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1720 European Championship
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| A small but competitive 1720 fleet came to Dun Laoghaire from 9-11 July for an excellent championship. Boats came from the North and South of Ireland, from England and from Italy. The event was hosted by the very friendly National Yacht Club providing a great venue for typical 1720 socialising. The first day provided perfect 1720 weather with the wind building to a Force 6 and Race Officer Jack Roy getting 3 good races off quickly and efficiently, as he did all Championship. On the water the quickest boat was Key Yachting skippered by Shane Hughes and with Nick Cherry helming. They won the first two races from Nicholas O’Leary in Wet N Ready and came second in the third and final race of the day. However, they were subsequently disqualified over a port and starboard incident at the start of the second race. The third race was the windiest and most incident packed with Ronan Downing’s HWBC losing her mast & Cathy McAleavy’s Hoot losing a crew member overboard, recovering him and going on to complete the race. At the front Adam Winkelmann’s Yoke lead the fleet home in imperious fashion. The wind had moderated for the second day and Nicholas O’Leary showed that he was determined to improve on his second place of last year by winning the first two races and coming third in the final race. This last race saw David Geal and his crew in White Light leading round the first mark from Mark Greenaway’s La Licorne. While La Licorne was subsequently caught by Key Yachting and Wet N Ready, White Lightning held on to win the race. White Lightning is sailed out of Eastbourne and is part of the recent growth in the 1720 class outside its traditional heartlands. Congratulations are also due to Ronan Downing & his crew who by working most of the night managed to get out racing again with a replacement mast. The final day started with Wet N Ready leading from Yoke and Key Yachting but with all to sail for. Key Yachting won the first race of the day from Yoke and La Licorne and then won the second from Yoke and Tom Clay’s crew in Finn M’Coul who were having a very consistent series. The final race started with Key Yachting and Wet N Ready level on points after discard and with Yoke only 3.5 points further behind. By the first run the three championship contenders were in the first three places. Yoke was leading followed by Wet N Ready and Key Yachting. The whole championship was then decided by a call for room at the bottom mark by Key Yachting on Wet N Ready which led to a protest. Key Yachting came second to Yoke on the water but lost the subsequent protest to give Nicholas O’Leary and his crew on Wet N Ready the 2007 European Championship.
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