A breeze for crews in the Autumn sunshine
The sunshine was glorious and exceptionally warm for the time of the year and after race officer Fred Cudmore delayed the start for an hour to give the breeze a chance to kick in it duly arrived on schedule a delightful 10 knot breeze appearing from the west, even strengthening as the race progressed.
In Class 1 Barry Rose on Obsession did everything right and coasted to victory over Anthony O'Leary's Antix in IRC with eighty seconds to spare. Tom Crosbie sailed his father's Excuse Me to third. In Echo the bigger boats fared better with Kieran Twomey's Flying Colours holding off Gary Horgan's Lobster to win by eight seconds with Obsession third.
In Class 2 the racing was so tight it eventually came down to a dead heat for first in IRC between Richard Leonard's Mardi Gras and Tom Brennan's Respect from Kinsale, Jerome McCarthy's Le Big Mac third, forty seconds back. In Echo Mardi Gras had it all for herself and left David Nicholson well behind in second place on Silver Shadow, Gerry Sheridan third on Megahertz.
Class 3 saw Tom Kirby on Yami Yami have a great IRC win, almost four minutes to spare over Kieran O'Brien on Draiocht with Michael Murphy's Shelly D in third. But in Echo Shelly D took the win with a sweet victory over Yami Yami, Draiocht taking third.
The white non-spinnaker fleet had a good entry of ten boats and Brian Cudmore on Ann Again triumphed here, fresh from his summer tour to the Scandinavian countries. Tom Dwyer sailed Ocean Sapphire into second, with Tom and Declan O'Mahony third on Rapparee.
The RCYC evening race season finished with the Collins-Waterman special race where Conor Phelan on Endeavour won by twenty seconds in Class 1 IRC from Aidan McSweeney on Felix. Class 2 IRC was won by Kieran Collins on Half Cut with Pat Barrett and Cathal Conlon third on Y-Knot. In Echo Derry Nash won on Doggone from Dermot Burns on Aphrodite with Mike O'Donovan's Java third.
The National 18 South Coast Championships were held from the RCYC with racing at Cuskinny where the wind proved an elusive friend and foe to all, blowing from practically all quarters of the compass at some time or another throughout the day. The home crews scored heavily with overall victory going to Peter O'Leary, Colm Galvin and Adam McCarthy on Moonshine.
Cove SC wound up their season with the final race of the John McCarthy Motorpoint September League. Postponed on the night because of technical difficulties, the prize giving will now take place at the Cove SC Laying Up Supper at the Cobh Heritage Centre on November 8. George Radley's Cecille was the overall winner in Class 2 IRC while in Echo Paddy O'Connor's Pegasus was the victory. Class 3 IRC went to Richard Marshall's Woody with John Horgan's Viking Lass taking Echo. Dougie Black on Blue Jay crowned a grand season by winning the overall in Class 4 Echo.
Over at Kinsale the home challenge prevailed in the South Coast Dragon Championships when Cameron Good, Harry Lewis and Simon Furney on Tatsu emerged victorious. They were joint leaders after the first day but day two was abandoned with no wind. Tatsu won the opening race on the Sunday and went to take the title from Royal St. George's Martin Byrne, Albie Millerick and Con Murphy on Rigmarole.
The I.S.A Helmsmans Championships will be raced in Dragons at the Royal St George club this weekend with 24 sailors competing for the honours although a number of leading sailors are not available.
The field is Paul McMahon of Strangford Lough (Laser radials), Tim Corcoran of Sligo (GP 14), Stephen O'Driscoll of Lough Derg (Shannon one Design), Roger Bannon of National (Mermaids), Austin Whelan of Dun Laoghaire (Cruiser 2), Gavan Jones of Howth (Lasers), Will Moody of Dun Laoghaire (fireballs), Ruan O'Tiarnaig of Royal N. of 1 (Squibs), Gerard Dempsey of Bray (Enterprises), Sean Craig of R.St.G (Flying Fifteens), Tim Goodbody of Royal Irish (Sigma 33s), Susie Wallace of Howth (cruiser 3), Neil Hegarty of R.St.G. (dragons), Derek Mitchell of R.St.G (Ruffian 23), Patrick Kelly of Carrickfergus (puppeteer), Jay Colville of East Down (Wayfarer), Andrew Algeo of R.St.G (J 24), Conor Clancy of R.St.G (420 s), TBC (IDRA 14), Conor Walsh of Ballyholme (2002 Champion), Paul McCarthy of Kinsale (Paralympic world class sailor), Noel Butler of Dun Laoghaire (Wild Card), Shane McCarthy of Greystones (Wildcard), Gerbil Owens of R.St.G (Wild Card).
The I.S.A Junior Championships and Girl Championships will also take place and will be incorporated into the Helmsmans Championship weekend. Eighteen challengers will race in Fireflies for the Junior title, six will compete in the Girls Championship.
