Ireland's 2010 Commodore's Cup winning captain showed his relief at the news that Hong Kong have been tipped as favourites for next July's event, The Irish Times reports.

The announcement was made this week at the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in London, and should lift a burden off an Irish squad which has long suffered under the weight of being pre-event favourites.

Ireland's concerns instead have turned to whether a team can even be assembled for next summer's event in light of the difficult economic environment - and despite the RORC opening the rating bands to allow for more flexible combinations of boat sizes.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) is seeking expressions of interest to form an Irish team and remains hopeful of mounting a serious defence of the title won by last year's Anthony O’Leary-captained squad.

The next Commodore's Cup - which also has a new title sponsor in Brewin Dolphin - takes place from 21 to 28 July 2012 in Cowes.

The Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) is seeking expressions of interest from owners to form an Irish team to defend the Rolex Commodore's Cup next July.

ICRA Commodore Barry Rose says that despite the current difficult environment ICRA remains hopeful of mounting a serious defence and have waited until now to allow the maximum time to those who may consider supporting the challenge.

The Rolex Commodores Cup takes place from 21st to 28th July 2012 based in Cowes. Ireland first won this prestigious International Trophy in 2010 .

Captain of the winning team Anthony O Leary told Afloat.ie: 'We finally won this great event in 2010 with a well organised campaign. Let's hope we
can return to defend it in 2012 learning further from that experience'

The regatta format has been changed by event organisers the RORC in that the smallest boat will now have a minimum rating of 1.020 with the biggest boat maximum rating of 1.230. There will be only one boat per team allowed to rate in excess of 1.150.

This means there will no longer be three separate classes so all starts will be all in which will add to the excitement and spectacle of the event.

Countries will be free to decide on their own combination of boat sizes within the above bands which will add further to the intrigue of this non discard seven day test of inshore and offshore racing.

ICRA is asking for potential interested owners to make contact with them as soon as possible in order that a meeting can be held within the next month to advance ideas on how best to mount a successful defence.

Following very closely after the Dingle Race, ICRA Nationals in Crosshaven and the Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale, it was understandable that the numbers of ISORA boats taking part in the Lyver Race was small. The "grim" forecast of no wind did not encourage any boats to take part either. Never the less, five ISORA boats joined the 10 other boats and came to the start shortly after 19.00 on Friday the 1st July.

In view of the forecast the Sailing Committee shortened the race to the minimum requirements of RORC to qualify for the Fastnet Race – 75 miles. The time limit for the race was 24 hours after the start. With little wind at the start, and a north going tide just starting, they chose a "waypoint" just south of the Isle of Man as the turning mark and then to Howth.

This decision turned out to be inspired. The little wind there was there at the start was from the north-west so the first leg was a beat to the waypoint. Those boats who took the north leg from the start shot away in the tide while the others appeared to remain static in
Holyhead Bay. The forecast was for the wind to veer around to the south later. All through the night the winds were very fickle and boats had the chase constantly fluctuating breezes. Despite the little wind, it held for most of the night. At day break the wind started to pick up from the forecasted South and boats popped their kites and headed for the waypoint. There was a great gathering of boats at the waypoint with 12 boats visible around the waypoint.

The next leg to Howth was a white sail reach. This turned out to be an intensive chase with the J111 "Arabella" taking the lead followed by two Prima 38's, Stephen Tudor's "Sgrech" and Matt Davis's " Raging Bull". The wind from the south increased in strength as the fleet approached Howth.

While "Arabella" took line honours, it only managed to take 2nd place overall. "Sgrech" took 1st place and "Raging Bull" took 3rd place. All the boats that had not retired, managed to complete the course within the time limit.

The boats taking part in the race were fitted with trackers. The progress of the race can be followed by clicking the following link: http://live.adventuretracking.com/lyver2011

The prize-giving took place in Howth Yacht Club on Saturday evening.

Recently crowned ICRA IRC Three Champion, Tiger (George Kenefick) is travelling to Cowes for next week's 2011 Coutts Quarter Ton Cup hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club in Cowes, and with only a week to go, anticipation is building amongst the international fleet signed up to compete.

The black hulled champion won its class at the ICRA Nationals in Crosshaven and was second in IRC a week later at the Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale. Tiger was also second in Kinsale's newly established Quarter Ton Cup.  The boat is Ireland's sole entry in the event.

