Today the SYWOC fleet endured some frustrating conditions with winds ranging from 2 to 22 knots in heavy swell. The race committee managed to get in only two races in the constantly changing winds, with one windward/leeward and a shortened coastal race. The Irish managed to fair well in the conditions despite, surprise surprise, breaking another piece of key gear, the jib halyard.
In the first race Team Ireland started well in the strong breeze but were unable to get into phase with the shifting conditions. The problematic boat seemed to be moving fast again today but some times just in the wrong direction. Coming onto the last downwind on the final lap of the course Ireland sat unhappily in 7th position. Halfway down the leg the wind managed to drop to almost nothing and shift 180 degrees three times. The race committee controversially decided to continue the racing with the French team leading. Ireland managed to gain only one place in the chaos but due to other teams being over the line at the start they were recorded as finishing 3rd.
The fleet had to wait over an hour to commence the second race. Eventually the race committee managed to get it all under way again when the wind picked back up to around the 15knot mark. This race was to be a coastal race of over 15 miles. With 30 seconds to go before the start, the Irish were dead set for a great start as the furthest boat to the pin. However the halyard holding up their jib went the way of many of their other boat parts and just gave way. The team did admirably to quickly set about switching the halyard and start without losing too much time. The Irish boat raced out to the right of the course and after 2 miles of clear air established themselves in second place going onto the next leg. Again the wind would not hold up and it dropped off just before their next mark rounding. Some of the problems surrounding dropping a jib and raising a spinnaker on the same halyard lead to the Irish giving up second place to the English team on the run. Fortunately the race was shortened and Team Ireland recorded their second 3rd of the day.
Back on land yesterdays problems resurfaced as they still had to go into the protest room to argue their right to redress in two of yesterdays races and for the jib incident in the second race today. The team's dashing legal representative Aidan McLaverty was the man charged with challenging the jury and race committee in the face of poor odds. In spite of this, twenty minutes after entering the dragon's den, Aidan emerged with victory in all three battles. The team's first place in the second race yesterday was reinstated and the two races that were affected by the gear breakages were scored with average points from the day. As a result Team Ireland have surprised many to come back from midfleet to sit in the top three going into the final races tomorrow. Sure that'll be that.
George Kenefick
