A well-timed postponement meant the nine-boat Kinsale Yacht Club SCORA Fastnet Race got away in a great breeze this morning at 10 am for its annual offshore race even though the fleet will not now round the Rock but the much closer Kowloon Bridge south cardinal buoy instead.
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The Kowloon Bridge buoy that marks the position of a wrecked ship is just off Toe Head on the West Cork coast giving boats a much easier chance of completing the course back to Kinsale in the forecasted light winds.
The boats started on a tight reach before popping spinnakers as they reached Kinsale's harbour mouth.
Sponsored by UK Sailmakers Ireland, the fleet includes the on form host club J109 entry of Artful Dodjer (Finnbarr O'Regan).
The Kinsale J109 entry of Artful Dodjer (Finnbarr O'Regan) Photo: Bob Bateman
Last year's winner the Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo (Denis and Annamarie Murphy) is also racing along with the Grand Soleil 34 Justina (John Treanor) from the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour as well as other cruiser racers, Reavra Too, White Tiger, Valfreya and Flyover from Dunmore East in County Waterford.
Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo (Denis and Annamarie Murphy) Photo: Bob Bateman
The Dublin Bay Grand Soleil 34 Justina dockside in Kinsale with skipper John Treanor (left) and among the crew Adam Winkelmann (second from left) the organiser of June's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Photo: Bob Bateman
