Cork Week planned for July 2018

The Royal Cork Yacht Club has confirmed a number of changes to the biennial Volvo Cork Week, to be held again next July.

The volunteer-led event management team has opted for a more bespoke event rather than a ‘one fits all’ approach: individual crews can now select the type of regatta they wish to take part in, including the number of days, type of racing and level of competition. A basic, entry-level regatta over two days appealing to local crews will start the week with more and more events within an event as the week progresses.

Offshore racing sailors will have more courses including a Fastnet Race, the Beaufort Cup for military and service teams again following its successful debut last year and the overall trophy for the week will be the Volvo Trophy sailed over four days.

This week the International Dragon class confirmed it will hold a championship level event in Crosshaven next year as part of Volvo Cork Week and the Irish Examiner understands that a further three one-design classes are in discussions with the RCYC about holding championships during the week.

The move towards including more varied racing follows a pattern seen at other venues around the coast. It is likely that Cork Week will form the South Coast championship while Dun Laoghaire Week in 2019 will be the Easterns.

The changes are likely to swell numbers, probably close to 200 boats, though Cork Week established its reputation two decades ago with fleets of up to 600 boats.

“Those days are gone, I don’t see a return to having 600 boats afloat every day,” said Kieran O’Connell, Volvo Cork Week chairman.

The RCYC has opted to shift their previously published dates to avoid clashing with Wicklow Sailing Club’s biennial Volvo Round Ireland Race and the Round the Island Race in Cowes. Volvo Cork Week 2018 will instead run from July 16 to 21, 2018.