All Squalls Must Pass- J/125 Battling the Elements

Andy Green's entry in the 2019 Mirabaud Yacht Racing photo contest was a stunning one- a J/125 beating into a squall off Wales on the often-tempestuous Irish Sea.

About the image he wrote, "This was a cool shot of the J/125 JACK KNIFE from the IRC Regatta in Pwlhrli (Wales). It had been champagne sailing with blue skies and 20 knots of breeze. I could see a squall moving toward us, and within minutes, we were in 40+ knots of wind, heavy rain, and near-zero visibility. The fleet was being battered by the conditions. But, as soon as it came the squall lifted, we returned to blue skies and 20 knot winds!” 

[Ed. Note- Andy Green and his wife Nell and their children live in Newport, RI and have been fans of J/Boats for years. This photo is one of his most memorable images.]Add to Flipboard Magazine.

How Can Keelboat Racing Work with Social Distancing?

(Dublin, Ireland)- Four-time Olympic sailor, Mark Mansfield, a professional sailor, is part of the Key Yachting/ J/UK team representing J/Boats in Ireland. Mark contributed a good perspective on how sailing can take place while enjoying with family and friends.

Fully crewed or shorthanded?
Though there are other options around, family crew and the like, clearly it will be challenging to sail fully crewed for the first couple of months and still keep the required space between each other. The sight of 8 bodies huddled together on the rail while going upwind on a 35-foot cruiser-racer would not only be regarded as unsafe, but irresponsible and would send all the wrong messages.

So, at what crewing levels could racing happen and still keep close to the permitted social distancing levels?

It is possible to specify a max crew level for different sized boats.
Different sized boats have different crewing needs. A J/70, for example, does not need the same crew numbers as a 42-footer. So, what crew numbers would be required on different sized boats. Here is my estimate:

    Up to 26 footers 3 max per boat – Only 2 allowed to sit over the side
    Over 26 foot and up to 31 foot – Max of 4 crew – only 2 allowed to sit over the side
    Over 31 foot and up to 36 foot – Max 5 crew – only 2 allowed to sit over the side
    Over 36 foot and up to 41 foot – Max 6 crew – only 3 allowed to sit over the side
    Over 41 foot and up to 46 foot – Max 7 crew and only 4 allowed to sit over the side

And, so on in 5-foot sized increases.

An amendment to The Notice of Race (NOR) could be inserted for events to make these reduced numbers a requirement, while we still have these restrictions due to COVID 19.

Is this enough crew to race boats with spinnakers?
In the Fastnet Race in 2019, there were 65 entries in the Doublehanded class, ranging from 45 footers, down to 30 footers. Most boats were in the 35-foot size range and used spinnakers. Yes, they all would have autopilots, and that effectively gives you an extra pair of hands doing sail changes. But that still would mean that they would have had two less crew than my crew size thoughts above. Here is how that would look like on specific boats:

J/22, J/24, J/70, J/80?
Three crew could easily handle any of these boats. In fact, two would be just as easy. One is helming and trimming the main, one in the cockpit, and one on the bow. The Bowman stays forward of the shrouds; the cockpit person stays away from the helm, up by the hatch. It won't be all that easy, but 30-foot boats like Etchells have similar-sized sails and normally sail with 3.

J/109, J/109, J/111, J/112E?
Five on any one of these boats is possible. One on the wheel, staying back a bit. One in the cockpit is trimming the mainsheet but sitting well forward. Helm adjusts the traveler or leaves it in the center. One sits in the hatch, or on top of the coach roof. The Jib Trimmer sits out, and during tacks, they pull in the new sheet while the Mainsheet Trimmer has let off the old jib sheet. The Bow person sits out forward of the shrouds; jib trimmer sits out to windward, 2 metres back from the Bowman.

Downwind more room becomes available as both sides of the boat can accommodate the crew. Andrew Craig, Class Captain of the J/109 class in Ireland, says, "the J/109 is well-suited to shorthanded racing with the small jib and plenty of space for a reduced number to spread out. The Asymmetrical Spinnaker requires no pole, which also makes shorthanded use possible in the right conditions".

For more about Mark's perspective on the new world of sailing in the "post-covid-19 world" Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Keeping Sailing & Boating Safe in Days of Social Distancing

(Dublin, Ireland)- Over in the land of lucky leprechauns, our friends in Ireland are always thinking of clever ways around any obstacles that may be thwarting their efforts to enjoy life and sailing.  Recently, the editors at Afloat.ie published some insights in an article titled- "Keeping Sailing & Boating Safe in Days of Social Distancing."

"It's nice to be out there with the wind and the waves and as one letter writer to the Irish Times mentioned when he spotted boats sailing on Dublin Bay this week - 'what a way to isolate!' 

We think the same here at Afloat, but even sailing isn't free of social distancing guidelines and as we have seen, unfortunately, largely because of shoreside issues, the bulk of sailing events around the world have now been cancelled. It is important to recognize the significant impact that the current Coronavirus / COVID-19 crisis is having on sailing clubs across Ireland.

Right now, there are other priorities of the most serious nature, but it's worth mentioning- for sailing's sake- that this Coronavirus is wrecking the 2020 sailing fixture list and much more besides.

It's important for the club network that we salvage as much as we can.

Other sports, such as golf, are finding ways of keeping play going.

We have plenty of unpopulated open water (for example look at our live webcam of Dublin Bay). We have plenty of boats and with today's Spring Equinox (the earliest in 124 years) hundreds of boaters itching to go afloat.

While areas within clubhouses may not be available due to the need for social distancing, the sport remains open and accessible. The lift in of the country's biggest fleet of yachts on Dublin Bay is on track for April. Marinas are open. Club membership plus supporting the cluster of Irish marine services around the coast has never been more important. 

Yacht Club members and sailors and boaters, in general, can still go afloat and enjoy their sailing while staying within the guidelines issued by the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland and Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland.

So, as organizers prepare to launch the season, is there a way to support them in order to go afloat safely without abandoning the ship, as it were? 

Can there be any activity that rigorously upholds the social distancing guidelines, keeps everyone safe and avoids groups of people in prolonged contact? There has to be more to our fantastic sport than an eSailing National Championships?

Already, North Sails sailmaker Prof O'Connell is reporting a number of clients are changing the way they plan to go sailing: "there's some interest from yacht owners in re-tasking their race boats into family day-sailers to get the family out on the water, conversion of bolt rope race mainsails into luff slid cruising sails, the addition of furler/furling headsails for family cruising."

