Ireland Challenge 2006
by Rachel Anning 27 Apr 2006 14:16 BST
Me to You pips Spirit of Sark to the post at the finish of the Ireland Challenge 2006
At the 11th hour Me to You, skippered by Justin Taylor, stole the lead from Richard Franklin’s Spirit of Sark to take first place in the Ireland Challenge 2006.
Since Day 2, Spirit of Sark had been the clear leaders in the five yacht inaugural race from Dublin to Dublin. They were first around the Fastnet Rock but a bold southerly strategy paid off for Me to You and they arrived as the winners at 19.39.35BST last night (26th April 2006).
Clearly exhausted, following little sleep, at the end of the race, and a nail biting conclusion to the event, Justin Taylor explained his jubilation at the finish line: “This morning we were looking at masts, and we knew we had light airs, so we had a choice of follow the other yachts or go with the tide, so we went with the tide. We knew we would be lee bowed, so as we were pushed landward we started seeing three other masts, knew one of them were Sark, and knew we had to beat them.”
Towards the end of the race positions were swapping at every poll. In the end, second place went to Spirit of Sark who arrived at 20.00.20BST, with Pindar holding onto their podium 3rd place and arriving at 20.31.40BST. Samsung raced in to take fourth at 20.49.32BST and in fifth place was Spencer Dock at 22.01.46BST - the yacht which had crossed the start line in first just five days previously.
It was an agonising finish for Spencer Dock particularly, with winds dropping to just three knots. However they still finished just 2 hours and 20 minutes behind Me to You after five solid days of night and day racing.
The weather throughout the whole of the Ireland Challenge ranged from spinnaker flying near the start through to Force 9 and the yachts surfing up to speeds of 20 knots; the Atlantic swells making for some hard and fast racing. Justin Taylor summed it up "We've seen everything, light airs, heavy airs. Up the west coast was phenomenal sailing, the waves, the wind - 40 knots, poled out no. 2, 20 knots boat speed, some of the best sailing I have ever done, I've been round the world but that was some of the best sailing I have ever done."
Friends and family waited in eager anticipation at Dublin City Moorings for their hero crews and the party kicked off with a true Irish welcome.