12 Flying Fifteens turned out for the last DBSC Thursday race last night (Aug 28th) where the season’s overall positions would be determined.
On arrival at the club the wind was gusting in the high twenties from the south. PRO Jack Roy went out to check conditions and it was all systems go in a force 5-6. The race and the overall series was won by Chris Doorly & Alan Green in Frequent Flyer, which is new to them this year.
The pin end was biased but the line was tricky to get up to on starboard. Dumpleton & Mary Jane Mulligan, and McCambrige & Murphy and the Galvin brothers all had good starts and quickly tacked onto port as Doorly & Green were in irons on the line… not good! They just had to take theirs punishment and once clear started chasing the pack.
It was very close at the weather and there were a lot of raised voices, the Galvins led from McCambridge, Dooley and Dumpleton. Meanwhile Doorly had played the few shifts and was right back in the hunt, staying high at the weather mark they were to windward down the reach to Poldy. Looking behind, those who were in the lead were struggling with their spinakers and broaching — and heading to the wrong mark!
By Poldy, Frequent Flyer had a good lead, Mulvin & Beirne were second with Dumpleton third, McCambridge had dropped right to the back. It was on to a great reach to Zebra and then a beat to Battery, it was still shifty, most of the fleet were bunched together but Doorly & Green had increased their lead even more. It was downwind to Omega mark, to Zebra and a beat to the finish.
Doorly & Green won comfortably but there were still many changes in the next places. Dumpleton led down the run but on the leeward mark had spinnaker issues – it wouldn’t come down so that was that for him. Quick to pounce were Ross Doyle, sailing really well in second place, and McCambridge had done a Lazarus job from the back to take third place with Dave Mulvin fourth and Dooley fifth.
Doorly & Green finished first overall, Tom Galvin second and Tom Leonard third.
It was a great season in the Thursday series, there were fantastic numbers out with many different winners and the courses the team on Freebird set were always excellent. After the drama and excitement of three days at the National Championships last week in Portaferry, this weekend it’s Dublin Bay racing.
Full results