A quick brainstorm also came up with the following ideas: 

• Solo/ doublehanded keelboat races with white sails/reduced sail?
• Solo/ doublehanded dinghy races with white sails?
• Family/ household crewed races (e.g. can people living in the same household sail on the same boat?)
• Family/ household day cruising?
• Virtual marks/starts to avoid contact among race officials?

Wishful thinking? It may well be. But, getting out on the water is good for both our physical and mental health. We only need two boats to start an informal race or one boat for a day sail. 

So, at Afloat, we're keen to hear any ideas as to how sailing can keep going. But above all else, any suggestion first needs to ensure it is well within social and physical distancing guidelines.

Add to Flipboard Magazine.

MADELAINE Triumphs @ Irish J/24 Westerns

(Lough Erne, Ireland)- A thirteen-strong fleet defied the aftermath of Hurricane Lorenzo to return Lough Ree for a re-run of the event which was originally blown out in mid-April. The easterly breeze on day one ranged between 10-15 knots with increasingly persistent rain, although the conditions did not dampen the competition with closely fought racing throughout the fleet.

Principal Race Officer David Dickson and team performed with textbook efficiency to deliver four high-quality races in typically shifty lake conditions that ensured there were plenty of snakes and ladders to contend with.

The Gold Fleet became a shoot out between Il Riccio helmed by JP McCaldin from Lough Erne Yacht Club and local boat Headcase helmed by Cillian Dickson. Il Riccio reveled in the shifty conditions to return three bullets, however, a fourth place in Race Three allowed the consistent performance of reigning Irish National Champions Headcase to finish the day within one point of the lead.

A strong performance by Diarmuid O’Donovan’s Yahtzee was marred by retirement in Race Four, however, it remained enough to lead the Silver Fleet overnight and stay in contention for the overall podium places with Mark Usher in Jumpin’ Jive and Flor O’Driscoll in Hard on Port.

A fine dinner provided by Lough Ree Yacht Club and numerous hot whiskies revived cold competitors ashore– at least until the next morning.

Day two provided a spectacular autumnal morning with lighter breeze from the west. A prompt start from David Dickson ensured two tight races to close out the event. The clinical Il Riccio crew only required one race to secure overall victory, a further bullet enough to win with a race to spare from Headcase. Il Riccio had successfully snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on several previous occasions during the year so this victory in the season finale was greatly welcomed by the crew. The evergreen Flor O’Driscoll and crew completed the Gold Fleet podium placings in third.

The lighter breeze saw new competitors enter the fray with Fergus Kelliher from Tralee Bay SC on Jibe securing their best individual result with a second in Race Five with newly installed Class President Mark Usher’s Jumpin’ Jive narrowly missing on a race win in Race Six.

Diarmuid O’Donovan’s Yachtzee completed a successful weekend for Lough Erne crews by securing Silver Fleet honours with a narrow victory over Conor Haughton’s Jade from Wicklow Sailing Club. Dave Lane’s YaGottaWanna from Royal Cork Yacht Club completed the Silver Fleet podium.

Lough Ree Yacht Club delivered an excellent event with special mention at the prize giving reserved for J24 stalwart and event organizer Finbarr Ryan. The J24 Irish fleet now enter the winter period following an excellent season of racing including a record-breaking entry for the National Championships and a different winner in each of the four events demonstrating the competitiveness within the fleet. 2020 will see the prestigious J24 World Championships hosted in Poole, Dorset; therefore, the Irish circuit will be full of well-primed crews preparing for the challenge.

Away from Lough Ree, Colm O’Flaherty from Sligo Yacht Club represented the fleet at the hotly contested All Ireland Sailing Championship in Dun Laoghaire. The Rosses Point helm won the Repechage before finishing 7th overall. Thanks for the report by Chris Scott.  For more Irish J/24 Westerns sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

MADELAINE Tops U.K. J/24 Autumn Cup

(Poole, United Kingdom)- After a week of watching every available forecast race officer Steve Thompson made the brave (and as it turned out, correct) decision to go ahead with the J/24 Autumn cup at Poole Yacht Club. A weekend forecast of strong winds fueled the usual debate as teams launched amid the strong winds and rain of Friday afternoon.

Saturday dawned with a strong southwesterly breeze so the decision was made to race within the harbour to shelter from the mid-channel gales. Following the briefing, twenty-two teams went afloat for four races back to back.

Race one started on time at 10:30 with Madelaine helmed by Duncan McCarthy leading from start to finish. A pack of boats followed in close company with Joe Cross in Jambalaya just holding off a late charge from Dave Cooper's Jive to take 2nd followed by Cacoon and National Champions Hustle in 4th & 5th respectively.

A quick turn around and the fleet were away for race 2. Once again, a good start from Madelaine catapulted them into an early lead which they held to the finish, this time Nick Phillips and team on Chaotic recovering from a main halyard issue in race 1 sailed a solid race to finish 2nd ahead of Sam Pearson's Hustle.

Race 3 saw the breeze increase, with some particularly strong gusts on the run, resulting in plenty of planing and broaches. Jive stormed into an early lead, which they held until the final run, when the ever-consistent Madelaine powered past to take their 3rd win of the day. Jive took a close 2nd with Hustle once again taking 3rd. The increased breeze saw some spectacular broaches and Chinese gybes (David
Harding of Sailing scenes' pictures available on his website). However, all starters finished safely.

The final race of the day started with 2 boats OCS, but the majority of the fleet starting cleanly for another 3 laps. Once again, Madelaine started well leading around the windward mark and extending away to take a clean sweep for the day followed by Chaotic and Nick Macdonald's Mojos in 3rd.

The fleet returned to Poole YC with smiles on their faces ready for a barbeque laid on by the club straight after racing allowing crews to get together and socialize after an exciting day on the water. Following a few protests the day's results were posted seeing Duncan McCarthy and his team on Madelaine leading the way with 3 points following a very impressive "perfect day". 2nd was Dave Cooper's Jive on 9 points with Joe Cross' Jambalaya 3rd ahead on count back of Sam Pearson's Hustle both on 11 points.

