IRISH CRUISER RACING ASSOCIATION (ICRA) NAMES GREEN AND WHITE TEAMS
FOR ROLEX COMMODORES CUP 2008
With the announcement of their Green and White Teams to contest the
Rolex Commodores Cup to be held June 29th to July 6th,2008, the Irish
Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) is well advanced with preparation
for this prestigious event. Currently there is a distinct
possibility of a third team and there is also speculation a fourth
Corinthian team may be formed after the ICRA National Championships
in May. The Green and White teams have been formed based mainly on
the 2006 teams that led for the greater part of that regatta.
The Green Team from 2006 will return with all new boats from the
Mills stable. Andrew Allen's No Naked Flames, the first of a semi
custom build Sllim 37 design has been launched by Davie Norris boat
builders in New Zealand. Allen had good results in his first outing in
the boat in Key West in January. Eamon Rohan's King 40, Blondie 1V,
is the middle boat and Tim Costello's Tiamat, Mills 43 is the large
boat. The White Team will field all Jason Ker design boats. Eamon
Crosbie's highly successful Voodoo Chile, past winner of the Round
Ireland race and 2007 winner of both the UK and Irish IRC
Championships, will be the small boat in the team. Amongst her crew
will be Eamon's son David and Stefan Hyde of Cork. They will also
have a top class UK professional navigator. The boat is at present in
the UK having a new keel and rudder fitted along with other
modifications. Conor and Denise Phelan's 37 foot Ker, Jump Juice,
also raced in the 2006 RCC and had extensive modifications in early
2007, including a new fin for her keel to replace the experimental
Trim Tab keel from 2006. She was the overall winner of the 2007
Scottish series. She is at present in the UK having further
improvements to her hull and keel. Helmsman will be Mark Mansfield,
former bronze medal winner at the Star Worlds, and Tactician for the
event will be Jochem Visser from Holland . Anthony O'Leary will helm
his new Charter the 39 foot Ker designed Antix Eile for the series.
This boat is the first of a top level production run. Anthony will
have two of his sons sailing with him and any one of the three
O'Learys has the proven ability to win at any level. He will
officially take delivery of Antix Eile on the 1st of April.
Most of the Irish boats will do an extensive work up period in
Ireland and the UK including the Red Funnel Regatta at Cowes during
Easter, the Irish IRC Championships at Howth in May, the Scottish
Series at the end of May and the UK IRC Championships in June, two
weeks before the Rolex Commodores Cup.
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF IRISH CRUISER RACING ASSOCIATION
BY CLAIRE BATEMAN
No comments yet.