Although Conor Doyle's Xp 50 Freya from the host club was the clear 'on the water' winner on the Sovereign's Cup Coastal Course today, it was Bob Rendell's new Samatom, a Grand Soleil 44, from Howth YC that took first place on IRC rating just ahead of Conor Phelan's custom Ker 37 Jump Juice from the Royal Cork YC.
Light winds and rain soon gave way for ideal racing conditions for the event's opening day at Kinsale Yacht Club today.
As Afloat reported earlier, the overall 62-strong fleet competed on courses ranging from Cork Harbour to the Old Head of Kinsale at the start of the four-day regatta.
(from left) The X35 D-Tox, the Grand Soleil 44 Samatom and the Xp 44 Wow at the start of the coastal race Photo: Bob Bateman
The 17-strong division that features some of the biggest yachts in the event started racing with a short sprint to the O'Leary Insurance Group buoy before a long leg back to the Daunt Rock off Robert's Cove at Cork Harbour.
As regular Afloat readers will know, first, second (joint)and third from this month's Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race are sailing in this coastal fleet.
Full results here.
