Mermaid Week has been held every year since 1970, with the Championship being decided on the basis of Regatta results from 1953 to 1969.  The first Mermaid Week was held in Skerries and each year 30 to 50 Mermaids race against each other in a seven day championship.  The week long format in the first week of August usually ensures a little of everything from a wind and weather point of view.  The 2010 champion was Jim Dempsey of Skerries Sailing Club,  sailing Paul Winters’ No. 183 Wannago.  His crew were Scott Flanigan and Cian O’Regan.

The first week of August will see nearly 40 Mermaids and over 200 visitors to Fenit, Co. Kerry for a week of fun and competitive sailing.

Contact this website on webmaster@dublinbaymermaid.org with your views, items of interest and photos.

Website © Peter Scallan 2011.  Photographs, Newsletter and Racing Results © Mermaid Sailing Association 2011 unless otherwise stated.   No responsibility taken for external links.

NEWS (Check Live Commentary for details of the action during Races and Protests):

· Alan Berg in 93 Swallow had an amazing end to the week.  He and his crew were third in Race 6 (narrowly beaten by Helen at the finish) and won the daily Daphne prize.

· Final Results are available now to download—see the Results page.  Also see the Winners page.

· Ross Galbraith wins the Fantasy Mermaid Championship 2010 with his team SMR.  He narrowly beat Conor Roche’s Cunning Linguists.  In thirds was From a Far, Darren Butterly’s entry.  Full results on the Fantasy Mermaid page.

· Roger Bannon in 102 Endeavour wins the Mermaid National Championship.  2nd was Jonathan O’Rourke in 77 Tiller Girl and 3rd was Anthony Carthy in 188 Innocence.  Enda Weldon in 186 MyDi won the Daphne.

· Due to a request for redress by 102 Endeavour, the Protest Committee found Race 4 to be invalid due to a breach of RRS 27.2.  See the revised Results.

· Paddy Dillon and crew in 131 Wildwind win Race 5 today in a nice breeze.  The lead all the way.  77 Tiller Girl is in the lead overall.  185 The Message leads the Daphne.

· Sam Shiels in 189 Azeezy wins again.  Strong breeze suited Sam and his two wins leave in a strong position to challenge for the trophy.  His first championship win was in Fenit in 2002.  In the lead overall is Anthony Carthy in 188 Innocence, his first time lever leading Mermaid Week. See Results.

· Sam Shiels in 189 Azeezy wins Race 3 in good breeze, but 77 Tiller Girl retains overall lead with a 4 point margin over 188 Innocence.  See Results.

· Conor Roche’s team The Cunning Linguists continues to lead the Fantasy Mermaid Championship after Race 3.  The Transfer Window has been deferred to between Races 4 and 5 due to the late racing on Tuesday.

· Johnny O’Rourke and crew of 77 Tiller Girl are now in the lead after Race 2, followed by 188 Innocence and 123 Vee.  See Results.

· Roger Bannon of 102 Endeavour prevailed today (provisional results).  188 Innocence (Anthony Carthy of RSC) and 73 Lively Lady (Geraldine O’Neill of NYC) were 2nd and 3rd provisionally.  However there’s a protest—131 Wildwind (Paddy Dillon of RSC) is looking for redress.  See Results.

· New prices have been published for Fantasy Mermaid Championship—Enter here or if you have entered Free Transfer here.

· Sam Shiels emphatically wins Practice Race in 189 Azeezy.  See Results.

· Try your hand as a Mermaid Guru and enter Fantasy Mermaid Championship.  Entries open until 4pm today and will reopen tonight with new prices.  A free transfer will also apply tonight and tomorrow for those who have already entered. 30th July 2011

· You can follow Mermaid Week on Twitter.  We will be a doing an abbreviated version of the Live Commentary using @MermaidWeek.  If you are tweeting the hashtag is #mermaidweek. 28th July 2011

· Driving directions to Tralee Bay Sailing Club from Dublin (M50) are available on the Noticeboard page.  Allow about 4 hours from M50 towing a boat.  Remember trailer legislation—max speed 80km/h and you can’t use outside (overtaking) lane on dual carriageway or motorway.  More info on the RSA website. 28th July 2011

· More news

 

CRASH, BANG…..

· Fenit’s most astute detective is Jane, who works in the bar.  Well done on solving a crime and recovering property!

· Seagulls watch out—there’s a fox about.  Sea Fox 165 hit a lazy seagull ...

· The Race Committee is proving accident prone.  Before even the Practice Race started two of them fought with the committee boat superstructure.  One is sporting a gash on his forehead and the other is limping around the clubhouse now.  Despite allegations he fell on marina not Mariana….

· The patriarch of a well know Skerries Mermaid family had trailer problems at the Lusk roundabout—the trip to Fenit turned out to be a long journey.

· A Mermaid Week doesn’t really start until somebody’s trailer collapses en route.  The crew of 11 Oonagh got as far as Newcastle West when their trailer axle decided it wanted to go no further.  Thankfully Foynes sailors came to the rescue.  The trailer is in ‘hospital’ now and will be ready at the end of the week.

· Follow Crash Bang for the ‘real’ story of Mermaid Week. 6th September 2010

· More Crash, Bang..

Mermaid National Championship 2011

The 42nd Mermaid Week

Roger Bannon of NYC in 102 Endeavour with Patrick Boardman and Eoin Hickey won Mermaid Week 2011 with 2 wins, 2 3rds and a 6th.  He discarded an 11th.

Tralee Bay