Day 1 of the Irish Youth Sailing National Championships

A crisp, sunny spring day greeted the 57 youth sailors who began competing at the ISA (Irish Sailing Association) Youth National Championships on Lough Derg, Co. Tipperary this afternoon. Entrants in both the Laser Radial and 420 classes sailed the scheduled three races in gusty 10 to 15 knot winds. They will be joined by a further 150 sailors tomorrow when the Laser 4.7, Topper and Optimist fleets take to the lake for three more days of highly competitive racing.

It was neck and neck at the head of the Laser Radial fleet as four old rivals tested their limits in the pursuit of the top spot. Race 1 got underway at midday with Robbie Gilmore from Belfast narrowly taking the win from Fionn Lyden and Seafra Guilfoyle, both from Cork, who finished in second and third place respectively. Gilmore didn't get off to the best start in Race 2 but he fought his way to the top of the 42 boat fleet to take his second win of the day. Finishing in second place was Finn Lynch from Carlow followed by Guilfoyle in third.

Race 3 began shortly before 3.00pm but this time it was Lynch who took the bullet. Gary Fekkes from East Antrim came in second but Gilmore wasn't too far behind and claimed third place. His two earlier wins coupled with the third place finish meant Robbie Gilmore had won today's battle on the water and will start racing tomorrow from the top of the leader board on 5 points. Finn Lynch also had a respectable day and follows Gilmore closely on 7 points. Guilfoyle had a 9th in Race 3 which, although in third place overall, gives him a total of 15 points.

In the double-handed 420 fleet it was Robert Dickson and crew Sean Waddilove from Dublin that took the first win. They faced serious pressure from two rival teams for the 45 minute race but in the end it was the Dubliners expertise that clinched it. The duo were followed closely by Corkonians Peter McCann and Arran Walsh in second and Patrick Crosbie and Grattan Roberts, also from Cork, in third. The three teams spent the next two races battling for the top three spots but Race 1 ultimately was an indication of how the day would end.

Taking their first win of the regatta in Race 2 was pairing McCann / Walsh followed by Dickson / Waddilove while brothers Harry and David Whitaker, yet another team from Cork, took third place. Having won one race each it came down to Race 3 to decide who would finish Day 1 in pole position; Dickson and Waddilove or McCann and Walsh? Earning their second bullet of the day, it was Dickson / Waddilove that sailed to victory in Race 3 finishing the first day of the 2013 ISA Youth National Championships on a total of 4 points. In second place overall on 7 points is McCann / Walsh followed closely by Crosbie / Roberts on 9 points. The

Racing will continue tomorrow until Sunday (7th of April) as over 200 sailors across all of the ISA Performance Pathway classes compete for the coveted places on summer squads and teams for international events.