Clifden's "Sailing Secretary and Race Officer's " Report

2007

WIORA 2007
'07 Accommodation List

Full list of '07 entrants

2007 Results
Class 1 ... IRC ... ECHO
Class 2 ... IRC ... ECHO
Class 3 ... IRC ... ECHO
White Sails (ECHO)

WIORA 2007 PHOTOS
© Giles Fraser www.bigskyfish.com

For other event photos go to
www.ob2photography.com

WIORA '07 Editorials

Clifden takes the "Dubarry West Coast Superleague 2007" by storm.

Two Clifden yachts won their classes in the 2007 Superleague.

Class 3 was won by Hallmark, from Clifden,
Class 2 was won by Egalite, from Clifden,
Class 1 was won by Chaos, from Kilrush.

And the "Overall Title 2007" goes to Jackie Ward's "Hallmark" from Clifden Boat Club.

Report 28th October '07
Kilrush October Series ... is done and dusted .. after another long "Round the Cans" race with winds gusting to gale force ... "Hallmark" got off to a good start and held "Battle" back, all the way to the end.
Clifden's "Hallmark" wins Class 3, with "Battle" in second, and "Saronya" in third.
You can check the results below ...
Class 1 IRC, Class 1 ECHO, Class 3 IRC, Class 3 ECHO, Whitesails.

View a slideshow of Hallmark racing in Kilrush ... here ...Courtesy of the Western Yacht Club.

Report 24th October '07
Kilrush October Series ... only one race held last Sunday ... a long "Round the Cans" ...
Hallmark was victorious ... but now it's all down to the last race this Saturday 27th to see who will win Class 3 ... our "Hallmark" or "Battle" from Foynes ...
with ex-Clifden yacht "Saronya" in third place.

Report 17th October '07
Kilrush October Series ... well under way ... 4 races down ... 2 more planned next Sunday ... and 1 more planned for Sat 27th ...
then the Prize-Giving Ball that Saturday night at the "Harbour Restaurant".

Report 8th October '07
Check out the photos of WIORA'07, courtesy of Giles Fraiser ... I've put some of them on the side bar to the right. You can also click on the link in the Green Box to the right, to download any or all of them, or just to see the full collection.

Report 6th October 2007
Well folks ... we've come to the end of the sailing season ... without a single protest !!!
Well done to all involved ... we've had four successfull Yacht racing series, plus the WIORA'07, weekly Dinghy Racing, a Dinghy Regatta, two Flotilla Cruises to Bofin ... and the RIB Raid organised by Pat Pryce.
Let's try and better that for 2008 ... with more "Yacht Cruises in Company" and "Powerboat Outings". (I hear there are some local "Speed Records" to be set and challenged).

All that's left now is the October Series in Kilrush ... the last event of the "Superleague 2007".
Hallmark is there and ready to race.

Preliminary results for the Superleague 2007 show:
"Chaos" of Kilrush leading Class 1 ...
"Egalite" of Clifden leading Class 2 ...
"Hallmark" of Clifden leading Class 3 ... and looking like the "Overall Winner".
Worth noting is that "Hallmark" raced in Class 2 for three out of the six events including
Galway Regatta where she got the title of "Overall Winner".

Meanwhile, back at home, the results and "Prize-Giving" for our "Spring Series", "Pre-WIORA Series", "Summer Series" and Autumn League the "RNLI Cup" will take place at our "Laying-Up Supper" on Friday 16th November. Details on this to follow shortly.

Any further news will be posted here ... keep watching this space.

14 September - 17 Sept 2007
Just like to write a brief report on boat trip from Clifden to Clare Island,Organised by Pat Pryce.
Left Clifden bay at 8 o'clock on Friday evening with 7 ribs to Inishbofin. Ribs were from Barna and Galway friends of Pat. Saturday went to Clare island wind was force 6 - 7 blowing south west ok for the trip down but bad for the way back.Once down on Clare a rib from Westport joined us he was Jerry ,he had the photographer on board for Wiora, all in total was a eleven ribs. So I got a lift back up with him and went wave jumping , did we get airborne. Up to Inishturk north for more refreshments , and off again for the last leg. Sunday was a force 4- 5 blowing Westerly so the crossing wasn't to bad on the way home. I would just like to thank Pat Pryce for organising such a great weekend away.
Regards, Aaron Warnock.

Report 6th September '07
Damian here ... we'll I'm in the Azores at the moment ... about to leave for the US ... sailing that is.
A new Salina 48 Cat ... called "Ashali" ... wish me the best, the weather isn't looking great for us.
Will be back posting the news here ... when I get to Annapolis (The US) ... that could be three weeks away.

