Alliance from Howth Yacht Club travelled to Wiora in Clifden which is the second year that this Dublin boat travelled to the Wiora Championships. Whilst it is a good six hour road journey with the boat on the trailer it was well worth the effort both in terms of competing in an excellent event but also having the opportunity to see the beautiful countryside around Connemara.

On arrival on 3rd July a crane had been booked to launch "Alliance" along with two other boats. The crane operator and a number of people from Clifden boat club assisted with launching the boat and we were even lent a GPS with a map showing a track to take out through the narrow channel to the mooring area South of Clifden boat club.

Weather for the first two days of the event saw very strong winds and thankfully the PRO, Alan Crosbie and the event organisers did not send the boats out racing in such conditions. Whilst conditions were still fairly breezy on day three, it is commendable to the organisers that they got in three windward leeward races in brisk conditions on Friday 6th and we then had glorious sunshine and fair breezes on Saturday 7th for two final races.

From "Alliance's" point of view, this was a fantastic event, the facilities were excellent with a great community spirit to the event. Seeing the two RNLI lifeboats out on duty assisting the Clifden Boat Club RIB's on the evening of Thursday 5th July when Force 9 winds blew through the moored boats was commendable. This along with such a dedicated team of people from Clifden reflected the effort and pride that the club and the local community put into this event in spectacular surroundings.

On the social side, given the size and location of the clubhouse, the idea of having the social gatherings in different pubs was a great idea. This allowed the competitors an opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of the town, mingle with locals and also avoid any hassle of getting back to accommodation. The idea of Wiora Crew Passes was great with the boat name and photo of each yacht and allowed people to identify the boats that their fellow competitors were on.

"Alliance" is planning on coming down to Clifden again in 2008 to compete in Wiora, I am sure next year's event will be as good given the commitment and effort of so many people at Clifden Boat Club and the surrounding community. The crew of "Alliance" are very aware of the considerable work that goes into running any event but especially one like Wiora. All those involved should be proud of their achievements in running such a successful event especially in such trying weather conditions.

Vince Gaffney, Alliance, IRL8100, Howth Yacht Club.