Winner of Junior Champions' Cup
Academy’s Fiachra Geraghty McDonnell wins 2022 Irish Sailing Junior Champions’ Cup
Academy sailor Fiachra Geraghty McDonnell along with younger sister Caoilinn Geraghty McDonnell is 2022’s Junior Champion of Champions’, nominated from the ICLA 6 class. Caoilinn was also nominated in her own right for this event, but chose to sail with her brother. After a solid performance from the pair throughout the weekend they had the podium in their sights from the very first race.
The weekend started with a steady breeze allowing for racing to get underway promptly after the first warning signal at around 11.00. Fiachra had a promising start taking 1st in the first race of the day, with last year’s winner and fellow Academy teammate Rocco Wright coming in second place. Helms Trevor Bolger, Archie Daly (RSGYC) and Ben O’Shaughnessy (RCYC) also put in solid performances throughout the weekend taking several 1st places between them. This made for tight racing on Saturday with a constant shift in rankings. The Race Committee had to deal with the constant shifts in the wind, adjusting the course where it was needed to create the best racing possible.
Lucia Cullen and Alanna Twomey (RSGYC) who were nominated from the 29er class after becoming the U17 World Champions, had a slow start to the weekend in their first race of the event but immediately warmed up to sailing amongst the top of the fleet for the rest of the championship with impressive results.
Day 2 began quietly as all competitors waited patiently for the wind to fill in. After a great first day of racing it would have been a shame not to see the medal race. And what a medal race it was. Rocco Wright and Fiachra Geraghty McDonnell chased one another around the course about 15 boat lengths ahead of the rest of the fleet. But the Geraghty McDonnell’s boat speed which had worked in their favour all weekend prevailed.
Full results HERE
Irish Sailing would like to extend a big thank you to the team from Fastnet Marine & Outdoor Education Centre Tim, Luke and Sinead for all of their efforts over the weekend, Jury team Ailbe, Ian, Derek, Colin and Tim, Ian for mark laying and safety and to Suzanne, Peter, Harry and Mary-Cait on the Committee Vessel.
Title image: David Branigan