THE big fleet had a slow passage in the annual race from Cobh to Blackrock as light winds and frequent rain showers arrived instead of the expected very fresh south easterlies. Indeed the race even had to be shortened to a finish-line a little east of Blackrock Castle; a wise decision with the trip across the two-and-a-half mile stretch of Lough Mahon’s open waters very slow.

SERIOUS racing continues at the various venues along the coast and the latest word from Commodore Jim Donegan is that the South Coast Offshore Racing Association SCORA Class 1 Championship is set for Crosshaven or the weekend of September 13-14, with the Class 2 Championship taking place at Kinsale on the same two days.

YET again violent storms forced the cancellation of all racing in Cork harbour’s and so far three races have been held in the Glaxo SmithKline Beecham Winter Series from the Royal Cork with the final race coming up on Sunday.

OLYMPIC sailor Mark Mansfield burst into the Glaxo SmithKline winter series at the Royal Cork YC and showed a clean stern to the twenty-three boat fleet in the second race of the event.