BANTRY Bay Sailing Club hosted the Munster Provincials of the Irish Schools Team Racing recently for the first time. After a slow start, waiting for the wind to fill in, over 40 races were held and a victorious team from Schull won out against the second Schull team to claim back the title.
It was the first time that the event had been held in Bantry and such was the success that ISTRA (Irish School Teams Racing Association) has requested that the national championships be held in Bantry on the May bank holiday weekend.
It is a big undertaking for Bantry Bay Sailing Club but with the support of the members, ISTRA, BMAC, RCYC, Glandore and FOMEC, it is hoped that this should be a spectacular event to watch from the sea wall with the four provinces in firefly dinghies with green and red sails battling it out over the two days.
Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí was represented by Sinead and Conor Hinnell, Aoife Browne, Sean Collins, Dinny O’Shea and Cillian Conner. It was the first time that Bantry was involved in team racing and though they were not successful on this occasion, it is hoped that this will open up greater opportunities for sailing in the school’s curriculums locally.
