Team Ireland Success in Braassemermeer '08

With a race win, a 1st in the Bronze fleet, a 1st in the Silver Fleet, and six sailors ranked in the gold fleet this must rate as one of the most successful Irish campaigns to the Dutch event so far.

Team Ireland's very own story in pictures can be viewed here http://www.iodai.com/gallery/Brass-weather-in-Holland

All pictures have captions to help you follow the story.  (It would now be good if future picture contributors could caption their photos (a simple list would do) - it makes for a more interesting slideshow. Webmaster.)

Here's the story:

With Mr Charles Bolger in charge, the trip planning was faultless.  Hotel, flights, food, work rotas, oppie trailer movements, coaching, mother ship, etc etc all went without a hitch.  However he could not possibly have planned for one thing - THE WEATHER!

With the coldest temperatures experienced at the Easter Regatta for years our sailors experienced some of the most horendous conditions ever.  With rain and sleet driven by icy winds the chill factor kept the week's temperature hovering around the zero mark.  However, not one of our sailors uttered one word of complaint.  They put the gear on every morning (ALL of it) and went out racing with smiles on their faces.  When not racing the permanent uniform of Team Ireland was the Viking Marines sponsored clothing - hoodies AND Musto snugs being worn at all times.  www.vikingmarine.ie

Day1: (Good Friday) With a late start scheduled for the first day of the regatta proper only one race for all flights was possible.  Windy and cold.  Ali Dix posted a very credible 7th place  

Day 2: Day Two say the windiest conditions of the regatta with racing suspended and eventually abandoned after estimated wind gusts of over 30 knots were reported.  Race management did however get two races completed.  Conditions were such that the International jury were moved to post the following note on the official noticeboard:

Day 3: (Easter Sunday) While the cold for the first few days of coaching and racing came as a bit of a shock, no one was really prepared for what greeted us as we arrived at the Yacht Club on Day Three of the regatta.  A hard overnight frost saw ice on all the boats and water not bailed out the previous day had frozen solid.  Mainsheets, blocks and painters had to be defrosted in hot water to get everything ready for racing.  It was also the day we recorded our race win.  In a close fought battle in the first race, Alexanader Rumball came out on top with the usual biggest smile you have ever seen.  Alexander eventually finished a 18th overall - a fantastic result.

Day 4: Well we thought we had everything thrown at us.  On Day four (Easter Monday) we awoke to a 2" blanket of snow outside out hotel windows.  With no hills in Holland our drive to the Yacht club went without hitch.  Things were a bit slow getting started due to the snow but once the boats were rigged and the sailors dressed, the biggest International Snowball fight ever took place around the Marina.  Combined forces from Geat Britain, Belguim, Ireland, Holland, USA, Sweden among others took part in raging battles which lasted over an hour.  There were zero casualties, tensions were relieved, great fun was had by all, and widespread peace eventually broke out when the sailing postponement ended.  Prominent mention was made of the event in the official closing speeches and several local newspapers.  The Guiness Book of Records is being consultated to see if an entry is warranted. 

Day four also saw the fleet split into Gold, Silver and Bronze categories based on results so far.  Top 90 Gold, next 90 Silver and the remainder Bronze.  With 6 sailors in Gold, 7 in Silver, and 3 in Bronze, Team Ireland had interest throughtout the fleet.

Aodh Kennedy won the Silver Fleet Prize while Mark Condy won top honours in the Bronze fleet. 

Irish results:  (Although there is a split for the final day, scoring is carried throughtout the regatta). 

Gold Fleet:

Silver Fleet

Bronze Fleet

Full results are available at http://www.braassemermeer.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=191&Itemid=131 

However, if its pictures of the sailing and the conditions you want to see, look here http://www.vanderkaaden.org/fotoalbum-zeilen/index.html There are literally hundreds of pics of each days racing.