Sunday morning dawned with gusts over 30 knots and a forecast of building breeze during the day. The decision was, therefore, made to abandon the days racing allowing boats to be lifted out before the weather closed in. A slick operation executed by a team of Poole YC members meant that an hour and a half later the 16 visiting boats had been lifted out of the water ready for the prize-giving where Poole YC Commodore (and J/24 sailor) Nye Davies presented Duncan and team Madelaine with the J/24 Autumn Cup. Duncan thanked the team at Poole YC for putting on a good event and getting four good races away in challenging conditions to finish the UK qualifiers for next year's UK J/24 World Championship.  For more J/24 United Kingdom Autumn Cup Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

ZID ART SAILING Win J/70 Sevastopol International Cup

(Sevastopol, Crimea)- The inaugural Sevastopol J/70 International Cup was sailed from the 4th to the 6th of October. The regatta was held in conjunction with the Sevastopol Sailing Week festival.

Eighteen teams from Russia, Serbia and Ireland participated in the first open international regatta in Sevastopol.  Some of the leading teams included, B-TEAM (Russia, Artem Basalkin), M-SAILING–CSKA (Russia, Alexandr Bozhko), MATRYOSHKA (Russia, Natalia Kravez), WILD CARD (Ireland, William Twomey), X-Fit (Russia, Vladimir Chaus), ZID ART Sailing team (Serbia, Zoran Paunovic), GALS (Russia, Sergey Dzhienbaev), DOBRYNYA (Russia, Igor Ignatov), ROSMOSPORT (Russia, Anton Timakov), and BLACK SEA NAVAL School (Russia, Petr Gorkunov). Here are the daily reports how the competition unfolded in a unique format.  The first two days were qualifiers for the top 10 teams. Then, on the final day, the “Gold Medal Races” for ten teams would determine the champion in a winner-take-all finale of three races.

Day 1
The sailing was good on the first day, with twelve total races run (6 for each team) before the close of racing for the day due to lack of sunlight! Leading after the first day was Artem Basalkin’s B-TEAM from Russia. Leading after the first two races was Alexander Bozhko’s M-SAILING CSKA team from Russia, however, they dropped to second place after posting a fourth place in their last race. Third place was a free-for-all, with four teams tied on 22 pts each after their six races.

Four different teams were claiming the third place. PEK: Sport won two races, Zoran Paunovic’s Serbian team on ZID ART SAILING won one and Sergey Dzhienbaev’s GALS also won one. The fourth crew was a top Russian woman sailor- Natalia Kravez- skippering MATRYOSHKA.

Day 2
The second day was full of surprises. The sailors were greeted in the morning with heavy rain that thankfully ended before noon. The Race committee then sent the teams out and ran 10 more races (5 for each team).

M-SAILING- CSKA showed an excellent performance and climbed back into first place back after two victories. B-TEAM has also won two races, but scored 5 extra points and ended the day in second place overall.

ZID ART Sailing team from Serbia beat all rivals after winning three races and ended the day in third place. GALS and X-Fit won one race each and were now fourth and fifth. MATRYOSHKA dropped to sixth place.

Day 3- Medal Race Finale
The final day of racing saw six qualifying races and three medal races. It was the first time the National Sailing League used this format.

After three days of racing, PEK: SPORT closed the Top-10 with two victories. Bill Twomey’s Irish team on WILD CARD finished 9th. The Saint Petersburg Yacht Club Youth Team was in 8th place. ALGA TATARSTAN from Kazan was in 7th place, winning their last race. MATRYOSHKA was three points behind the Top 5.

The final “Medal Races” were unpredictable and spectacular. The final results were calculated by the following method: your place after qualifying races + the sum of the points gained during medal races.

The top five qualifiers were M-SAILING- CSKA in first, ZID ART SAILING in second, B-TEAM third, GALS fourth, and X-FIT fifth.

In the three Medal Races, B-TEAM won two races and GALS won one race. However, ZID ART SAILING was the most consistent team in terms of results, scoring three seconds! The fate of the Cup was decided during the last medal race. B-TEAM won the race, but ZID ART Sailing team won the first Sevastopol J/70 International Cup.  Follow the Sevastopol J/70 International Cup on Facebook here   For more Sevastopol J/70 International Cup sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Headbanger Finish at Irish J/24 Nationals

(Lough Erne, Ireland)- The fleet awoke on Sunday morning to a lake that looked like a sheet of glass and were none too optimistic as they headed to the race course on the final day of racing at the Irish J/24 National Championship.

But, as the morning went on, the wind started to build and by the time the fleet had made it to the race area a steady 10-12 kts had materialized. That enabled LEYC’s PRO Derek Bothwell and his team to lay marks and get racing off on schedule. With just five races completed out of a scheduled nine, the race management team were eager to get as many races in as possible and all racing for the day started with the “U” flag!!

Going into the final day’s racing, Cillian Dickson’s HEADCASE from Howth Yacht Club was lying in third place behind Darragh McCormack’s STOUCHE from Foynes Yacht Club in first and JP McCaldin’s EL RICCIO in second.

However, HEADCASE climbed their way back up, winning the first two races, but still needing to finish two places ahead of STOUCHE in the final race. That race was won by JANA from Sligo Yacht Club but HEADCASE’s third place ahead of STOUCHE’s fifth was enough for them to finish the event on level points and win on countback. Dickson’s crew included Sam O’Byrne, Cillian Dickson, Marcus Ryan, Ryan Glynn, and Louis Mulloy.

Tadgh O’Loinsigh on JANX SPIRIT from Tralee Bay Sailing Club sailed a superb series and is the new ICRA Under 25 J/24 National Champion. His crew included Hugh Stewart, Tadgh McSweeney, Brian Fox, and Donnagh O’Buachalla. He will receive a grant from ICRA to assist with his J/24 campaign, which will be presented at the ICRA National Conference later this year along with a presentation on the importance of supporting Under 25 programs.

Colm O’Flaherty’s JANA from Sligo Yacht Club won the Silver Fleet. Meanwhile, Conor Houghton’s JADE from Wicklow Sailing Club won the Bronze Fleet.

The band playing outside on the Saturday night was a little bit of magic and gave the event a festival feel and the racing finished on a high with three great races.

The Lough Erne YC would like to thank Brian and also Martin O’Reilly and Sinéad Enright who are also stepping down this year, for all their hard work and commitment to the association over the past few years. We would also like to wish newly elected President Mark Usher from Greystones Sailing Club the very best of luck and to welcome Tadgh O’Loinsigh from Tralee Bay Sailing Club as the Under 25 representative on the new committee.

The Lough Erne YC’s race manager had this commentary on the racing:

“The forecast said “ten knots, gusting close to twenty”, but as the fleet made its way to the race course it was clear that the “breeze was on” for Day 1.

The starts were hectic with twenty-eight boats fighting for front row positions, the fleet got away clean for three of the four races.

The upwind legs were a battle between finding flatter water and picking your way through the wind shifts across the broad Lough. There were gains to be made on both sides of race course, and all through the fleet, boats traded positions with only small margin making the difference of often multiple places.

The front half of the fleet was always still tightly packed as they approached the first windward mark, and with spinnakers hoisted and powerful gusts, the downwind legs in the first couple of races were fun and felt short. The leeward gate created opportunities as the fleet split each time for a second lap.

By the time the warning signal for Race 3 was raised, the breeze showed signs of dropping a little bit. At that point, about half the fleet made the change to their larger genoa headsail. On balance, those who stuck with Jib’s probably fared better during the next race and only by Race 4 had the wind moderated enough to make sailing with the J/24’s big Genoa really manageable.

With testing wind conditions, and a very competitive fleet, every place was fought for and as is so often the case in big fleets consistency was the key to success on day 1. After four races completed, and still no discard, the McCormack’s STOUCHE from Foynes Yacht Club managed to stay just ahead of Flor O'Driscoll's team in HARD ON PORT. Behind them, and still in the running to grab the National title, were the local team of JP Caldin on IL RICCIO and HEADCASE owned and sailed by the first graduates of the Howth YC J/24 “Under 25” development program.”

The Foynes YC U-25 Team had this to say:
“So glad to be out here in Enniskillen; what a fantastic venue to compete in. Our team’s first time racing here and it didn’t disappoint. While our results weren’t as good as we would have originally hoped, we had a great day on the water all the same. The PRO Derek Bothwell and his team set great courses that made for extremely competitive and nail-biting races for us all day long. We were met with testing conditions at the beginning of the day, which gradually eased. It took us a while to get the boat going but we dusted off the cobwebs and eventually got into the groove. We are happy to say our results improved as the day progressed. Hopefully, our performance will continue to improve tomorrow and the day after!”

Watch this great video of the Irish J/24 Nationals here:
https://youtu.be/H4zBk1kfr3Y Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/109s Top Dun Laoghaire Regatta

(Dun Laoghaire, Ireland)- Ireland’s largest sailing event, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, came to a gentle close Sunday afternoon after an exciting four days of racing in Dublin Bay with 500 boats and almost 2,500 sailors competing.

A light northerly breeze of six knots allowed organizers to complete nearly all 290 scheduled races with many class titles hanging on the outcome of the final race.

Many of the hottest boats were racing the IRC Coastal class of twenty-eight boats. It was tough competition and J/Teams faired well overall. Taking the silver overall was Peter Dunlop’s J/109 MOJITO, while Nigel Ingram’s J/109 JET STREAM took 4th place. In the IRC B Coastal division, MOJITO won, leading a J/sweep of the podium.  Second was JET STREAM and third was Lindsay Casey & Denis Power’s J/97 WINDJAMMER.

In the Celtic Cup RC35 class, two J/109s swept the top honors. Winning was Pat Kelly’s STORM and taking the silver was Brian & John Hall’s SOMETHING ELSE.

In the IRC Cruiser 0 class of six yachts, Jonathan Anderson’s J/122E EL GRAN SENOR from the Clyde Cruising Club in Scotland started the regatta slowly and closed with a 3rd place average to take 4th in class, just 2 pts off the podium.

The twenty-seven boat IRC Cruiser 1 class was the most competitive and hardest class, especially because sixteen J/109s were vying for summer series offshore honors as well. Not surprisingly, J/Teams swept the top six places. The first five teams were all J/109s. Winning was John Maybury’s JOKER 2, taking the silver was Tim & Richard Goodbody’s WHITE MISCHIEF, the bronze went to Pat Kelly’s STORM, fourth was Cowell Murphy’s OUTRAJEOUS, and fifth was Brian Jones’ JELLY BABY. Taking 6th was the newly launched J/99 JUGGERKNOT 2 sailed by the trio of Andrew Algeo, Richard Knatchbull, & Paul Nolan from Royal Irish YC.

The IRC Cruiser 3 had a gaggle of J/24s. Top team was Steve Atkinson’s BAD in fourth and Flor O’Driscoll’s HARD ON PORT took fifth place.

The fourteen-boat J/80 class experienced a bit of a runaway in the form of Jonathan O’Dowd’s Royal St George YC crew on JABS, winning quite handily with a scoreline that only counted podium finishes for 11 pts net. The race for the balance of the top five was quite spirited as only two points separated them at the conclusion of the regatta.  Tied for second on 22 pts each were Philip Watson’s JAM JAR and Robert Dix’s JEANNIE, with JAM JAR winning the countback.  Fourth place went to Norbert Reilly’s RED CLOUD and fifth was Conall O’Halloran’s JITTERBUG.  Sailing photo credits- David Branigan  For more Dun Laoghaire Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta Preview

(Dun Laoghaire, Ireland)- When the starting gun sounds off Dun Laoghaire’s famous harbour on Thursday, the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta will not only surpass 2017’s fleet with a fleet of 498 boats, but will come close to breaking 2007's all time record of 528 entries.

A regatta of this scale brings key benefits to both the sport and the east coast town. It is a marine tourism boost and one that underpins Dun Laoghaire's place as Ireland’s largest sailing center and also the venue of one of Ireland’s largest participant sporting events with over 2,500 competitors on the water.

But, what’s even more satisfying for the Dun Laoghaire organizers this week is that nearly half the entries for 2019 are visiting boats – an indication of the future international prospects of the regatta.

Organized jointly by the four Dún Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs (the Dún Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club, the National Yacht Club, the Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Royal St George Yacht Club), it provides a snapshot of the sport of sailing in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. With its focus on quality over quantity, the regatta has grown over 16 years into a premier sporting event, and is now competing with the best in Europe.

“VDLR owes its prominence to a number of factors. One is that it is one of the least expensive sailing events in Europe, thanks to generous sponsorship, so providing value for money,” says 2019 organizer Don O’Dowd.

