Wind boost for Volvo Cork Week opener

A full programme of races started the biennial Volvo Cork Week yesterday as strong winds gave way to moderate offshore breezes for the 100-boat fleet competing around the harbour.

First off was the largest fleet in the event as the 13 entries in the Beaufort Cup mustered off the Naval Base at Haulbowline where an Air Corps flypast took place exactly on the starting signal at 10am for the race to the Fastnet Rock and back.

A gybing duel soon followed and initially the group looked evenly matched as most of the crews tried to find the best combination of wind angle and fast flowing ebb tide that propelled them past Cobh.