, in conditions that were light and shifty, raced a very sensible race to take first place, followed by Peter McCann. Then, what has now become something of a feature this year, came the RCYC pack or peleton , this time it was, Seafra Guilfoyle in 5^th, Philip Brownlow 6^th, Cian Byrne 7^th, Harry Whitakker 8^th, and Eoin Lyden 11^th.

In the Junior fleet’s first race, Daire Cournane served early warning of his intentions with a 1^st, followed then for RCYC, by his brother Ronan in 7^th Jamie Tingle 9^th and Criofan Guilfoyle 10^th.

Race 2, the Junior fleet got away in very light wind and made painful progress up the first beat. The Senior fleet then followed and as the difficulties encountered showed no signs of improving, the OD shortened both courses and finished both fleets in good time, as otherwise both races might have had to be abandoned.

The Junior race was won by the ever consistent Daire Cournane followed by the rapidly improving Conor O’Beirne (RStGYC) 2^nd and Sandy Aplin (RStGYC) in 3^rd.Next best for RCYC were Adam D’arcy with a well earned 8^th place and Ronan Cournane in 10^th.

In the Senior Race 2, Peter McCann had a well deserved 1^st, with Patrick Crosbie 3^rd, and Eoin Leyden in a great 5^th finish. The RCYC peleton did not feature in this race mainly due to the lack of wind and Jill McGinley was the only other RCYC sailor in the top ten with a well deserved 9^th place.

Race 3. got under way on a shortened course. The junior race was won by Fergus Flood (HYC) and Daire Cournane uncharacteristically finished in 7^th , followed by Adam D’Arcy with his second 8^th position, in successive races.

Race 3 for the Senior fleet was won in great fashion by Ruairi Finnegan (WHSC) when, with only yards to go, from 3^rd position, he very cleverly overtook our own Patrick Crosbie 2^nd and Peter McCann 3^rd to take the honour. The RCYC peleton was missing again, and only Seafra Guilfoyle 8^th and Jill McGinley made a top ten finish.

The wind had begun to rise slightly at this stage and the Race Officer made the brave decision that a 4^th race would be run due to the likelihood that there might not be sufficient wind to hold any races on Sunday.

Race 4 Junior: Daire Cournane showed that his previous race was a temporary aberration when he once again, in fine style, claimed 1^st place.

Race 4 Senior: Peter McCann also showed that his previous race was a temporary hiccup when he stormed back into 1^st place, and in so doing began to put a stranglehold on the Championship. Thankfully, the RCYC peleton was back with Sophie Browne 3^rd, Philip Brownlow 4^th, Seafra Guilfoyle 5^th , Harry Whitaker 7^th and Patrick Crosbie in the unaccustomed position of 10^th.

Sunday dawned with the possibility that the breeze present at launching might stay with the fleets.

Race 5 Junior, got under way and in lightening conditions was won by Harry Craig (RStGYC) with Daire Cournane wrapping up the Connaught Junior title in 2^nd place. He was followed by Matthew Kehoe with a magnificent 4^th place, Ronan Cournane 5^th and Adam D’Arcy with his best result of the championship in 6^th place.

Race 5 for the Seniors commenced and the wind started to decline completely, to the extent, that by the time the Senior fleet commenced their last run, there was hardly a puff of wind present. As the leaders slowly made their way to the last mark a traffic jam developed and there was some serious shouting going on. Peter McCann held on to 1^st place from Seafra Guilfoyle 2^nd, Philip Brownlow 3^rd, Patrick Crosbie 4^th, Harry Whitaker 6^th, Cian Byrne 8^th and Sophie Browne 9^th . The RCYC peleton was well and truly back in position finishing the event in fine style.

The conditions were so bad at the finish that 32 of the fleet were out of time and it was a great credit to the skill and perseverance of the young RCYC sailors that we had seven sailors finish in the top ten.

The threat of Race 6 hung in the air until the Race Officer having checked with lookouts in Killaloe and Scarriff, and having learned that there would be no wind coming in the immediate future, declared that there would not be a sixth race. Needless to say, this brought whoops of delight from all of the young sailors on the lake.

Peter McCann had deservedly won the Senior Title but had been pushed all the way by his clubmate, Patrick Crosbie in 2^nd place. Eva Donworth claimed 5^th overall in the Senior Silver fleet with Louise Shanahan just outside the prizes in 6^th place overall.

Daire Cournane won his second title of the season and is one to keep an eye on for the remainder of the season.

The Junior silver fleet was won by Daniel Raymond (NYC) , Ronan Cournane was a very competitive 2^nd and 8^th overall in the Junior fleet. Then a truly remarkable achievement  by Adam D’Arcy who finished 3^rd Silver, not alone did Adam achieve 3^rd silver, but he also finished 9^th overall in the Junior Fleet

Once again, the RCYC Senior sailors, for the second time this season, had seven sailors completing the event in the top ten positions.

In the Regatta fleet, Lucy Donworth was Miss. Consistency, with a 3^rd place and three 6^th places, to finish top RCYC sailor in fifth place overall, followed by Emily Whitaker in 17^th place, Luke McGrath in 18^th place, and Rachel Thompson in 26^th place.

The RCYC is truly proud of all of it’s young sailors who participated in this event and who brought such honour to the Club by their performances on the water.

Full list of RCYC positions

Position

1^st Peter McCann

2^nd Patrick Crosbie

5^th Sèafra Guilfoyle

6^th Philip Brownlow

8^th Harry Whitaker

9^th Eoin Leyden

10^th Sophie Browne

11^th Cian Byrne

13^th Jill McGinley

30^th Eva Donworth

43^rd Rory Martin

Sophie Browne and Jill McGinley also honoured the Club by finishing as the first and second placed girls overall.

In the Junior fleet the results were:

1^st Daire Cournane

8^th Ronan Cournane

9^th Adam D’arcy

21^st Anna Kelly

26^th Criofan Guilfoyle

27^th Matthew Kehoe

28^th Jamie Tingle

29^th Mike Varnam

34^th Richard Thompson

35^th Claire O’Sullivan

37^th Charley Breen

38^th Rebecca O’Shaughnessy

39^th Barry Shanahan

40^th Richard McGinley

44^th Harry Durcan

49^th James McCann

56^th Thomas McGrath