Many of the hottest racing boats will be participating in the IRC Offshore class of twenty-eight boats; it will surely be tough competition!  JACKKNIFE, Andrew Hall’s J/125 from Pwllheli Sailing Club, is leading the ISORA Series overall and is a potent performer, particularly when she can get planing. She will be up against James Tyrrell’s fast J/112E AQUELINA, three J/109s (Paul Sutton’s JAYDREAMER, Peter Dunlop’s MOJITO, & Nigel Ingram’s JET STREAM), Edward Hampson’s J/105 MOJO, and Lindsay Casey’s J/97 WINDJAMMER.

In the IRC Cruiser 0 class of six yachts will be Jonathan Anderson’s J/122E EL GRAN SENOR from the Clyde Cruising Club in Scotland.  The team has enjoyed some early season success in the offshore circuit in Scotland and hopes to continue that trend in this regatta.

The twenty-seven boat IRC Cruiser 1 class is likely to be the most competitive and hardest class to pick a winner this year. The normal Irish and Welsh boats in this class will be joined by the Scottish RC 35 Class who are using Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta as one of the Celtic Cup events, so six of this class have travelled to the hub of Irish Sea yachting.

Sixteen J/109s are featured in this class and are known to be potent in light airs, so it is likely that two or three of the podium results will go to a J/109. So far this year, a J/109 has won the Scottish Series, the ICRAs and the Sovereign's Cup, in varying conditions.

The four J/109s that took the top four results at this year's ICRAs are all back, and all have good tacticians aboard. John Maybury's JOKER 2, From the Royal Irish, who was the 2017 Dun Laoghaire Regatta winner will have Olympian Killian Collins aboard. JELLY BABY, owned by Brian Jones from the Royal Cork has Killian's brother Mel on tactics. STORM 2, owned by the Kelly family from Rush has North Sails Nigel Young aboard, and OUTRAJEOUS, owned by John Murphy and Richard Colwell from Howth, has Olympian Mark Mansfield aboard. OUTRAJEOUS just won the Sovereigns Cup two weeks ago in Kinsale. Other top J/109s likely to do well will be Tim Goodbody's locally-based WHITE MISCHIEF from the Royal Irish, Brian and John Hall's SOMETHING ELSE from the National Yacht Club and Andrew Craig's Scottish Series winner, CHIMAERA from the Royal Irish.

Another good turnout is the 15 boats entered in the J/80 Class, which has proven to be particularly suited to Irish requirements. The impact of the J/80 may be relatively new, but one cannot help but notice that one of the favored helms in the class has to be Robert Dix, yet another product of the remarkable sailing nursery that is Malahide. His continuing sailing skill prompts us to remind the Royal Cork YC that at their Quarter Millennial Celebrations in 1970, one Robert Dix at age 17 emerged as the youngest-ever winner of the Helmsman’s Championship of Ireland. With the RCYC Tercentenary coming up next year, the Golden Jubilee of Dixie’s success is surely something that will get a special mention.

In the twenty-two boat IRC Cruiser 2 class, a quartet of J/crews have all been known to be top performers and have garnered their fair share of silverware in past events.  For starters, the two J/97s will be tough- Stephen Quinn’s LAMBAY RULES and Colin & Kat Kavanaugh’s THE JENERAL LEE, both boats hail from Howth YC.  Gary Fort’s J/92S JAGUAR and Andrew Miles’ J/35 SIDETRACK should in the hunt as well.

Despite the light airs forecast, the quartet of J/24s sailing in IRC Cruiser 3 class could be strong competitors.  Those teams include Steve Atkinson’s BAD, Lizzie McDowell’s SCANDAL, Doug Elmes’ KILCULLEN, and Flor O’Driscoll’s HARD ON PORT.  For more Dun Laoghaire Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Scottish Islands Peaks Race Preview

(Oban, Scotland)- This adventure race is for teams of sailors and “fell” runners (both youth and adult) and is held annually around the most beautiful parts of the west coast of Scotland.

The race starts in Oban (northwest of Glasgow) with a short hill run, and then the teams sail to Salen on the Isle of Mull, about 20.0nm south. After a run over Ben More on Mull, back to the boats and a sail to Craighouse on the Isle of Jura, about 45.0nm further south. After running the Paps, back aboard for the longest sail to the Isle of Arran, about 82.0nm to the south, then east. The last run is around the Goat Fell, then a short sail east over to Troon, about 17.0nm. The race takes 3 to 4 days in total. The sailing part is about 165.0nm, the running part covers about 60.0 miles and 11,500 feet of climbing.

Each team consists of five (usually 2 runners and 3 sailors), and there is also an All-Rounders class for sailors that can run or runners that can sail, and a class for Youth (with the assistance of a few adults).

Background
The race has several objectives:

• one is to encourage sailors to appreciate fell running, for runners to appreciate sailing, and for both to enjoy what must be some of the best sailing and hill running in the world.
• another is to help to build the self-confidence of the youngsters sailing in the Youth Teams.
• Yet another is to raise funds for various good causes; but
• the main objective is to provide a challenging experience to sailors and runners who may be too busy to devote weeks to sailing the Atlantic or trekking in Tibet, but who still relish overcoming a challenge which is well beyond those normally encountered in our modern well-insulated lives.

The race is intended to be challenging and competitors need to be well prepared, fit and experienced to complete this course successfully. Senior Runners must be experienced in the hills and all carry specified survival gear. Yachts must have comprehensive safety gear including flares, VHF radio and engines (for emergency use and when the runners are off the boat). Oars and other muscle-powered devices are permitted for use in calms (e.g. think of the American version called the “Race to Alaska”).

Many teams return year after year for their annual battle against the elements over one of the most beautiful running and sailing courses in the world. Perhaps, part of its charm is that every year brings its own memorable scenes, whether it is getting ahead of your nearest rival by means of a ‘cunning plan’, racing neck and neck with another team under spinnaker, gliding quietly through the water as dawn breaks, or encountering numerous whales and dolphins. The mountains offer a wide variety of challenging terrain and the sailing is equally varied so that, coupled with un-rivaled views of mountains and sea, so that each year brings a totally unique team experience for everyone.

Although the race can be extremely competitive, for most people, it is not the thought of winning that brings them, but simply the pleasure of sailing and running in the company of a great crowd of like-minded people. We all love the hills and seas of the Scottish West Coast and the race is just an excuse for the annual jamboree when we can celebrate our good fortune at being able to experience this great adventure in these wonderful surroundings and in such good company.

