Parkin today's winner

A report from the Flying Fifteen Worlds in Dun Laoghaire

The true strength of the Irish Challenge to win the Subaru Flying Fifteen World Championship was reflected in the fact that the boats of both Justin Burke and Sean Craig led at various points of yesterday’s second of seven races on Dublin Bay.

The race had a surprise winner in Briton Barry Parkin, with Sean Craig finishing a close second and Briton Roger Palmer in third.

Hence the overnight leaders are the three British boats of Mike Hart, Roger Palmer and Alan Tattersall, with Justin Burke, Steve Goacher (UK), Gerry Donleavy, Ashley Smith (AUS) and Sean Craig next up.

While the race was held in glorious sunshine, Principle Race Officer Jack Roy was forced by light winds to delay setting his course and wait some two hours for the breeze to pick up to a gentle 6 knots.

Eventually at 2.30pm the 77 boat fleet got cleanly away. A large flotilla of spectator boats watched as Justin Burke /Alan Green led the huge fleet to the first mark. Burke retained command to the second mark but at the completion of the first lap Sean Craig had moved ahead.

A fiercely fought battle at close quarters ensued between the top half dozen boats until Sydney Olympic veteran Barry Parkin and his wife Sue managed to eke out a slender lead they held to the finish line. Parkin had finished 29th in the Sunday first race – so yesterday’s great win was somewhat against form.

For Sean Craig and Steven Boyle the runner up spot puts them firmly back in the hunt after a 25th place in the opening race. With all competitors having a single discard this leaves the series wide open - with Craig, Donleavy and Burke firmly in the frame for a first ever Irish victory at the Flying Fifteen World Championship.

Third place yesterday went to F15 International class president Roger Palmer crewed by his wife Sue. The pairing had doubted whether they could start the event at all – after Sue injured her leg and needed stitches in the Pre World’s last week.

The light airs of the last two days have benefited the lighter crews - and have not suited Gerry Donleavy / Ciaran Crummey and John Lavery / David O’Brien who finished 20th and 39th yesterday respectively.