Irish crews wary in Cowes

Today is make-or-break day for the Irish squad at the Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup in Cowes.

After the event recovered its full racing programme yesterday, with three races sailed in very light conditions, the three-boat squad has an apparently unassailable 99-point lead in the nine-team event.

Except that this is Cowes, and it’s the Commodores’ Cup, and the forecast is dire; there’s a curve ball lurking out there somewhere. The list of uncertainties begin with this morning’s scheduled Round the Island Race, a 50-mile circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight.