Irish yachts going great guns at Cowes

IRISH yachts hold places in the top two in all three of the premier classes at Skandia Cowes Week after the first four days.

With racing cancelled on Monday due to a lack of wind, there was a typical summer Solent dilemma to deal with yesterday as the South Easterly gradient breeze was always going to be replaced by the South Westerly sea breeze which arrives as the temperatures rise.

Double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson on the helm of Eamon Conneely’s Galway based TP52 Patches got the tactics just right thanks to her call from navigator Jules Salter and double silver medal winning Ian Walker.