SIGMA 33 CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS

ROYAL IRISH YACHT CLUB DUN LAOGHAIRE

19 -22 June 2008

Tim Goodbody and the crew of White Mischief from the host club, Royal Irish, counted a string of firsts and seconds to win the Sigma 33 Class Championship by a substantial 22 point margin. Runner up was Terence Fair’s Fandango from Royal Ulster. White Mischief also won the Irish championship with Fandango second.

Seventeen boats completed eight windward leeward races just off Dun Laoghaire Harbour in conditions varying from squalls of over 20 knots to almost windless patches with big rolling breaking seas.

Race 1 on the Thursday afternoon had probably the most variable winds, starting fresh from the west in fairly flat seas but continuing shifty in the squalls under the black clouds, forcing mostly number 2 genoas. Here White Mischief took first with Gerry Bell’s Cariad from Royal Ulster second and his clubmate Rob Armstrong in Signet third. Second race that day went to Cariad, with White Mischief second and the third going to the Ted McCourt’s Popje from adjoining Royal St George.

Friday brought completely different weather, with sunny fresh 12 knot breezes, and the number one genoas out in the flat seas. Goodbody again took the winning gun in Race 3 with Dermod Baker’s Shillelagh from National second and Richard Lovegrove’s Rupert (Royal St George) third. In this race Fandango clocked up what turned out to be her discard - 12th. White Mischief’s 9th in Race 4 became her discard, that race going to Cariad with Baker again second. Last race that day was won by Fandango.

Saturday was altogether a different matter, with persistent heavy rain and strong Easterlies lasting most of the day. This produced big seas and some indecision about sails as well as consternation in reading the tides at the windward and wing marks, making for several penalty turns. The start in the third race proved contentious with five boats OCS and not returning. This had an effect on the overall results, as Sunday’s racing was cancelled due to winds of over 40 knots.

So with eight races completed and seven to count it was White Mischief and Fandango in that order, followed by Cariad and Signet, whose tie was split on first places.

Results

1. White Mischief Tim Goodbody Royal Irish Yacht Club
2 Fandango Fair, Byers and Prentice Royal Ulster Yacht Club
3 Cariad Gerry Bell Royal Ulster Yacht Club
4 Signet Rob Armstrong Royal Ulster Yacht Club
5 Shillelagh Dermod Baker National Yacht Club
6 Blues Hamilton and Milne Royal Ulster Yacht Club

Betty Armstrong

Silver Fleet