Cork's Tiger is heading for Cowes and next week's Quarter Ton Cup. Photo: Bob Bateman

This is the seventh running of the event since the spectacular revival of the Quarter Ton Class back in 2005, and in addition to the core of regular domestic Quarter Ton Class aficionados who flock to Cowes each year, this year entries have also been received from France and the Netherlands, as well as from as far afield as Russia and New Zealand.

Following an afternoon of registration on Sunday 10th July and the Coutts Welcome Reception at Royal Corinthian Yacht Club that evening, racing will get underway on Monday 11th July and run through until Wednesday 13th July, with three races scheduled to take place each day. Racing will be run under the IRC handicapping system, enabling boats designed to all three versions of the Quarter Ton Class rule to compete as a single fleet.

The ICRA Nationals were a great success in Royal Cork Yacht Club last weekend building on the integrity of the previous events writes ICRA Chief Barry Rose.

The conditions were sparkling with two tough days sailing followed by a peach of a day on Sunday in blue skies flat seas and 7/10 knots of breeze to finish off in Carribean style.

Carribbean sailing, Cork Harbour style. Photo: Bob Bateman

After Friday's tricky opener in big swells and shifty breeze many competitors throught Saturday's blast in mostly winds ranging 20 to 30 knots was as exciting and tough a days sailing as they could remember. Pics HERE. The race officers Peter Crowley and Richard Leonard laid super courses and got in a full programme. Results and overall winner pics here.

There was real quality through the fleets and representation from every Coast in Ireland from Northern Ireland, UK, Wales and New Zealand giving the event an International feel.

The Royal Cork provided its usual warm welcome and good organisation on and off the water.

A top class buffet was attended by 180 people on Saturday night and sailors danced to samba music until the early hours.

The Dubarry Brass Boot Special award was presented to the New Zealand team on Black Fun for making the effort to ship their boat and travel so far.

Irish crews gave visitors the boot, on and off the water. Photo: Bob Bateman

The Dubarry and ICRA formula to award day prizes to all crews on winning boats was a welcome recognition that sailing is a team sport and the system where each boat could only win 1 set of crew prizes saw these day prizes spread around to good effect.

Long way from home. Dublin visitors got a great welcome.  Photo: Bob Bateman

The last ingredient in the event was the amazing value for money with a 120 Euro entry fee including a week on the Royal Cork marina, a 100 Euro lift in and out offer and an accomodation deal with Hotel partners the Carrigaline Court of 130 Euros B and B for 4 days and 1 dinner was hugely appreciated and enjoyed by competitors.

Happy campers - on site parking facility at the club. Photo: Robert Bateman

A free bus down each morning and home made burger and chips and a beer for 10 Euro after sailing were nice details that all went down well.

The hooded sportsboat, another Cork Harbour invention.   Photo: Bob Bateman

The prize giving on the deck in the Royal Cork in the sun saw Crosshaven at its best. ISA President Niamh Mc Cutcheon presented the medals and Vice Adrmiral Peter Deasy the trophies. They were assisted by Chairman of the organising Committee Rear Admiral Ronan Enright and ICRA administered the proceedings with Commodore Barry Rose Secretary Denis Kielly and treasurer and former Commodore Fintan Cairns. Prize giving pics HERE.

Those who did not attend missed a cracker of a Championship and those who won National titles thoroughly deserved them for the variety of conditions they encountered and the skill and standard to which they sailed.

For the latest ICRA News and updates click HERE.

Locals were to the fore at the ICRA Nationals when Antix, Allure, Tiger and Xtension were all winners in Cork Harbour this weekend. It was the same on the on the East coast – but only just  – when David Gorman and Chris Doorly lifted the Flying fifteen title at their own club. And locals too are in the top ten of the Fireball Worlds in Sligo. Click th links for our photo reviews.

Dublin Bay was the venue for the Royal Alfred's Bloomsday regatta and Colin Byrne's impressive X34 was top of IRC one. On Belfast lough, Dublin visitor Tim Goodbody won the Sigma 33 title (again), nice T-shirt Tim! The Royal St. George tried out the J80s at the club's first ever Family regatta before handing them over for Ireland's first inter county champs.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta approaches, nearly 400 are entered. Are you on the entry list HERE?

We're in the Ocean Race and we're on board with China's Team Sanya. Old friends are best!