And the RNLI Cup series is well under way ... 3 races down ... the results are at the bottom of the side bar on the left of this page.

Report 4th September '07
The Bofin trip was a smashing success! We had over 20 people there at the Dolfin and they served us a lovely and very filling meal. The starter could have been the main course
The weather forecast was for force 5-6 winds out of the west posted at 1 pm on Saturday.
We had a wonderful time and there was music since so many musicians came for the wedding at Day's.
Boats that went were Anthony Previte "Kerri", Jackie Ward "Hallmark", Aaron Warnock "Sea Witch", Roger and Nikki "X-Rated", Peter and Paula Vine "Suaimhneas", and the crew of "Running Tide".
Mary Kenny.

Report 3rd September '07
Just writing a brief report on the club trip to Inishbofin on Saturday1st of September.
Well weather wise we couldn't ask for a better weekend, force 5 - 6 forecasted, but never really came just breezy, mist and odd shower I headed off to boffin with a 40 minute delay as my boat Sea Witch wasaground on the beach .Very low tide . Once adrift Roger Snow and co were setting sail. Off I went at full throttle, had to slow outside Inishturk, bit of a swell. Passed Friars Island and overtook Hallmark for the lastleg. Tied up to the new pier below Days hotel along side Hallmark, which arrived a short while later. Up to the Dolphin for dinner, 18 of us I counted, and a few beers. Off to bed ,up next morning down to Hallmark for breaky , and once the fry was on , the smell of the fry arouse all others sailors out of there bed .And down they came to Hallmark for coffee and tea . Headed back down to Clifden boat club for lunch .
Regards, Aaron Warnock.

Report 25th August '07
I am away for the next few weeks, but as long as the crew at the club send me reports and results, I should be able to post them here, to keep you up to date.

Report 21st August '07
Clifden's Flotilla Cruise in Company to Bofin is on 1st and 2nd September. It is the turn of Days Hotel to be the venue for the Dinner on Saturday night, but they are full with a wedding.
Pat Coyne, of the Dolphin Hotel and Restaurant, will be catering for us.
Accommodation on the Island might be hard to find ... I recommend you book something asap.
I am taking the bookings for our Club Dinner .. please email me or call me asap with your expected numbers. warddamian@hotmail.com or 087- 241 85 69.
For more info on the Island go to www.inishbofin.com.

Report 20th August '07
Racing in the "RNLI Cup" series has been postponed for one week 'til Tuesday 28th August ... due to some crew being away, some boats being away and some boats awaiting repairs.

Report 18th August '07
Our Summer Series is over ... we just got the minimum three required races in to constitute the series.
See the results here ... IRC and ECHO

Next up is our RNLI Cup Series ... starting this Tuesday 21st Aug.
Click here for the "Notice of Race".

Report 16th August '07
Due to a late cancellation, we now have two spaces available on next weeks
Dinghy Sailing Course.
Contact Jackie Ward on 095-21898 for booking details.

Brian, our Senior Instructor (along with Thomas and Kenny) has made Evening Dinghy Sailing Courses available this last two weeks to try and facilitate the extra people looking for sailing lessons ... as the courses have been booked out all season ... this is also going very well.

Starting Monday 27th August we have spaces available for an Adult Dinghy Sailing Course.
For booking info on this also please contact Jackie Ward on 095-21898.

Report 15th August '07
I've been away alot and haven't had time to update recently ... I also don't have all the results to hand yet. But, in brief ...
We haven't had race 4 of our summer series yet, due to bad weather and people being busy.
The dinghies on wednesday evenings are going well ... we had two races last week ... not sure what's happening tonight.
Three of Clifden's yachts raced in Galway last weekend ...
Hallmark got fisrt in class, with Egalite second in class, and Back Draft not doing quite so well ... Full results click here.
Hallmark did get the Event Title of "Overall Winner" !!!
Click here to see the Galway Independent Article
And here to see the ISA article

More news to follow regarding planned cruises, to look after the none racing yachts.
The next being our Club Flotilla Cruise in Company to Bofin, coming soon, 1st and 2nd Sept.

Thursday 2nd August: Summer Series Race 3: With a southerly breeze, our usual start line wasn't usable. We picked two of the visitors moorings under the castle to start. Windward mark was another visitor mooring (CBC 19) on the southern shore. Then we had two "Sausage Laps" between the Coastguard Mark and the Hawk's Nest Mark. Then to the finish line.
Race 3: IRC ... Hallmark, Egalite, X-Rated.
Race 3: ECHO ... X-Rated, Egalite, Hallmark.

Report Tuesday 31st July, yacht racing cancelled.

