Fickle conditions provide tough tests

STRONG winds forecast for today’s third and penultimate day of the Sovereigns Cup at Kinsale could yet prove as decisive as yesterday’s light and extremely fickle conditions off the Old Head of Kinsale.

All classes had to deal with wind that suddenly altered direction on different parts of every course turning the racing into a lottery for the unwary.

On the high-scoring Coastal Race from near the Bulman Buoy to Courtmacsherry Bay and back, the first boat enjoyed a massive lead of almost two miles before ‘parking-up’ off the Old Head of Kinsale on the return leg as the breeze died.

The wind returned to the race but only from the west and blew the back-markers up the coast to over-take the leaders in an effective restart to the long race at the world-famous lighthouse and golf club.

One sailor described the racing as “head-wrecking”. Nevertheless, the race programme was completed and results are tight across all class leaders at the halfway point.

Amongst the ten biggest boats of Class Zero, Anthony O’Leary’s Antix has regained the overall lead after a first and fifth place though matching results for Kieran Twomey’s Gloves Off places the fellow Crosshaven boat close behind in second place and a tight finish to the series is on the cards.

It was a similar picture in Class One where Kinsale’s Dave Scott on Eos is slugging it out with Ian Nagle and Paul O’Malley’s Jelly Baby that slipped from the overnight lead to second place after yesterday’s windward-leeward courses off the Sovereigns.

And in Class 3 where the quarter-tonners are battling for their national championships, Neil Kennefick and Joxer O’Brien’s Tiger managed to claw back into first place yesterday but must share it with British visitor Rob Gray and the crew of Aguila. Kinsale’s Eamon Rohan slipped to third place but the trio are split by a single point in a battle royal at the front of the class. Forecasts of near gale conditions that may last into tomorrow could put paid to plans for a full series as the quarter-tonners upper wind limit may be reached.