The sole J/crew this year will be a Youth Team on the J/110 BLUE BIRD owned by Iain Loudon. The FETTES CHOCOLATES Company is their sponsor. The crew consists of Laurie Mill, Ben Rushton, Maggie Rait, Duncan Harrison, Ellie Marks, Fiona Rees, Louisa Letts, James Mackman, Hector Tomlyn, and Murray Wilson. They will collectively be taking on thirty-nine other teams in the event!  For more Scottish Islands Peaks Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Season Preview - J/70 UK and Ireland Class

Bigger than Ben Hur!
(Southampton, United Kingdom)- The 2019 season is expected to be bigger than Ben Hur for the J/70 UK and Ireland Class, with ten regattas in the Grand Slam Series, and the first ever J/70 World Championships to be held in the UK. There are over 50 teams racing in British waters, and over 100 international teams are expected for the 2019 Darwin Escapes J/70 Worlds, hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club. Racing for the Grand Slam Series starts 13 April and concludes 27 October.

Scoring for the J/70 Class Grand Slam Series is calculated by the best five events, with the J/70 UK Nationals as compulsory. Two fabulous trophies, for Open and Corinthian teams, will be presented at the end of the season, and the top teams for the series will be allocated places for the 2020 J/70 World Championships. The Grand Slam Series events are all based around weekends with a schedule of racing over no more than 2-3 days, except the UK Nationals, which runs for four days.

“Many of the UK teams have been training over the winter, and the buzz in the UK class is stronger than it has ever been,” commented Paul Ward, owner/driver of Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat, and UK Class Secretary. “Time on the water is a big factor to a top performance and going on 2018 results the class will experience extremely competitive racing, last year only three points separated first and fifth. There are now over 1500 J/70s worldwide and the cream of the crop will be in the UK this year, both at the worlds and also the nationals, which is an open event. The UK Class is set for an awesome season!”

The 2019 Grand Slam Series kicks off next month with two weekends of racing at the Warsash Spring Championships (13-14 April & 27-28 April). Cowes is the center of attention for May and June; the RORC Vice Admirals Cup (10-12 May) is followed by the Southern Championships (01-02 June), hosted by the Royal Thames YC. The UK Training Event (18-22 July) will run alongside the J-Cup hosted by the Royal Southern YC. A full race series will be complimented by practice starts plus coaching and video analysis from the expert term at North Sails. Lendy Cowes Week is the venue for the J/70 mini-series (10-13 August), before the J/70 fleet head to the Royal Torbay YC in Torquay for the J/70 UK National Championships (23-26 August), a compulsory event for the Grand Slam Series. Two weekends of racing at the Hamble One Design Championships (05-06 October & 19-20 October), hosted by the Hamble River SC, will be followed by the final event of the 2019 Grand Slam Series, the Solent Championships (26-27 October), hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes.

The highlight of the season is the 2019 Darwin Escapes J/70 World Championships (30 August-06 September). This will be the first J/70 World Championships to be held in the UK. Professional and Corinthian teams are expected from all over the world. The J/70 UK and Ireland Class welcomes new members and chartering opportunities are available from boat owners and yacht clubs.   Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com   For more J/70 United Kingdom sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/122 Podiums RORC Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race started from the Royal Yacht Squadron line at noon on Sunday 12th August, immediately after Lendy Cowes Week. The 1,805 nautical mile race around Britain and Ireland was organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club every four years and will go down in history as one of the toughest races yet in the quadrennial event.

For the 2018 race, 29 teams with close to 200 professional and Corinthian sailors started the race.  Over a dozen dropped out over the course of time due to boat damage, human damage, or electronics failures.  In fact, the weather forecast was so rough, the RORC reversed the route to protect the fleet from a potential battering.  In layman’s terms, that meant that fast reaching/ running boats would enjoy an enormous advantage for 85% of the race.  The normal course is counter-clockwise, going around Britain first to the east, then around Ireland and back to the finish.  The clockwise course meant the fleet sailed in mostly southwesterlies due to a large depression northwest of Ireland- a fast reaching port gybe from southwest Ireland to the northernmost point of the course at Muckle Flugga.

Racing in the IRC 2 Class and the IRC Doublehanded Class was the Dutch duo on JUNIQUE RAYMARINE SAILING TEAM (Chris Revelman & Pascal Bakker).  For most of the race, they lay in fourth place in both IRC Double and IRC 2.  However, as the race progressed, their perseverance produced gains on their much faster offwind competitors.  And, as things slowed down on the eastern shore of England, heading back down into the English Channel, they made enough gains to ultimately finish 3rd in IRC Doublehanded, 3rd in IRC 2 Division, and 5th IRC Overall!  Considering Revelman & Bakker were sailing a standard factory-built J/122, that is an extraordinary achievement against some of the world’s top professional sailors all in custom and semi-custom modified boats that beat them.  Congratulations to Revelman & Bakker’s tremendous achievement on their J/122 JUNIQUE RAYMARINE Sailing Team!  For more Round Britain & Ireland Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Hyde Wins Irish J/24 Nationals

(Foynes, Ireland)- The Irish J/24 National Championship concluded at Foynes Yacht Club in a light to moderate westerly breeze. The Foynes YC PRO- Derek Bothwell- was able to start on schedule for the first time the entire weekend after hours spent waiting around for wind for the previous two days.

Race six of the championships got off to a clear start with the fleet splitting both left and right on the course in a flooding tide. GALA RACING, who went right on the first beat and left on the second, got their first win of the championship followed by Howth YC’s Under 25 team SCANDAL in second and Tim Corcoran on CRAZYHORSE in third.

As the tide strengthened and wind lightened, the race course was shortened before the start of the final race of the event. Flor O’Driscoll’s HARD ON PORT tacked off to the right immediately after the start, keeping further right than any other boat and emerged with a clear lead by the windward mark. A battle for second developed between JIBE, CRAZY HORSE and JUMPIN JIVE who exchanged places numerous times on both the upwind and downwind legs, with CRAZY HORSE finishing in 2nd just ahead of JUMPIN JIVE.

With the championship complete, attention turned to the prize giving. There were multiple changes in positions in the fleet after the final two races. In Gold, Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Stefan Hyde on MAURICE JOHNSON & PARTNERS became the new Irish J/24 National Champion for 2018. The new Under 25 Irish National Champion is Harry Cronin and his SCANDAL team from Howth Yacht Club.

