#calvesweek – The first day of sailing in the Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2013 was conducted in light to moderate winds and in warm, fair conditions.
This is the 29th time this well-loved sailing festival has been organised by the volunteers from Schull Harbour Sailing Club. The racing schedule was revamped last year to better meet the needs of skippers and crew, who generally bring their families and stay in the local area. The successful new 4 day format, and the recent good weather, helped to persuade a dozen additional new crews to travel to the West Cork village. Travelling Dublin boats include Leslie Parnell on Black Velvet, Paul O'Higgins on Rockabill V, Frank Whelan on Wavetrain and Declan Hayes on Indecision. Substantial contingents based in Tralee and Waterford, and a large number of Royal Cork boats also made the journey.
Two 1720s from the CIT Sailing Club joined Infinity from Fastnet Outdoor Education Centre.
The majority of boats in the 55 boat fleet had signed up well before the launch on Monday night 5th August 2013, sponsored by Cork Dry Gin. Other returning sponsors include Landrover, ASECO, A&L Castors, and Charts Latitude in Kinsale. The festival has always been strongly supported by local businesses such as Rossbrin Boatyard. With the assistance of Schull Tourism, the sailing has now been integrated with an onshore festival with music organised each evening in the village and a farmers market on the pier on Thursday.
Experienced Race Officer Neil Prendiville, taking account of the slightly fresher breeze in Long Island Bay, sent the 4 fleets on a triangular course around a windward mark, through the Calf Islands and past the Amelia Buoy. Combined Classes O/1 and 2/3 followed a further windward/leeward leg.
The lack of a breeze inshore led the Race Officer to shorten the course for all Classes to finish offshore by the Amelia with a spinnaker finish for all cruiser classes.
Kieran Twomey in Gloves Off (RCYC) started the honours list in Class 0&1 in both IRC and Echo, ahead of Jump Juice (Conor, Denise Phelan) and Freya (Conor Doyle) respectively. June's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race winner Amazing Grace (Brian O'Sullivan, Tralee Bay SC) took both prizes in Class 2/3, ahead of Derek Dillon in Big Deal (Foynes YC) in IRC and Donagh Russell in Bedlam (Cove SC). Local boat Shelly D took line honours in IRC in Class 4, with Rene Wubben in Seven Whistler taking the Echo prize.
In the Whitesail 1 fleet, Dublin boats Zephyr (Ross Cahill O'Brien, NYC) swopped places with Andrew Knowles in Sandpiper of Howth (HYC) in the 1:2 stakes in IRC and ECHO. Martin Lane in Chatterbox scooped the ECHO honours in Whitesail 2 from an entirely local fleet.
Calves Week 2013 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club Overall (after day one):
WHITE SAIL 2 ECHO: 1. Chatterbox Oceanis 331 (Martin Lane SHSC); 2 La Pearl Noire First 27.7 (James Crowley SHSC); 3 Cu na Mara Norfolk Smuggler (David Kiely SHSC)
WHITE SAIL 1 IRC: 1. Zephyr J100 (Ross Cahill O'Brien NYC); 2 Sandpiper of Howth Jeanneau S.O.37 (Andrew Knowles HYC); 3 Act Two Dufour 425 (T Roche & M O'Leary & D Andrews RIYC)
WHITE SAIL 1 ECHO: 1. Sandpiper of Howth Jeanneau S.O.37 (Andrew Knowles HYC); 2 Zephyr J100 (Ross Cahill O'Brien NYC); 3 Act Two Dufour 425
Class 4 ECHO: 1. Seven Whistler Albin Ballad (Rene Wubben WHSC; 2 Chinook First 210 (A Bradley & P Morgan SHSC); 3 Shelly D Moody 30 (Michael Murphy SHSC)
Class 0 & 1 ECHO: 1. Gloves Off Corby 38 (Kieran Twomey RCYC); 2 Freya X-422 Conor (Doyle KYC); 3 Endgame West A35 (Frank Doyle RCYC)
CLASS 0 & 1 IRC: 1. Gloves Off Corby 38; 2 Jump Juice Ker 37 Custom (Conor & Denise Phelan RCYC); 3 Rockabill V Corby 33 (Paul O'Higgins RIYC)
CLASS 4 IRC: 1. Shelly D Moody 30 (Michael Murphy SHSC); 2 Saoirse GK 24 (Richard Hanley KYC)
1720 CLASS: 1. Warrior 1720 CIT (Sean O'Riordan CITSC); 2 Scholar 1720 CIT (Paul Gallagher)
CITSC Class 2 & 3 ECHO: 1 Amazing Grace Oyster 37 (Brian O'Sullivan TBSC); 2 Bedlam Impala 28 mod (Allister & Russell & Doyle CSC); 3 Valkriss First 345 (Hennessy & Murphy & Dann KYC)
CLASS 2 & 3 IRC: 1 Amazing Grace Oyster 37 ; 2 Big Deal Dehler (Derek Dillon FYC); 3 Bedlam Impala 28 mod (Allister & Russell & Doyle CSC)
For further results please check out www.shsc.ie