Report 29th July '07
We've put up the "Notice of Race" for racing in our new fleet of "Laser Pico" dinghies.
Planned to start Wednesday 1st August ... Briefing at 6.30pm ...first start planned for 7pm.
W e have six picos and the spaces are filling up, so much so that we now have the first fleet full and are making allowances to race a second fleet ... book your boat now!!! If there is enough interest (which would seem so) we will run a series.
Click here to see the Dinghy News, Results and reports.

Report 26th July '07
Ok, we're back on track with our Summer Series ... Tuesday 24th July was also cancelled, three yachts did turn up to race, but all three agreed not to race ... it was a bit windy (not too much) and very wet. This suited Egalite very much, it was still in Sligo.
Thursday 26th July: After many Classic "Windward/Leeward" courses ... tonight I went for a "Round the Cans" course ... this also was made much easier for me as Vice Commodore, Andrew Bell, was doing the time-keeping. So, three laps later, this is how it went:
Race 2: IRC ... Hallmark, X-Rated, Running Tide.
Race 2: ECHO ... X-Rated, Hallmark, Misty.

Report 23rd July '07
The fourth Superleague event … Sligo Regatta (NORA Championships)…20th, 21st & 22nd July.
A good event was had. 14 yachts entered, 2 didn't race, leaving 12 on the start line. These were split in to two classes (Class1 and 2).
Hallmark was the only Class 3 yacht there and had to race in Class 2 along with Clifden's Egalite.
Six Races were planned ... the first was abandoned half way through due to non suitable weather (unfortunatley this was probably Hallmark's best race, but doesn't count). Considering Hallmark is a class 3 yacht (making her the slowest on paper in this class 2 fleet) we managed to perform well on the water, after 5 races, claiming a 2nd Overall in Class 2 IRC. Egalite got 4th Overall in Class 2 IRC..

Here are the results from the Sligo Regatta (Northwest Offshore Racing Association):

NORA IRC Class 1... Overall: Esperanto, That's Life, Xena.
NORA ECHO Class 1... Overall: Esperanto, That's Life, X-Div.

NORA IRC Class 2 ... Overall: Chilli Padi, Hallmark, Ruthless.
NORA ECHO Class 2 ... Overall: Chilli Padi, Ruthless, Utopia.

Click here to read the reports from Galway Bay Sailing Club on this event .... By John Preisler.

Report 19th July '07
Clifden's Summer Series, scheduled to start on Tuesday 10th July, was postponed for a week 'til Tuesday 17th July … as we were all still busy, taking care of the aftermath of WIORA.
Race 1: IRC ... Hallmark, Egalite, X-Rated.
Race 1: ECHO ... X-Rated, Misty, Egalite.
Racing on the following Thursday 19th was cancelled as only two yachts were there to race (3 needed to constitute a valid race in this series). Both Hallmark and Egalite had gone to the Sligo Regatta.

Report 10th July '07
4th to 7th July saw the "WIORA West Coast Championships 2007", proudly sponsored by The Clifden Station House, which was a huge success … so much so that we were asked to host it again in 2008. We think this is the first time any club will host it two years in a row. You can read the reports on that event from the "Results and Reports Page" (back one).

Report 29th June '07
On the 19th June we managed to run a series of practice races on the lead up to WIORA …
so we called this our "Pre-WIORA Series".
In IRC Hallmark took the title, followed only one point behind by X-Rated, and Egalite taking 3rd place.
In ECHO The placing were the same Hallmark, X-Rated, Egalite.

Report 16th June '07
The OSM 100 Mile Race, the second event of the Superleague, was on the 15th June, from Fenit (Tralee Bay Sailing Club) to Baltimore, Co. Cork. No Clifden boats participated … mostly as it was going the wrong way for us … 100 miles to get to the start line, race another 100 miles away from home, and then have to sail 200 miles to get back home. Last year it was from Fenit to Clifden … hopefully it will be the same again next year.

Report 30th May '07
Clifden's Club Flotilla was the following weekend 26th&27th May … a nice weekend away was had … and dinner in the Doonmore Hotel for 21 of our members.

Report 9th May '07
Our Spring Series was to start on Tuesday 10th April It was postponed 'til Thursday 19th April … as not all our club yachts had been launched. We did manage to get six races in before the first Superleague event.
In IRC Hallmark was victorious, followed by X-Rated (performing well for the start of this season), and only one point behind was Back Draft.
In ECHO Hallmark got it … Back Draft and X-Rated had equal points, but on Tie-Break, Back Draft got 2nd and X-Rated in 3rd.

We have a busy racing schedule in place for the 2007 season. Our local racing has been scheduled around the six main events of the "Dubarry West Coast Superleague".

Damian Ward … Clifden's Sailing Secretary and Race Officer.