A number of initiatives brought in for this year’s event were very successful. The trialing of On-the-Water Judging conducted by Gordon Davies was well received by the competitors. Also, the introduction of a Bronze Fleet made for competitive sailing for all competitors.  Here are the complete results for each of the fleets.

GOLD Fleet
1st – Maurice Johnson & Partners – Stefan Hyde
2nd – Crazy horse – Tim Corcoran
3rd – Hard on Port – Flor O’Driscoll

SILVER Fleet
1st – Gala Racing – Simon McGibney
2nd – FYC Under 25 Team – Michael Lynch
3rd – Kilcullen – Colin O’Sullivan

BRONZE Fleet
1st – Jevan – Ken Draper/Adam Sutor
2nd – Blue Jay – Brian McDowell
3rd – NUIG Galway – Aaron O’Reilly

UNDER 25
1st – Scandal – Harry Cronin
2nd – FYC Under 25 – Michael Lynch
3rd – Kilcullen – Colin O’Sullivan

The association acknowledged the support of the sponsors of the event and ICRA for their support and finally the host club and its members for a great weekend of sailing!  Thanks for contribution from AFLOAT.IE in Ireland for the report Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race Update

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race started from the Royal Yacht Squadron line at noon on Sunday 12th August, directly after Lendy Cowes Week. The 1,805 nautical mile race around Britain and Ireland is organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club every four years and is considered to be one of the toughest challenges in the sport of yacht racing.

For the 2018 race, 29 teams with close to 200 professional and Corinthian sailors will be competing. For the past two editions, the weather has been so rough that the RORC has reversed the route to protect the fleet from a potential battering.

J/Teams are taking on the challenge. Racing in the IRC 2 Class and the IRC Doublehanded Class is the Dutch duo on JUNIQUE RAYMARINE SAILING TEAM (Chris Revelman & Pascal Bakker).  They are currently lying in fourth place, just 35nm behind the class leader.

After the start in Cowes, England off the Royal Yacht Squadron’s famous starting line in the Solent, Revelman & Bakker have maintained pace with the top boats in very demanding conditions.  They passed Land’s End off the southwest tip of England, passed by the famous Fastnet Rock, rounded the hellishly rough southwest point of Ireland at Great Skelligh Island Lighthouse and are now headed north to leave Saint Kilda Island to starboard off northwest Scotland.  Next stop thereafter, the infamous Muckle Flugga Lighthouse off the northern end of the Shetland Islands.

There is still a LOT of sailing left in this 1,805nm adventure.  And, the weather is getting worse, as one might expect sailing across the southern parts of the North Sea- a region notorious for freak waves, rapidly worsening depressions, and full on gales instead of a sunny Force 5 day that was forecast!  Things change quickly in those parts and the race is quickly living up to its reputation as a gear-buster, people-buster- so far, eight boats have already dropped out for various reasons (1/3 of the fleet!). In fact, standing in the way of JUNIQUE RAYMARINE is a forecast for a full gale of 30-45 kts of southwesterly winds by Saturday, with 15-20 ft waves predicted in the British MET office shipping forecasts.  For more Round Britain & Ireland Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race Preview

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is set to start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line at noon on Sunday 12th August, directly after Lendy Cowes Week. The 1,805 nautical mile race around Britain and Ireland is organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club every four years and is considered to be one of the toughest challenges in the sport of yacht racing.

For the 2018 race, 31 teams with close to 200 professional and corinthian sailors will be competing. For the past two editions, the weather has been so rough that the RORC has reversed the route to protect the fleet from a potential battering.

After a momentous start at the Royal Yacht Squadron line, the fleet will race through the Solent then past the famous headlands of the South West of England. The epic adventure continues into the Celtic Sea, past the Fastnet Rock and Mizzen Head onto the wild west coast of Ireland. The Atlantic racing continues past St Kilda, up to the most northerly point of the course, Muckle Flugga on the 61st parallel. Then, turning south through the infamous North Sea, the fleet will have turned their bows for home. The English Channel and Solent form the final stages of the marathon race.

Solent to Land's End- Approx. 180 nm
Getting a good start will depend upon using the best of the wind and tides to exit the Solent. The race starts to the east leaving the Isle of Wight to starboard. There are four major headlands which form tidal gates along the South Coast of England; Portland Bill, Start Point, The Lizard and Land's End. Deciding whether to go inshore or offshore at each of these headlands will depend on the wind speed, the direction and the tidal flow.

Land's End to Mizzen Head- Approx. 210 nm
 The Celtic Sea forms part of the North Atlantic Ocean and the seabed is part of the Continental Shelf of Europe, which is relatively shallow at 100 metres. The fleet will get a real taste of Atlantic weather that can produce a significant and confused sea state as the ocean waves rear up in the shallows. The boats will pass the famous Fastnet Lighthouse along the way, but the significant waypoint is nine miles further west at Mizzen Head when the fleet will turn north to race along the wild West Coast of Ireland.

Mizzen Head to Black Rock- Approx. 170 nm
 Bull Rock, Great Skelling and Tearaght Island must be rounded to starboard, but it is highly likely that the fleet will give them a good offing, as there are outlying rocks that should be avoided. The coastline features bold mountainous peninsulas with deeply indented bays. Taking the full violence of the North Atlantic's prevailing gales it is subject to heavy seas and swell.

Black Rock to Muckle Flugga- Approx. 530 nm
 Having rounded Black Rock, it is unlikely that the fleet will see land again for over 200 miles of Atlantic Ocean Racing. As the fleet head further north, the air and sea temperature will begin to fall. The fleet will round St Kilda, which is an archipelago of islands in the Outer Hebrides. Hirta is the largest island in the St Kilda archipelago with cliffs rising 430 metres sheer out of deep water. On to Sula Sgeir, that is a small, uninhabited island 40 miles into the North Atlantic from mainland Scotland. Muckle Flugga, Shetland Islands is the most northerly part of the course on the 61st parallel. The fleet will be as far north as Alaska, which will deliver cold conditions, even in August. The teams will have now travelled over 1,000 nautical miles and over the halfway point in the race as they turn their bows south towards the finish.

