The British yacht 'Bob', co-owned by Tony Hayward, the troubled chief executive of BP, is to race in Cork Week regatta in Crosshaven from July 10. Although some UK Press reports say Hayward will not be onboard Bob for the Irish regatta his name appears on the Royal Cork Yacht Club entry list with co-owners Sam Laidlaw and Rob Gray.

The yacht hit headlines around the world when it was reported Hayward took a weekend off dealing with the enormous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to sail the Round the Island Race in the Solent. His entry at the regatta stoked anger at the oil company as it was claimed it insulted those affected by the slick. President Obama's chief of staff, said that Hayward had committed yet another in a "long line of PR gaffes" and he was roundly vilified for the decision.