#sovscup – RCYC's O'Leary clan continued to carve their way to the top of the 1720 European Championships table with six of the scheduled races completed. Nicholas, onboard T-Bone enjoyed a second and two bullets in today's racing held as part of the Covestone Asset Management Sovereign's Cup. T-Bone now enjoys a six point lead overall over Spiced Beef, with brothers Peter and Robert O'Leary onboard, which found today's shifty wind in Bullen Bay less to its taste. Baltimore-based Ben Cooke on Smile and Wave continues to keep the top two honest in third, just a further point adrift, while Anthony O'Leary, lies waiting in fourth should his sons slip up in the remaining races.

Kinsale Yacht Club's Sovereign's Cup passed the halfway point with a mid-event prizegiving at the newly renovated Kinsale Yacht Club.
In the Quarter Ton Cup, the competition continues apace amongst the 8-boat fleet. Rob Laidlaw in Aquila appears at this stage to marginally have the upper hand over Rob Gray's all-black Cote, scoring two bullets and a second to Gray's two seconds and a first. There's not much in it though, with the final race today being decided by a mere seven seconds. William McNeill's Illegal Immigrant lies in third overall after three third place finishes, and likewise Tony Hayward's Black Fun was remarkably consistent notching up three fourths today, to lie in fourth place overall. However, the smart money at this stage would be on Laidlaw or Gray to lift the trophy.
In White Sail Class 1, KYC's Dave O'Sullivan in Cimarron VI and Christine Willis in Rodmar of Aberaeron are tied on points at the top of the table, with the O'Mahony clan on Loch Greine just a further point behind. However, with Emir Herr winning today's race, and the overall scores reasonably close, it is all to play for yet in this fleet. In IRC, Rodmar of Aberaeron leads by a single point from Colm Bermingham's Bite the Bullet with Stephen Lysaght's Reavra just a further point back. In White Sail Class 2, KYC's Ger Grant in Loa Zour won today's race to lead overall from clubmates Caroline Forde and Gill Good on Guinness Kann and Richard Hanley on Saoirse.
In Class 2, the Waterford-based Statham team on Slack Alice now enjoy a five point lead in Class 2 IRC. In a tightly bunched fleet, this could be described as "commanding", as the second and third placed boats, the evergreen Cavatina and Bad Company are tied on points. However the two RCYC boats have only two points to spare over former Sovereign's Cup winner Dux. In Class 2 Echo, Henry Hogg's Lisador is currently comfortably ahead of Typhoon and Bad Company, but once again nine boats could be considered contenders for overall honours when one considers that Typhoon was the only one of the top five boats in Echo to score better than a third in today's racing.

Nicholas O'Leary's T bone crew lead the 1720 Euros in Kinsale. Photo: Bob Bateman. Scroll down for more photos

Class 3 were also on the Windward Leeward course with Class 2 today, and enjoyed the 15 knot+ south-westerly breeze and the pleasant sunshine. KYC member, John Twomey continued to dominate in his Blazer 23 Shillelagh, with a further two bullets today to go with the two from yesterday. Twomey's results are underscored by the fact that he has the lowest handicapped boat in the fleet, but consistently maintains a significant on-the-water lead in each race. Jaws Seachange Now and Bandit lie in second and third place respectively. In Class 3 Echo, Twomey's dominance continues, with Jaws Seachange now in second overall, but Bill McConnell's Monkey Business climbing to third overall after two second placed finishes today.
The Class 0 and 1 fleet enjoyed a very long day at sea today on the round-the-cans course which gave all boats a chance to stretch themselves in the glorious conditions. In the first race of the morning, Andy William's stunning Ker 40 Keronimo was across the line early, and had to dip back before resuming the race, scything her way through the fleet before surfing into an on-the-water lead downwind while clocking in excess of 20 knots! The "Z" flag had to be unfurled by PRO Jack Roy for the second race after a general recall. Keronimo leads overall in Class 0 IRC, but is tied on points with Kieran Twomey's Gloves Off, which continued her good form today. Murray Finlay's XP38i Roxstar lies a little adrift in third overall. Richard Fildes'campaign on his Corby 37 Impetuous suffered a serious setback today after they were Z-flagged in the second race of the day apparently dropping her out of contention until the discard comes into play. In Class 0 Echo, Gloves Off and Keronimo lie first and second respectively, with Tony Ackland's Dark Angel in third overall.

Dublin Bay Joker 2 leads Class one. Photo: Bob Bateman. Scroll down for more photos

In Class 1 IRC, John Maybury's Joker 2, has established herself as the boat to beat, not having been outside the top three to date, and scoring a bullet in today's second race. Local KYC boat David Scott's EOS lies in second place overall after squeaking a win from Joker 2 by two seconds in the first race today. The A35 Fool's Gold of Rob McConnell lies in third overall but, with just eight points separating second and sixth places and amid reports of very competitive racing - where minute margins are making significant differences - no one is calling this class yet. J109s and A35s occupy the top seven positions in Class 1 ECHO. Joker 2 also tops the table here with the RIYC boat 10 points clear of Tony Fox's Gringo and John Kelly's Jump the Gun rounding out the top three a further 8.5 points behind.

More images in the gallery below and in a separate Sovereign's Cup photography posting here