After all the excitement, nerves, incidents and tensions of Thursday the final day of Cork week today (Fri) turned out to be a somewhat calmer affair but with everybody on high alert knowing that where points were close today was to be the showdown at the OK corale for the trophies and prizes.The sun was fitful when it appeared and 15 knots of breeze from the northwest did not make very easy conditions for the sailors. There was a large swell but it was not breaking resulting in the boats being visible one moment and not the next. The same applied to the chasing RIBs which at times looked quite funny the way they disappeared and reappeared with regularity.
In Super Zero it was to be Johnny Vincent’s TP52 PACE that was to take the spoils after five days of intensely exciting racing in these high speed glamour machines. Austin Fragomen’s JV 52 Interlodge was second on a count back with the Gray and Laidlaw Farr 52 BOB in third place.
The tightly fought J 109 European Championship was won by Greg Burgess on Blue Jay and the all Welsh crew. They were overcome with joy at their outstanding win, had a wonderful week and were going home very happy indeed. Brian Moreton’s Juke Box was second with Ian Nagle and Paul O’Malley’s Jelly Baby managing to scoop third place from Robert O’Leary’s Jeroboam who suffered a severe setback when their spinnaker pole split in two.
In Class IRC Zero Dave Dwyer’s Marinerscove.ie sailed by Nicholas O’Leary did not have a very good start to the regatta but made up for this throughout the series and by powering back to win this very competitive class by taking the bullet in the last race to leave Richard Cotter’s Nemo of Cowes in second followed by Anthony O’leary’s Antix in third position.
In IRC One the top three boats were just 26 seconds apart on corrected time. Conor and Denise Phelan snatched the title by just one point from Robert Davies’ Roxy 6 followed by Richard Fildes Impetuous in third. In IRC Two where another epic battle was in progress the drama was provided by Paul O’Higgins Rockabill V who was going like the clappers but lost ground during the series but the crew gathered themselves together and powered back in the last race to take first. Sailing Logic’s Visit Malta Puma had to be content with second place followed by Rob McConnell’s Fool’s Gold in third.
Another class notable for tension of the highest order was the SB3 Class where the high fliers in Ben Duncan and Brian Moran’s Sharkbait were on an absolute high in flying form but suffered a big setback with an OSC in Race 5 but snapped their jaws to frighten off Trevor Darcy’s Bullet. They had a photo finish in Race 6 with just six seconds separating them but Bullet won the penultimate race putting enormous pressure on Sharkbait. However, they rose to the occasion by winning the last race by 19 second to take the title from Bullet. Ronan Downing’s Profile Park was third.
All in all Cork Week 2010, although down in numbers was a splendid sailing regatta for the competitors. Some 200 boats had every type of racing they could imagine and with everything the weather could throw at the organizers being countermanded by the magnificent facility that Cork Harbour has to accommodate all conditions.
The atmosphere at the prize giving was tremendous with everyone exhausted but in high good humour and all that remains for your photographer and scribe team now is to wish all those who travelled to the event safe home and hope they will all return for the 7th to the 13th of July for Cork week 2012.
Images HERE
Full Results HERE
Joint Boat of the Week Photo Robert Bateman
Dave Dwyer’s Mills 39, Marinerscove.ie
Paul Kirwan’s Sigma 38, Errislannan
The Prix d’Elegance Trophy Photo Robert Bateman
Philip Scully’s Custom Oyster 82, Starry Night of the Caribbean
The Sisk Trophy for best Corinthian yacht Photo Robert Bateman
Neil Martin’s J 133, Jammy Dodger
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