Whistlin Dixie wins best boat at Dun Laoghaire Regatta 17/7/07

The four-day Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta concluded on Dublin Bay on Sunday with the outcome in 25 classes decided after a 10-race series in light, variable winds.

The Volvo Trophy for Best Boat overall went to Whistlin Dixie (O’Sullivan/Keelan) of Royal St George YC as a result of winning Class 3 on both IRC and ECHO handicaps while the prize for Best One-Design Boat went to the Ruffian Ruff n Ready (Cullen/Brown/Kirwan) from the National YC with five wins in eight races.

Brian Spence’s McCready Sailboats from the Royal Ulster YC won the Laser SB3 Class and also the Salamander Trophy (presented by the Royal Dee YC) for the Best Visiting Boat. Best Keelboat Award went to David and Sarah Gorman’s Hy5ive, winners in the Flying 15s while first overall in the Super Zeros went inevitably to Colm Barrington’s Flash Glove from the Royal Irish YC.

Notable overseas successes were seen in Class 1 (Keith Lord’s Acrewed Interest from the Isle of man), J/109 (Fry/Bucking Jambo from the Hamble) and J/24 (Tom Clay’s Finn M’Coul from Southampton).

Tigger (Cassidy/Mulhall from Howth) had a double success in the Beneteau 31.7 and there were other Howth successes for Kinetic (Murphy/Colwell) in Class 2 IRC, Gordon Knaggs Jokers Wild in Class 2 ECHO and Gillian Guinness’s Kookaburra in the Squibs.

Roy Dickson (Howth YC) was a popular winner of Class 0 (IRC) after good last day performances while other Howth winners included Peter and Declan McCabe and Andrew Knowles in Class 5 on IRC and ECHO respectively.