Hickey’s Cavatina well placed for third win

Barely one day into the Round Ireland race and Ian Hickey’s Cavatina from the Royal Cork Yacht Club was on form and aiming for a third title in this 704-mile race.

Starting from Wicklow on Saturday afternoon, the larger boats powered away from the main 36-strong fleet in near perfect conditions on the route southwards to the Tuskar Rock.

But it wasn’t to last.

Past winner Eamon Crosbie, this time competing on a chartered Open 60 footer with Enda O’Coineen, may have nailed the starting line on the gun but Wicklow farmer David Ryan on the Volvo 70-footer Monster quickly reeled in Teng Tools Kilcullen to begin a match race.

Less than four hours after starting, the leaders had passed Rosslare and were starting the leg towards the Fastnet just as the breeze started to die.

Crosbie headed offshore hunting for wind while Ryan hugged the coast.

By morning, it was clear the offshore move hadn’t paid as the bigger boat took the lead.

However, the leading pair acted as pathfinders for the remainder of the fleet that still carried wind and instead of leaving the smaller boats well behind, the bulk of the fleet were still close to the leaders passing the West Cork coast yesterday afternoon.

As the race is decided on handicap time, the bigger boats are heavily penalised and rely on a fast getaway to stand a chance of winning overall.

In turn, Cavatina benefits from a relatively low handicap as the 38-footer is a 36-year old veteran that is still quite quick and well-sailed.

Having won twice previously, these early stages of what could prove to be a five or six day race would rarely indicate a clear leader but the conditions clearly favour Hickey’s Crosshaven crew.

Meanwhile, one boat, Cosmic Dancer, retired after sustaining serious damage arising from a knockdown broach that shredded their spinnaker and caused structural damage.

Tralee Bay Sailing Club’s Amazing Grace entered by Brian O’Sullivan and Frances Clifford also suffered damage following a collision at the start, but, after repairs, were quickly back at sea.