News and Media
European Topper Sailing Championships
Wednesday 24 August 2005 Oil and gas
The current Irish champion, Barry McCartin, 16, of Cushendun, in his boat 'Biznet Solutions', came home a fantastic 5th in the European Topper sailing championships, having won the last race on Wednesday, in a fleet that includes both the world champion and UK champion!
He had just become the new Irish National Champion in the Topper class of single-hander yachts, at Ballyholme sailing club, in Bangor, Co Down. A double Ulster Champion this season in both Topper and Laser4.7 classes, he came 6th in UK Laser4.7's national championships, and won the Irish National Topper Championship in the same week! He had just returned late the night before from a gruelling week-long event in Abersoch, North Wales, his first GB Laser event. The last day he finished in style, also coming in before all of the GBR national squad sailors who had come over for the event, and was congratulated first by, of all people, the GBR national team coach!
Showing early understanding of commercial reality, Barry greatly appreciates the assistance provided by his new sponsor, Biznet Solutions, towards his increasing travel costs. Adrian Bradley, Managing Partner, (pictured below with Barry and his Nationals trophies) said "We are a young, successful company who wanted to support a young athlete in a physically and mentally challenging sport, which crosses all social boundaries - Barry has greatly surpassed our expectations in the first year of our relationship. I am looking forward to seeing the Biznet name associated with even more success in the future."
His national title followed hard on the heels of his claiming victory at the 2005 Ulster Topper Championships at Carrickfergus, and the Ulster Laser 4.7 Championships in Carlingford. He was training in France with the French Laser squad in February in 35-knot winds!. This season he was also runner-up at the Irish Junior Nationals in Howth, 10th overall in the British Topper Nationals in Largs following a disappointing 32nd (out or 270!) in the last race. After the European Topper Championships in Blessington this week, he will head for the Irish Laser Championships in Cork at the end of August. As a national champion, he will also be invited to compete in the Irish Junior Helmsman event in Howth in September, which is for the national champions across all classes. The week before, he will go for the RYA NI youth championship, having won the Junior title last year!
The chairman of the Irish Topper Association, Gerry Ryan, said "Barry is the one sailor in Ireland who has made that step up to equal the standard of the GBR national squad, and really in a position to mount a major challenge at the European Championships in Blessington. To have beaten the whole GBR squad, even in one race, was a magnificent achievement, which raises the bar for the whole Irish fleet. This should inspire the other local sailors that the standard in Ireland has improved so much. I admire Biznet for their vision and enlightened sponsorship approach to help him get there, in a sport which is also so intellectually demanding."