Perfect conditions for Autumn League

SPLENDID warm sunshine and gentle breezes gave perfect conditions for the skippers and crews on the 140 boats which took to the water for the second race of the C.H. Marine Autumn League series at Royal Cork, boosted because this was also the final race of the SCORA season long leagues.

Race officer Donal McClement got all the fleets off to a clean start first time, with a gentle beat to the Harp mark following by a reach to the C.H. Marine mark where the wind fell away to almost nothing. This, coupled with a strong filling tide, made the leg to Ringabella crucial. Most went the westerly route but those who fared best jibed at the C.H. Marine mark and headed in harbour before jibing again prior to the tide taking them in too far. The wind later picked up again to ten knots with a pleasant beat back to the C.H. Marine mark.

As on the opening day, Anthony O’Leary on his 1720 Ford Racing again sailed an almost perfect race and went on to win Class One IRC from the McCarthy Brothers on Checkmate by 46 seconds. Former club Admiral Conor O’Donovan on X-Tension won Echo, despite some problems near the Harp, with Checkmate second.

In Class Two IRC Paul O’Shea’s ever consistent Wicked won from Jerome McCarthy’s Le Big Mac, but only by just three seconds. Echo went to Le Big Mac, 34 seconds ahead of second placed Pat Vaughan on Bedlam.

Richard Marshall’s Woody had a comfortable Class Three IRC win over Kieran O’Brien’s Draiocht but the latter reversed the roles under the Echo handicap. The Gold fleet also enjoyed very pleasant sailing at the end of which Thomas O’Mahony’s Raparee took victory with Tom McSweeney’s Seascapes second.

The day’s racing counted as the final race of the South Coast Offshore Racing Association’s SCORA summer long league. In this nine-race series, the best six counted and when it was all over George Radley and Imp had won Class one IRC and Gary Horgan’s Lobster had won Echo. In IRC Imp had three firsts and two seconds with one third out of the six races she sailed and closest rival was Mary O’Keeffe on Tux which finished second. Lobster was third here. In Echo Lobster had two wins and two seconds and won overall from Imp with Tux third.

In Class Three, IRC overall was claimed by Dave Hennessy on Luas, very consistent all summer, and finishing ahead of second placed Vinnie O’Shea’s Yanks and Francs with SCORA Commodore Jim Donegan taking third on Mischief. The Appelbe family on Bullfrog won the Echo overall, just a single point ahead of second placed Mischief, with Padraig O’Donovan’s Chameleon snatching third.

There was nothing stopping Alan Bateman on Pathfinder in Class Three IRC with three wins and two seconds under his belt to take the overall. Robert Keating on Serendipity was a comfortable second and Mike Sexton’s Granny Knot was third. It was very much tighter in Echo, where Aidan Heffernan’s Argus beat Clive Pritchard’s Lorelei by three quarters of a point to take the title. Serendipity was third.

Racing continues next weekend but onshore activities are also on the move. Cove SC hold their laying up at the Commodore Hotel on October 19.