And in Olympic Sailing Water Rat says we deserve two medals from Weymouth. Do we? Your views matter. Let us know!

Stand by for our newsletter later this morning!

Six wins was more than enough for locals Neil Kennefick and Joxer O'Briens' Tiger to win Class three of the Irish Cruiser Racing Association national championships that ended in Crosshaven this evening.

The quarter-tonner from the host club was the favourite in Class Three since Friday when the immaculate black hulled yacht opened her national championship account with three firsts.

Following the thrills of heavy air sailing on Saturday the final day of racing turned out to be a beautiful sun filled one with a breeze of 7/8 knots.

Classes Zero, One and Two with Race Officer Peter Crowley were sailing windward/leeward courses almost out to the Daunt while Classes Three, Four and Whitesail sailed off Trabolgan with Race Officer Richard Leonard. 

All fleets with the exception of Whitesail sailed two races today.

Anthony O'Leary successfully defended his IRC zero title in his Ker 39 from a reduced fleet of five entries.

Counting five firsts Howth's  J109 Storm (Pat Kelly) took an impressive vistory in class one IRC beating the modified 1720 Antix beag by 11 points.

Early leader in class two Allure from Kinsale Yacht Club maintined form to win from  the Dehler 34 Disaray.

Full IRC results and photos and prizegiving photos are below:

Class One winner Pat Kelly's Storm. Photo: Bob Bateman
 

Brian Goggin's Class Two Winner, Allure from Kinsale. Photo: Bob Bateman

Class Three winners Tiger prepare for a hoist. Photo: Bob Bateman

Winning form from the Dynamo 25. Photo: Bob Bateman

The winning Whitesail yacht, Xtension. Photo: Bob Bateman

IRC ZERO

Series Place	Sail No	E	Boat	Type of Boat	Owner	Club	Handicap	Series Points
1	IRL3939	E	Antix	Ker 39	Anthony O'Leary	RCYC	1.129	7
2	IRL2003	E	Gloves Off	Corby 38	Kieran Twomey	RCYC	1.115	13
3	IRL2007	E	Jump Juice	Ker	Conor Phelan	RCYC	1.105	18
4	IRL9852	E	Crazy Horse	Mills 36	Chambers/Reilly	HYC	1.085	21
5	GBR7737R	E	Impetuous	Corby 37	Richard Fildes	SCYC	1.091	25

IRC ONE

Series Place	Sail No	E	Boat	Type of Boat	Owner	Club	Handicap	Series Points
1	IRL1141	E	Storm	J109	Pat Kelly	RSC/HYC	1.019	7
2	IRL17200	E	Antix Beag	1720 (modified)	Robert O'Leary	RCYC	1.005	18
3	IRL9609	E	Jelly Baby	J109	RCYC	1.029	18
4	IRL13500	E	D-tox	X-35	Donal O'Leary	RCYC	1.048	35
5	IRL29832	E	Aztec	A35	RIYC	1.034	38
6	IRL8991	E	Exhale	X362 Sport	1.025	39
7	IRL8109	E	Jetstream	J109	Peter Redden	1.028	40
8	IRL892	E	Tux	X332	Mary O'Keeffe	0.981	44
9	IRL6021	E	Ellida	X332	Ria Lyden	0.986	48
10	IRL7290	E	Felix	X332	Michael & Gretta Wallace	0.981	58.5
11	IRL3323	E	Dexterity	X332	Alan McEneff (Team Foynes)	Foynes YC	0.984	59
12	IRL3709	E	Axiom	X37	Michael O'Neill	RIYC	1.035	59.5
13	IRL811	E	Raptor	MILLS 30CR	Denis Hewitt	RIYC	1.025	62
14	IRL6695	E	Eos	X362 Sport	David Scott	KYC	1.022	65