Muckle Flugga to Ramsgate- Approx. 580 nm
 The fleet may be heading south and away from the effects of the Atlantic Ocean, but the North Sea can be just as difficult to navigate and to avoid hazards. The North Sea is one of the world's most important shipping lanes as well as a major fishery, and in recent years has seen the developments of wind and wave farms. The approach to Felixstowe is also complicated by a myriad of sandbanks and tidal rips are notorious.

Ramsgate to Finish- Approx. 130 nm
 The English Channel with its busy shipping routes and tidal streams forms the last open water leg of the marathon before the teams enter the Solent to finish the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race. For many teams they will have been at sea for up to 14 days, catching a few hours of sleep and dining on snacks and freeze-dried fare. The Royal Ocean Racing Club will welcome each team after they cross the finish line with a warm handshake and cold beer.

Two J/Teams are taking on the challenge. Racing in the IRC 2 Class are two J/122s.  Sailing with a full crew is Andy Theobald’s R&W from the United Kingdom.  Then, the Dutch duo on JUNIQUE RAYMARINE SAILING TEAM (Chris Revelman & Pascal Bakker) will be scored in both IRC 2 as well as IRC Doublehanded Class!   For more Round Britain & Ireland Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Crews Lead Volvo Cork Week

J/109 JOKER II Wins Beaufort Cup, J’s Sweep IRC 2
(Cork, Ireland)- After over 40 hours of intense racing, Barry Byrne's Irish Defence Forces team, racing J/109 JOKER 2, have successfully defended the Beaufort Cup. Youen Jacob's Baltimore RNLI team, racing J/109 JUGGERKNOT, put the defending champions under serious pressure, taking the gun for the first race on the last day, but finished runner-up by just two points. Simon Coveney's Irish Defence Forces Team, racing JEDI, recovered from a starting penalty in the first race of the day to make a tenacious comeback taking the final podium spot for the Beaufort Cup.

“We’re over the moon, it’s more than we ever dreamed of,” said Byrne. “It’s a tough event to win, especially against the caliber of people we were up against – Olympians, All-Ireland champions and people like Tim Goodbody and other great sailors.”

Watch the Cork Week sailing video highlights here

120 teams from eight different nations competed at Volvo Cork Week, enjoying six days of racing in the Celtic Sea and Cork Harbour on a variety of courses. This year, the biennial regatta organized by the Royal Cork Yacht Club, celebrated 40 years and Volvo Cork Week continued to provide fantastic racing, superb award wining facilities and great fun ashore.

The Beaufort Cup started with the challenging Fastnet Race on Monday 16th July, followed by three days of short-course racing to test the all round ability of the teams. Beaufort Cup entries feature 50% of the crew coming from active personnel in the Armed Forces and Emergency Services. 17 teams were racing from Ireland, Great Britain and the United States of America. The inaugural Beaufort Cup was held as part of the 2016 edition of Volvo Cork Week, Commandant Barry Byrne skippered the Irish Defence Forces to victory, and the team successfully defended their title. As a result, they once again nominate a charity to win €10,000.

“The Beaufort Cup is part of Volvo Cork Week, and any team competing is eligible for the boat of the week,” commented Barry Byrne, the two-time winner. “The Beaufort Cup is challenging, and a test in a real environment of leadership, team work and resilience, which are all values of the services we represent. The inter-services rivalry is very exciting; something special that raises the level of the competition, whilst still keeping the friendly rivalry and banter, which is brilliant. The field really toughened up this year, everyone competing had done their best to raise their game. It is a great fleet and the fastest growing element of Volvo Cork Week.”

Watch the interview of Commandant Barry Byrne on Facebook here.

After five days of racing, the fleet was treated to a thrilling finale for the Beaufort Cup title. After winning the final race to take the title. So what more can we say about Commandant Barry Byrne’s achievement in retaining the trophy?

Well, for one, Byrne and his Irish Defence Force’s team sailing John Maybury’s J/109 JOKER 2 carried off the “Houdini act” more than once. For starters, their campaign to win the Cup started with a come from behind win in the Fastnet Race. Then, they went on through the week to fight off challenges from Youen Jacob with the Baltimore RNLI in Andrew Alegeo’s J/109 JUGGERKNOT, Tanaiste Simon Coveney and his Irish Defence Forces crew on the Irish National Sailing School’s J/109 JEDI.

The pressure was kept up to the very end. With three race sailed yesterday (Friday), Youen Jacob gained a point with a first to Byrne’s second in the first race. But, then Barry Byrne got back in the saddle with first in the second race, while Jacob was fourth.

While the Byrne crew were ninth in the final race, which was won by Tim Goodbody with Simon Coveney second, Youen Jacob was held back to sixth, and Commandant Barry Byrne and his crew had retained the Beaufort Cup only a fortnight after winning the Corinthian Division and taking second overall in the Volvo Round Ireland Race!

So there it goes, Volvo Cork Week 2018. Nail-biting finish to the Beaufort Cup with victory again for Barry Byrne. Roll on 2020 and the Tricentenary!

In the IRC 1 Class, Jonathan Anderson's J/122 El Gran Senor (Clyde Cruising Club) was third. It was a good regatta for the team from the northern waters of Scotland!

Three J/Crews lead a sweep of the IRC 2 Class. Dunlop & Cox's J/109 MOJITO (Pwllheli SC) won the last two races to climb from third to first for a dramatic class win by a single point from Ronan Harris' J/109 JIGAMAREE (Royal Irish YC). Brian & Mary Jones J/109 JELLY BABY (Royal Cork YC) could well have won the class, save a steering problem in the penultimate race, which put the local team back to third, just two points away from victory.

So much attention was focused on the many J/109s in the Beaufort Cup series (with which we conclude this report) that it’s easy to overlook the fact that several others sister-ships were racing as standard entrants in Class 2. This series concluded with a battle for the class overall win between two of them, Ronan Harris’s JIGAMAREE from the Royal Irish YC in Dun Laoghaire, and the 2017 ISORA Champion MOJITO (Vicky Cox & Peter Dunlop, Pwllheli SC). In the end, MOJITO got it by a whisker, 14 pts to JIGAMREE’s 15 pts, which in turn was just one point ahead of sister ship JELLY BABY (Brian & Mary Jones, Royal Cork YC).
Sailing photo credits- David Branigan/Oceansport For more pictures and videos from Volvo Cork Week, follow on Facebook here For more CORK Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.