Weather ensures thrills and spills in Sovereigns Cup

ONE lucky sailor was rescued after falling overboard during the Sovereigns Cup in Kinsale yesterday.

High winds, rough seas and driving rain made for tough but rewarding conditions on the penultimate day of racing. There were retirements across the fleet due to gear damage and there was one man-overboard incident reported, although the crew member involved was immediately recovered safe and sound.

Today’s programme will be critical to the outcomes in most classes with continued fresh winds expected, albeit from a more westerly direction that should allow the Old Head of Kinsale to provide some shelter to the main race grounds off the Bulman and Sovereigns.

Only Anthony O’Leary in Class Zero can approach the day with a comfortable lead where Antix leads with seven points to spare after two race wins yesterday. Kieran Twomey’s Gloves Off dropped from second overall to fifth, leaving the field well behind O’Leary.

A fifth and a fourth for Tim Goodbody from Dun Laoghaire in his Sigma 33 White Mischief continued his overall lead of Class Two and though Vincent O’Shea’s Yanks $ Francs had the better day with a race win and a fifth, there is still a six-point gap to bridge in today’s final two races.

A rally by last weekend’s newly crowned Class One national champion yesterday may be too late to reverse the outcome in this class today as Pat Kelly’s Storm from Howth has still to gain ground on Dave Scott’s Eos in first, while Ian Nagle and Paul O’Malley’s Jelly Baby still holds second.

Amongst the Quarter-tonners, where the man-overboard incident took place, the leaderboard remains unchanged going into today’s final as Neil Kennefick and Joxer O’Brien’s Tiger has managed to just about hold visitor Rob Gray on Aquilla at bay.

Both managed a race win yesterday but the tie-break gives the lead to the Crosshaven crew. Third place is still held by a single point by Eamonn Rohan’s Anchor Challenge.