Schull Community College retains national team racing title
MORE than 100 young sailors descended on West Cork recently for the inaugural Fastnet Trophy, which was hosted by Schull Community College Sailing Club and the Fastnet Marine Outdoor Education Centre.
With teams traveling from as far afield as Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Suffolk in England, the event marks a new highlight in the school team racing calendar.
The National Schools Team Racing Championships were incorporated into the event by Irish Sailing and the Irish Team Racing Association, which added greatly to the sense of occasion on what was a hugely successful weekend.
After two windy, action-packed days on the water braving intense winds, the RHS Blue team from the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk emerged victorious, claiming the Fastnet Trophy in impressive fashion.
Local teams Schull Sharks and Schull Seals sailed their way to second and third places respectively, ensuring strong home representation on the Fastnet Trophy podium and clinching the national team racing title in the process.
This is the second consecutive year that Schull Sharks have claimed the National team racing title for the Mizen school. The SCC team consisted of Ryan O’Driscoll, Lucy Copithorne, Daniel Copithorne, Heidi Hogan, Dylan O’Driscoll and Aidan O’Reilly. Schull Seals, the Munster champions, came a close second.
Despite very blustery conditions on Friday, the event got off to a flying start with a remarkable 120 races completed by sundown. Each team completed 15 races on Friday alone, showcasing the smooth running of the event and the stamina of the teams involved. Saturday's racing was called off due to gale-force winds, but spirits remained high as sailors, coaches, and supporters gathered for a gala dinner hosted at Schull Community College. Conditions eased enough on Sunday for racing to resume, and another 56 races were completed in competitive style. Ultimately, it was RHS Blue who took home the inaugural Fastnet Trophy.
With its stunning setting in Schull harbour, top-tier competitors, and international flavour, the Fastnet Trophy is already being hailed as a standout fixture in youth sailing.
