August 7th, 2014
Very light wind conditions from the southwest, with a forecast for them to drop further over the afternoon, on day 3 of Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2014 made a sharp contrast to the first few days’ racing. The changeable conditions challenged helmsmen to keep spinnakers filled with many boats resorting to long reaches to attain the downward mark.
From the start outside Schull Harbour, all classes were sent on a two mile long windward leg to a laid mark south of Goat Island. Most classes then turned onto a broad reach southwest towards the Calf Islands with a gybe west of the Middle Calf to head north back to the Amelia Rock. A further windward/leeward loop proved unattainable for the majority of classes with the race ended at that point. Class 4 and Whitesail 2 were able to complete a windward/leeward loop in the time available.
The conditions ultimately forced Race Officer Neil Prendeville to shorten the race for all classes after over three hours of slow progress. Despite that, the warm, sunny weather that has been a feature of this year’s Regatta meant few complaints among crews on a more restful day after the excitement of the Fastnet Race.
Paul O’Higgins made the most of the conditions in his Corby 33, Rockabill V to win IRC Class 0/1, ahead of Conor Doyle in Freya (Kinsale YC) and Rob McConnell in Fools Gold (Waterford Harbour SC). Freya was ahead in ECHO however ahead of fellow Kinsaler Tom Roche (KYC) on Meridian and Rockabill V. In Class 2 IRC, Dexterity from Foynes YC (McEneff/Madden/Hobbs) again had another win ahead of local rival Big Deal (Derek Dillon, Foynes YC) and the Cobh-based Corby 27, Kodachi (Denis Ellis, CSC) ORegan KYC). Dexterity and Kodachi swopped places in the Echo handicap placings.
Another Cobh boat, Muskateer (Billy Burke/Danny McCarthy) took Class 3 IRC honours and a second place in the Echo ratings, ahead of Jimmy Nyhan on Outrigger (RCYC) in both, with Gary Fort’s J24, Jaguar from Tralee Bay third in IRC. Padraig O Donovan on Chameleon (KYC) continued his great run with first place in the Echo Class 3.
Local Boat, Shelly D, Michael Murphy again won Class 4 IRC. Visiting boat Andraxi (Chris North) was pipped for first place in Class 4 Echo by local man Simon Nelson on Witchcraft (SHSC), with Edmund Krugel (SHSC) on Barossa third.
In Whitesail 2, Lady T (Michael Lynch, RCYC) took IRC honours, with local sailor James Crowley on La Perle Noire pipping him at the post for Echo honours.
August 6th, 2014
As indicated yesterday (Tues), the Cork Dry Gin Calves Week Organising Committee decided to run the showpiece race of the week a day earlier than had been planned, and today the six racing fleets set sail out through Roaringwater Bay to the Fastnet Lighthouse. after a slight delay to the start to ensure the full fleet had assembled.
With a fair forecast, and a steady 15 knot northwesterly, Race Officer Neil Prendiville ensured a full day’s racing for all. He sent the smaller boats in Whitesail 2, who were started first, and Class 4 around the Amelia and on a fast close reach out directly to the Fastnet Rock and back.
Whitesail 1, and Class 3 included a windward leg through the Calf Islands and around a laid mark south of Long Island, before the turn towards the Rock. Classes 0/1 and 2 had to complete a further downward/windward leg from the Fastnet Rock around Clear Island, and a blustery run north through the Gascanane Sound and northwest around West Calf Island for the Class 2 fleet and Goat Island for the largest Class 0/1 boats before a spinnaker run to the finish.
Royal Cork’s Colman Garvey in True Penance won IRC Class 0/1 ahead of WHSC’s Rob McConnell in Fools Gold and yesterday’s winner, Kinsale’s Conor Doyle, in Freya. In ECHO, three different boats took the spoils, with Peter Boylan’s Sweden 45 , Annabella RIYC, ahead of Tom Roche’s Meridian from Kinsale and local sailor Gabby Hogan’s Grand Soleil 43, Growler. In Class 2 IRC, The McEneff/Madden/Hobbs Dexterity from Foynes YC won the day ahead of local rival Big Deal Derek Dillon, also fromFoynes YC and John O’Regan’s The Main 4 from Kinsale. In ECHO Royal Cork’s Ernie Dillon on Silke Breeze scored one up on his brother’s result in IRC, ahead of The Main 4 and Raphael Crowley’s Huntress from Tralee Bay.
The different racing conditions suited different boats in both Class 3 and 4. Dungarvan’s Dan O’Donovan on Seconds Count was ahead on corrected time of both Gary Fort’s J24, Jaguar from Tralee Bay and Jimmy Nyhan of Royal Cork on Outrigger. Bombora had a great win in ECHO Class 3 with Kinsale’s Padraig O Donovan on Chameleon having a great regatta to date with a second placing in ECHO ahead of Frank O’Hara’s, SHSC First 300, Chinook.
Michael Murphy’s Shelly D, RCYC and SHSC, won Class 4 IRC and was placed third in ECHO behind two local rivals, Schull’s Kevin Murray on Dovita of Colla and Oonagh Buckley on Tete a Tete (SHSC).
In the fleet of larger whitesail boats, John Downing in Samba RCYC, received his second first place in IRC ahead of the Roche/O’Leary/Andrews Act 2 and Bob Rendell’s Samaton. ECHO honours went to Royal Cork’s Conor Phelan in Endeavour ahead of Ken Burke from Howth Yacht Club on Savarna and Don McCarthy on VSOP (SHSC). In Whitesail 2, Tom McCarthy on Ashanta again took IRC honours, with local boat Dreamcatcher Frank Murphy, SHSC ahead of Michael Hearn on Summerfly and Cork boat, Tuna, Brendan Buckley, RCYC.
Light winds are forecast for the remainder of the regatta, but as ever who can really tell and West Cork can be full of delightful surprises.
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