Slow passage to Blackrock fails to hinder Fast Buck

THE big fleet had a slow passage in the annual race from Cobh to Blackrock as light winds and frequent rain showers arrived instead of the expected very fresh south easterlies. Indeed the race even had to be shortened to a finish-line a little east of Blackrock Castle; a wise decision with the trip across the two-and-a-half mile stretch of Lough Mahon’s open waters very slow.

But it took nothing from a highly successful day and the partying and prizegiving at Blackrock was as hectic as ever. The John McCarthy Motorpoint-sponsored race was also the first in the Cove SC September League and it was good to see such active on-water participation by the sponsors who chartered John O’Regan’s new Sir Henry and motored up river.

Hit of the day were the Murphys, John and Fiona, who mastered everyone in Class 2 and won under both handicaps on Fast Buck. Dougie Kavanagh’s Flying Fish pushed them hard, however, only to be pushed into second in both IRC and Echo.

In Class 1 IRC, Eric Lisson’s Cavatina showed her class yet again, and taking the win, while the Waterman brothers Eric and Wan sailed Next Senator to second, a year after running out of water returning from the same race in 2002. They completed a great day by winning Echo from Derry Good’s Genevieve.

As always, the competition in Class 3 was hectic and here Richard Marshall on Woody pipped Billy Joyce’s Lorelie for victory in IRC. Lorelie, however, won Echo with John Horgan’s Viking Lass taking second, having been third in IRC.

Checkmate emerged the winner in the stately Class 4 fleet where Dougie Black on Blue Jay made it into second with Sean O’Regan’s Drumson third.

This fleet really added to the spectacle with Mark Bush’s Cork Harbour One Design Elsie playing her part. The Cove September League series continues on next Sunday.

The HM Yachts Mid-Week Night League at the Royal Cork is building to a tense climax after the fourth race attracted an excellent turnout. It was to be a night of mixed fortunes. Ted Crosbie sailed Excuse Me with style to lead the beat to the first mark and go on to be the first boat over the finish line. In contrast, some other challengers, particularly Pat Barrett and Cathal Conlon on Y-Knot and Frank Desmond on Animal falling into a windless hole while only yards away from the back end of the fleet, powered away under spinnakers.

Excuse Me won Class 1 IRC from the Watermans on Next Senator. In Class 2 IRC, Vinnie O’Shea’s Yanks and Francs won from Paul O’Shea’s Wicked while in Echo, the win went to Derry Good’s Genevieve with Roy Hanon’s Plumbat second.

The weekend Islands Race had a small turnout but those who did race had excellent offshore sailing with conditions varying from bright sunshine and moderate breezes to torrential rain and heavy squalls. Aidan McSweeney on Felix won Class 1 IRC and Jerome McCarthy won Class 2 and 3 Echo.

Next action up is the big one, the UK McWilliam-sponsored Scora Class 1 Championships taking place next Saturday and Sunday at the Royal Cork with first gun at 11.55am hours on both days and not at 12.55pm as printed in the Year Book. The Scora Class 2 Championships will take place at Kinsale also on next Saturday and Sunday.

A strange turn of fortune helped Kevin Dowling, Tom O’Brien and Wyon Stansfield become the Squib Champions at the Irish Open Disabled Sailing Championships in Kinsale. They had one win under their belt from the two morning races but misfortune struck as they departed the lunchtime raft up. The main halyard came out of the mast and they had to return to the marina to take the mast out and relead the halyard and hope to get going for the last race. But meantime, while all the work was going on, the winds shifted on the water and then died and it was several hours before the race they thought they had missed could start. They got back on time and then won the next two races to take the title. In the Challengers, John L. Sullivan and Mick Brown each had two firsts and two seconds, but Sullivan won the last race to clinch the title.

The Horgan Lynch and Partners Dragon National Championship get under way at Glandore this afternoon with a single race. There will be two races tomorrow, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Down at the Royal Cork, the Hennessy Cup for Mirrors was staged for the first time since 2000, an event aimed at encouraging Silver and Bronze fleet sailors. The cup was won by Jason Rope and Josh Hanlon. Now the club Mirror sailors turn to the Collins Cup which they will race for over the next five Sundays and the series will form part of the Autumn Dinghy League which will include racing for Laser sailors. The Coveney Cup will be held at the club Sunday and Monday, October 26-27.