Ireland showed again they are driving the sport of dinghy team racing to new levels of participation with 'The Elmo'. Hosted by Royal St George Yacht Club in Dublin's sailing stadium of Dun Laoghaire Harbour over the weekend.
A record 36 school age teams assembled and many more had applied. It is by far the biggest youth sailing event in Ireland and two teams from the UK also attended. They would compete in 6 flights of colour matched Fireflys in the normal 3 boat vs 3 boat format - internationally recognised as the signature pinnacle format of tactical sailing. Speed and shrewd individual and team tactics being in perfect balance. Across the weekend a round robin ladder system was used to keep the action flowing with well-matched racing the norm.
By the end of Saturday with 138 races done - time to party hard. Rutland Raiders convincingly lost the karaoke competition despite being the only participants, but their time would come.
As a very light wind Sunday dawned the overnight leaders were team Prestige Worldwide who restlessly held the mantle of knowing they had to attempt to fend off The Leaders Curse. A further 42 round robin races were held and then the ladder (also known as a Swiss League) part of the competition was brought to a close. The PRO David Bolger and Event guru John Sheehy earned their glowing reputations when tough calls had to be made. Tempting as it was to wait it out for breeze and stick with the quarter-final plan... and the added attractive prospect that this could force the Brits to miss their flight... but no... sporting fairness prevailed and by about 3pm and several postponements for the fickle breeze they cut straight to semi-finals to commence battle in a 'robust' 5 knots from the SE.
Rutland Raiders took their semi against team 'Where's Peter?'. Schull Sharks, reigning Irish School Champions would join Raiders in the final having handled the cursed Prestige Worldwide. Ultimately Prestige and 'Where's Peter' should still hold their 'soon to be university student' heads high. Prestige won the competitive one race shoot out petit final against team 'Where's Peter?'.
Unknown to Schull the Raiders had been undergoing a light air training program over the summer that had included the Firefly Nationals on the Cornish Riviera. From the outset the Raiders showed both consistent speed and also a snappy but smooth boat handling that gave them an edge. Raiders generally were leading the approach to start lines and held that advantage despite the tenacity of the Schull team that particularly showed itself on the runs of both races in the final.
Rutland Raiders (winners): Dylan Beatty, Oliver Mckee, Georgiana Caldecott, Harry Rowlands, Katie Robinson, Harry Burge
Rutland Rebels (10th): Luke Rowlands, Annabelle Hacker, Annabel Caldecott, Beau Beesley, Jude Beatty, Grace Cullen
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