IRC TWO

Series Place	Sail No	E	Boat	Type of Boat	Owner	Club	Handicap	Series Points
1	IRL2506	E	Allure	Corby 25	Brian Goggin	Kinsale YC	0.936	15
2	IRL487	E	Disaray	Dehler 34 Optima 101	Raymond McGibney	Foynes YC	0.929	27
3	IRL2525	E	Yanks $ ffrancs	Corby 25	Vincent O'Shea	RCYC	0.936	28
4	GBR7525R	E	Thundebird	Corby 25	Denis Coleman	RCYC	0.941	29
5	IRL2010	E	Alpaca	First 31.7	Paul & Deirdre Tingle	RCYC	0.957	30.5
6	GBR9896	E	Magnet	MG335	Kieran & Liz O'Brien	RCYC	0.944	32.5
7	IRL16859	E	Bad Company	Sunfast 32	Desmond / Ivers / Deasy	RCYC	0.939	33
8	IRL4170	E	Slack Alice	GK Westerley	Shane Statham	WHSC	0.951	33.5
9	IRL7495	E	Maximus	X302	Paddy Kyne	HYC/WHSC	0.930	38
10	IRL9732	E	Wicked	Sunfast 32	Mark Mendel	RCYC	0.940	50.5
11	IRL3492	E	Big Deal	Dehler	Derek Dillon	Foynes YC	0.925	62
12	IRL1022	E	Aramis	Contessa 33	Pat Vaughan	RCYC	0.929	72
13	IRL26026	E	Ruthless	Corby 26	Conor Ronan	Sligo YC	0.953	73
14	IRL2706	E	Kodachi	Corby 27	Denis Ellis	Cove SC	0.959	74
15	IRL6676	E	Y-Knot	First 32s5	Barrett/Conlon	RCYC	0.933	85

IRC THREE

Series Place	Sail No	E	Boat	Type of Boat	Owner	Club	Handicap	Series Points
1	IRL999999	E	Tiger	Quarter ton	Kenefick & O'Brien	RCYC	0.902	6
2	IRL3087	E	Anchor Challenge	Quarter ton	Eamonn Rohan	KYC	0.912	13
3	NZL3311	E	Blackfun	Quarter Ton	Jamie McDowell	Royal Port Nicholson YC	0.908	16
4	IRL1771	E	Shillelagh	Blazer 23 (Kirby)	John Twomey	KYC	0.868	27
5	IRL9600	E	Impacunious	Hunter Impala	Edward Rice	RCYC	0.888	28
6	IRL78	E	No-Gnomes	Nicholson 33Mod	Leonard Donnery	RCYC	0.910	34
7	IRL4794	E	Junebug	J24	Hyde & Foley	RCYC	0.889	40
8	IRL9564	E	Whyte Knight	Impala OOD	Fergus Coughlan	Cove SC	0.890	46
9	IRL9538	E	Running Wild	Hunter Impala OOD	Sullivan Brothers	RCYC	0.890	49
10	IRL9591	E	Prometheus	Impala OOD	Paul Murray	RCYC	0.888	57
11	IRL9577	E	Bedlam	Impala	David Doyle	Cove Sailing Club	0.890	69

IRC 4

Series Place	Sail No	E	Boat	Type of Boat	Owner	Club	Handicap	Series Points
1	GBR9625R	E	Sundancer	Dynamo 25	Alan Mulcahy	KYC	0.841	7
2	172	E	Granny Knot	Westerley GK24	Michael Sexton	KYC	0.830	10

WHITE SAIL IRC

Series Place	Sail No	E	Boat	Type of Boat	Owner	Club	Handicap	Series Points
1	IRL1950	E	Xtension	X372	Conor O'Donovan	RCYC	0.952	7
2	IRL4430	E	Samba	SF 403	John Downing	RCYC	1.006	9
3	IRL4434	E	Sigma 33OOD	Tom McNeice	RCYC	0.905	11
4	IRL2406		Expression	Jeanneau Sunlight 30	Billy & Hillary Duane	RCYC	0.868	14
5	IRL7212		Phaeton	GK29	Clive Doherty	RCYC	0.832	14
6	IRL9992	E	Split Point	Dufour 34 Performance	Seamus Gilroy	RCYC	0.955	20
7	IRL4369	E	Charisma	Sigma 33OOD	Des Lyons/Aine Dunne	KYC	0.904	26
8	IRL3612		Sweet Dreams	Sun Odyssey 36i	Batt & Helen O'Leary	RCYC	0.982	34
9	IRL3252		Molia	Dufour 325 GL	Denis Murphy	RCYC	0.915	36
10	IRL408		Julia B	SHE33	Bill O'Mahony	RCYC	0.854	40
11	IRL2510		Lady T	Sun Odyssey 32i	Micheal Lynch	RCYC	0.940	42
12	IRL5639		Rythm	Trapper 28	James O'Brien	Glandore	0.868	43