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Almost 40 competitors took part at Round 4 of the Irish Windsurfing Championships in Bantry Bay, held over the weekend of the 14-15th August 2010.  The turn out was excellent considering the weather forecast for the weekend was for very light winds and soaring temperatures.

 

Bantry Bay was not only a new location for the Irish Slalom Series, but use of the Bantry Airfield for a windsurfing competition was never before completed.  A lucky few had been able to sample the event site a few weeks before hand, and those who did, knew there was great potential for a thrilling competition.  The local town representatives were out in force too to welcome us, with Bantry Town Mayor paying us a visit at the "opening ceremony" or briefing.

 

Saturday morning dawned with a gentle North to North West breeze across the event site, and the decision was taken to run fun slalom in the shifting winds.  It was clear that the longboards were the ones to watch for out on the race course, but as soon as the gusts breached the 6 knot mark, a lot of the light wind maestro`s then came into their own.  Strong longboarding performances from Steve Flanagan and Greg Day allowed them to secure first and second overall in the Gold fleet racing, with Daniel MacCauley pumping hard onto the plane to clinch third position from an on-form Gareth Nihill.

 

 

 

The Silver fleet had a great shake up in the results, with the overal win going to Galway woman Eilis Ni Dhuill for her strong performance in the light winds.  Irish Slalom Series newcomer, John Connelly from Skibbereen, mixed it up in second place with Kevin McGuinness from Galway, while Cork man Dave Ludgate took third position.

 

With a failing wind towards the late afternoon and evening, the fleet retired to prepare for a monster "kids party" at Ma Murphy`s in the centre of Bantry Town.  Our tallest competitor on the tour, Hannes Louet-Feisser, turned 40 in the days following the event, and his brothers and father were keen to make an evening of it.  He is now ... "39 +".  After a superb meal organised by Stephen Williams, it was face painting and fund raising for the night...with many hitting the hay in the brighter hours of Sunday morning.

 

 

 

The competitors were greeted with mirror calm conditions on the Sunday morning, with a sun bearing its early heat down onto the event site.  Event OD Ciaran O`Brien joined in the fun SUP relay races, which comprised 3 teams of 10 people, swapping boards, paddles, bibs, and then the competitive streak set in with sabotage across the teams!  To give credit where its due, the overall victory went to team 1...you all know who you are!

 

Shortly following the event prize giving, where we were joined by the chairperson of the Bantry Harbour Board, Aidan McCarthy, to present the prizes, as luck would have it, the wind did swing to the SW and filled in for an afternoon of light wind blasting for the lucky few who stayed around to enjoy it.  If only...if only...

 

 

 

Sincere thanks go to all involved in the event, Mrs. Wagner-Halswick for use of the airfield, Diarmuid Murphy for coordinating the local support, Adrian Cronin for posters, Stephen Williams for the entertainment and accomodation lists, our Zapcat crews for the rescue cover, Ciaran O`Brien for the event OD role, Daniel MacCauley for assistance with prizes, Marlow, O`Neill & Tushingham for the product prizes, Kathryn for the registration, Cullen Allen & crew of Cully & sully for yet again feeding us all, Denis Connelly of the Bantry Airfield for coordinating everything, all those who drove the length of the country dragging equipment and sourcing parts to run the event, and Pip, Jazz, Ted and Lil for providing entertainment when the wind did not blow!

 

In total, we raised €1250 for the Bantry Hospice.  Pictured below is Event Organiser Pearse Geaney at the official presentation of the funds.  Sincere thanks are extended from all at the Bantry Hospice to the Irish Windsurfers who came, supported, gave and party-eeeeeeed their hearts out all night long to raise these much needed funds.

 

 

 

 

All in all, an excellent event...one to be made even better when the wind blows...next year!