The Irish University Sailing Association (IUSA) Sailing Intervarsity National Championships took place in Westport Co. Mayo across 4 days from the 15th-19th February. 28 teams from 10 Colleges from all across Ireland, including two Scottish teams took part.

In total, there were over 180 students involved in the Grand Finale of the Irish University Sailing season making for a very competitive and prestigious event. It was organised by Trinity Sailing Club (TCD) and hosted in Westport Sailing Club.

All 28 teams were accordingly sorted into four groups in line with current rankings from the Sailing year so far. In theory, this means that any team competing can walk away with the Title. Racing on the first day therefore determines which teams make up Gold A, Gold B, Silver and Bronze Fleets with more racing and respective Finals to follow from there.

The first day of racing took place on Thursday and albeit a slow start in the morning, racing got underway. UCD 1 plotted in same group as UCD 2 had a perfect day winning all their races to make Gold A and UCD 2 came through when they had to in order to ensure Gold A. UCD 3 and UCD 4 were also in the same group, each winning 4 of their 6 races but with the result of UCD 4 beating UCD 3, they were the ones to make Gold with UCD 3 to Silver. UCD 5 was unlucky in their first day racing, possibly in the toughest group but ended in Bronze Fleet for the following days racing. After the first day, 4 teams had perfect records including UCD 1, UL 1, UCC 1 and surprise packages TCD 3.

On Friday, the second day of racing opened to challenging, very gusty and difficult conditions within the small, enclosed sailing area. In Gold A, it was strangely all UCD and TCD Teams. The upset of the day came in the first race when UCD 1 lost to TCD 3. Winning from a comfortable position, not just one but two of their boats got caught on the one-of-many mooring buoys with their rudders popping up and near-capsizes following just 2 boat lengths from the finish line. Whoopsee! However, they recovered well to win their remaining races including against UCD 2, TCD 1, UCD 4. In Silver, UCD 3 won all their races with no racing completed in Bronze on this day. Racing was then abandoned for the day as the strong, gusty conditions were taking their toll on the boats with 2 boats “holed” due to a few high-impact collisions. Others could call it exciting racing but it was the right decision, until of course the wind promptly dropped off an hour later.

Saturday dawned in excess of 25 knots, force 6 winds with stronger gusts also coming through. This day, suppose to be Finals Day was in jeopardy of not taking place due to the conditions and worsening forecast. At 1pm the unfortunate decision was made and rightly so to cancel racing. Therefore there would be no results or prize-giving at the Black-Tie Ball however the decision was passed to continue Group racing on the Sunday along with Silver and Bronze Fleet Finals.

Gold Fleet Finals were decided to be completed at a later date before the Ball due to the unavailability of Jury and top Umpires on Sunday afternoon. By a bright spark of intervention, the motion was passed to incorporate Gold Fleet Finals Day along with the traditional UCD Vs Trinity (Colours) Head-to-Head event on the 31 March in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin. This should be an excellent exhibition of Team Racing; so save this date!

Sunday was the last day of racing and little wind and slow activity ensued until about 1pm when a nice fresh, medium breeze filled in to provide good, fair racing. Gold A and Gold B groups were completed with UCD 2 winning their 3 races on the day along with UCD 1 their one race to top their group and qualify to Gold Quarter Finals.

UCD 3 made it into Silver Fleet Semi Finals while UCD 5 qualified for Bronze Fleet Semi’s. In clinical fashion, UCD 3 and UCD 5 dispatched their opponents to make it into Finals, a defining moment in anyone’s university sailing career regardless of fleet. UCD 5 went up first against NUIG 2 in the Bronze Final and in the best-of-three decider they prevailed 2-0 to win conclusively and the first silverware of the 2012 Intervarsity’s. UCD 3 had similar opponents in NUIG 1, a fast and dangerous team. Also in the best-of-three, the first race was a very tight affair with UCD 3 shading it to lead 1-0. Pressure on NUIG and in the second, with NUIG sailors getting dizzy doing penalty turns; they won this one easily with a 1-2-3 to take the coveted Silver Fleet Intervarsity win. Nice work!

That leaves only Gold Fleet to decide and with Silver Fleet and Bronze Fleet won by UCD teams, they have firmly put the pressure on their team mates UCD 1 and UCD 2 to deliver in their Gold Fleet Finals racing and make it a UCD “Grand Slam”. Having come 3^rd in 2010, a very, very close 2^nd in 2011 these teams are extremely motivated and ready to train hard for that date and deliver a long-awaited Intervarsity Trophy. Once again, 31 March is the date and well worth a watch from the “Band Stand” within the harbor walls.

Lastly UCDSC would like to thank TCD and Westport Sailing Club for running a superb event. Unfortunate to fall foul of the conditions but everything they could control, they did in a very professional manner. Many thanks must also go to the Jury members, Umpires, OOD, Beach master and Changeover drivers; without whom nothing would happen.

Gold Fleet Quarter Finals Draw (31 March):

UCD 1 Vs UCC 2                     UL1 Vs TCD 1

UCC 1 Vs UCD 2                     UL 2 Vs TCD 2

UCD teams to compete

UCD 1: Simon Doran & Aoife Cooney, Barry McCartin & Eimear McIvor, Aidan McLaverty & Bella Morehead

UCD 2: Michael Harrington & Ciara Browne, David Fitzgerald & Zoe Flood, Alyson Rumball & Caitriona Ni Mhurchu

Final Results:

Silver Fleet

1st- UCD 3

Kevin Doherty & Maeve Lavelle, Ciaran Hurney & Shauna Golden, Colin O’Mahony & Meghan Harbison.

Bronze Fleet

1st- UCD 5

Barry Nolan & Ruth Foy, Ben Fusco & Bronagh Carvill, Vincent Varley & Hodel Herilhy.

Written by:

Barry McCartin