OFFSHORE COURSE

A lovely day marked the grand finale of the 2024 HYC Autumn League with wind from 220° at 8 knots. However, with the wind swinging between 190° and 250° immediately before the race, Principal Racing Officer David Lovegrove set the course at 220° for the first race.

All classes had a clean start except Class 2, which had a general recall and a U flag. The first race lasted an hour in good conditions.

Before the start of Race 2, scheduled to make up for a missed day on October 5th, the wind dropped to 2 knots, causing a 10-15 minute delay. This led to a shortened course and two laps for Cruisers 1, 2, and 3, and one lap for Cruisers 4 and 5.

This decision allowed perfect timing for the unison race conclusion on both offshore and inshore courses, creating a stunning view of the full fleet entering HYC Marina.

In Class 1, Snapshot finished first in IRC, with Indian second. The same boats swapped places in the HPH fleet.

In Class 2, Impetuous and Dux were first and second in IRC, while No Excuse led the HPH classification, followed by Impetuous.

Class 3 saw Insider win in IRC, followed by Alliance II, while Battling J and Running Wild took the HPH trophy to Malahide Yacht Club.

Class 4 NS had Bite the Bullet as the overall winner, followed by Splashdance. Under HPH rules, Spellbound won, followed by Malahide’s White Pearl.

Class 5 NS ended with Leeuwin leading across fleets, Demelza second in IRC, and Pepsi as runner-up in HPH.

INSHORE COURSE

Stable 8-10 knots SW wind conditions prevailed on the inshore course, where the one-design fleets also ran two races.

During Race 1, as the Howth 17s sailed downwind, Principal Racing Officer Scorie Walls and Mike Head were informed of a rule concern on the leading boat Sheila. Eventually the crew made a late dive north of the Committee Boat, costing them time but not places.

In the final Howth 17 ranking, Erica finished first overall, followed by Isobel. Echo took the first HPH spot, with Isobel as runner-up.

In the Squib fleet, Crackertoo topped the scratch ranks, followed by Fantome, with the two boats swapping positions under HPH.

Trick or Treat led the HYC Puppeteers 22 scratch fleet, followed by Shiggy Shiggy. Under handicap rules, Shiggy Shiggy took the top spot, with Trick or Treat second.

As a racing season ends, Howth Yacht Club racing calendar gears up for the Brass Monkeys and Frostbites Series. As per this final Autumn League Saturday, David Lovegrove noted in his race report “it was the perfect day to end the season with two races.”

The final Saturday of the Autumn League was not only a fitting conclusion to a thrilling series of races. The prize-giving ceremony that followed celebrated winners' achievements with well-deserved accolades. 

The evening gathered sailors and supporters in a grand finale dinner accompanied by the last selection of 2024 Frank’s Specials, which added a distinctive taste to each event in the league.

The Galleries from the final Saturday of racing and the prize-giving ceremony capture the essence of the event. Be sure to check them out and relive the memorable moments of the 2024 HYC Autumn League.

Full results available on HYC website.

Photo Credits: Annraoi Blaney