2024 Volvo Cork Week - Day 2
by Volvo Cork Week 16 Jul 18:26 UTC
15-19 July 2024
The second day of Volvo Cork Week 2024 was blessed with beautiful weather. The wind at Roches Point for the first start was in the high teens with the Volvo Cork Week fleet bathed in sunshine. The international fleet enjoyed spectacular racing in and around Cork Harbour.
The Offshore race for the Beaufort Cup came to a magnificent finish off Roches Point. The 150NM race around the Fastnet Rock was won by the Irish Defence Forces racing J/109 Artful Dodjer, claiming Line Honours as well as the race win after IRC time correction.
"The lead in the race changed many times," commented Simon Coveney TD who was at the helm of Artful Dodjer as the team sailed through the finish line. "It is a complex race and coastline and the breeze was moving around a lot. The team were delighted to be the first to round the Fastnet during the night. It is always a memorable moment, no matter how many times you have done it. This was a team effort but special thanks should go to Brian Mathews, who put the whole team together." Continued Coveney. "What is really special this year about the Beaufort Cup is that we have three teams from the US, as well as a team from the UK, racing against two teams from the Irish Defence Forces and two teams from the RNLI. The whole idea was that The Beaufort Cup would be an international event for people working in uniform in different parts of the world that would get together and make friendships. All of the sailors have come to Cork and really enjoy themselves, the atmosphere at the Royal Cork YC is fantastic."
The 1720 European Championship has a new leader, Howth YC's The McBearla's racing Rope Dock Atara won all three of today's races. Nick Burns & Andy Pidden's Royal Hong Kong Team racing King 40 Blitz retained the lead in IRC Zero. Barry Cunningham's J/109 Chimaera (RCYC/RIYC) leads in IRC One. Royal Cork's Fiona Young with Albin Express North Star leads in IRC Three with two straight bullets.
In IRC Two, Half Tonners Farr 2 (RSC & BSC) and Swuzzlebubble (RCYC) are having a close battle. After three races, Boardman, Kelly and O'Leary's 2 Farr leads by just one point from James Dwyer's Swuzzlebubble. "It's nip and tuck the whole time, really close racing under IRC," commented 2 Farr's Rob O'Leary. "Swuzzlebubble and Miss Whiplash are well-sailed and we have had two days of very different conditions. There is plenty of racing to come and I am sure it will be a tight finish by the end of the regatta."
In the Coastal Fleet racing under ECHO, Johnny Treanor's J/112 ValenTina from the National Yacht Club is the class leader. In Non-Spinnaker One under ECHO Royal Cork's Frank Caul racing Grand Soleil 37 Prince of Tides leads after two races. In Non-Spinnaker Two under ECHO, Royal Cork's Maurice Collins racing Bavaria 42 Sepideh the class leader.
The nine-strong RS 21 fleet is a new addition to Volvo Cork Week. Local sailors and overseas competitors make up the one design fleet racing on tight windward leeward courses. Liam & Keith Willis from the Royal Lymington YC in the UK have won five of the six races completed to lead the class by seven points from Kenny Rumball's RS Ireland. Nick Redding's team is in third just two points behind RS Ireland. Nick is racing under the burgee of the Goring SC in the UK and his two young crew come from Dublin.
"The RS21 Class at Volvo Cork Week is the complete package," commented Nick Redding. "The boat is great to race and it has been very simple in logistics to come to Cork Week, find a good crew and take part in superb racing on excellent courses in an exceptional sailing location. I intend to make Volvo Cork Week a fixture every regatta."
After racing on the first day of Volvo Cork Week, competitors rubbed shoulders for the Daily Prize Giving with a complimentary Pulled-Pork BBQ. Later on, a live set of rock and pop tunes from Phil Holbird and his band got the crowd buzzing.
Full provisional results available here.
For more information visit: www.corkweek.ie.