Rob McConnell’s Fool’s Gold from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club won both races of the first day of the O'Leary Life Sovereign's Cup in Division One, the largest fleet in the event with 18 entries, a result only matched elsewhere in the 98–boat fleet in the White Sails Division 2 fleet where Stephanie Ennis’ Club Shamrock Demelza also had two wins.

See Bob Bateman's full day one photo gallery here. Overall results are here.

At the Kinsale Yacht Club venue, fog gave way to light winds, broken sunshine and flat seas to allow for a full programme of yesterday's opening day races to be sailed on four course areas. At stake is the Sovereigns Cup for the best performing boat on IRC handicap alongside the Portcullis Trophy for the best boat on Progressive ECHO handicap.

Demelza leads in the White Sails class at the Sovereigns Cup Photo: Bob Bateman

Rob McConnell's Fools Gold scored two wins at the Sovereigns Cup off Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman

At this early stage, few of the nine divisions racing have clear leaders and with the prospect of fresh to strong winds for the next two days, a full test in all conditions is likely to bring the final results down to the wire for Saturday’s finale. Afloat.ie has stuck its neck out and offered its predictions on the overall results here.

Howth Yacht Club's 'The Big Picture' is lying in joint first place in Class Two. Photo: Bob Bateman

In Division 2, the second largest fleet on the course, the top three boats are within one point of each other while the chasing pack aren’t lagging too far behind either. Kieran Collins’ Coracle IV leads after winning the opening race before placing fifth in the second and lies level with Howth’s Richard Evans on The Big Picture.

A fleet of six Half Tonners at the Sovereigns Cup is making class two very competitive Photo: Bob Bateman

“It’s a very competitive class, especially with six or seven half-tonners,” said Finbarr O’Regan, skipper of Artful Dodger of Kinsale YC. “There isn’t a bad boat in the class and it’s definitely going to a high-scoring event - a lot of people have had a good and a bad race.”

George Sisk's Wow, a former ICRA Boat of the Year, is competing in the coastal class. Photo: Bob Bateman

Although George Sisk’s Wow! from the Royal Irish Yacht Club led the Coastal Class fleet from the start, the Dun Laoghaire crew was unable to shake off the chasing pack and a finishing-line error ensured that Conor Doyle’s Freya took the first result of the series.

The opening day was shorter than the remainder of the series and the coastal course was more of an extended round the cans style race but with the full schedule planned for Thursday, a much longer course can be expected – dependent on weather.

The 1720 Sportsboat European Championships is being sailed as part of the Sovereign's Cup Photo: Bob Bateman

In the 1720 Sportsboat European Championships that is being sailed as part of the main regatta, a luffing match between father and son in race one saw Olympic sailor Peter O’Leary defeat his father Anthony to take first place. However, O’Leary senior was the more consistent over the three races and is the clear overnight leader.

In turn, the younger O’Leary holds second overall but only on tie-break from Tom Durcan’s T-Bone on level points. Ben Cooke’s Smile n ‘Wave doing well in the final race until they were inadvertently sailed off the course by another boat struggling to drop their kite and slipped down the rankings. Like Peter O’Leary, Cooke is counting a ninth place so far.

With about 100–boats entered for the first races of O'Leary Life & Pensions Sovereigns Cup this afternoon, there are plenty of good boats capable of winning in each class in Kinsale's biennial Grand Prix Regatta.

Sticking its neck out, here are Afloat's class predictions for overall wins by Saturday.

ICRA Class Zero Champion Dark Angel from Swansea Photo: Bob Bateman

Johnny Mordaunt's Mat design from the Solent in today's first race of the Sovereign's Cup.  This is the latest Mark Mills Design MAT1180 Tschuss, originally from the US.Photo: Bob Bateman

Class 0 Only 4 boats in this class. Johnny Mordaunt's Mat design from the Solent has chosen to miss the UK IRC Nationals starting today and instead compete in Kinsale. He should be favourite but expect to see ICRA Class Zero Champion Dark Angel from Swansea also in the mix.

Tim Goodbody's J109 White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dublin. Photo: Bob Bateman

Today's Class One start at the Sovereigns Cup. Photo Bob Bateman

Class One 10 J109's are entered including Joker II, recently crowned ICRA champion for the third successive year. However with Joker's normal tactician Mark Mansfield not sailing on her this week, some might expect to see Pat Kelly's Scottish Series Champion Storm from Rush Sailing Club right up there, particularly in the windier conditions. Rob McConnell's Fools Gold will also be in contention as will Tim Goodbody's White Mischief. In a likely mixed wind regatta, we will put our money on Fools Gold by a hair.

Nigel Biggs newly renovated Checkmate XVIII made its Irish debut today at Kinsale. Photo: Bob Bateman

Mike and Richard Evans Half Tonner Big Picture from Howth Yacht Club. Photo: Bob Bateman

Class Two includes a very broad range of boats including 5 half tonners working up towards the half ton worlds in August. It includes Nigel Biggs newly renovated Checkmate XVIII.  In the lighter early week conditions the half tonners should have the edge and Mike and Richard Evans Big Picture, with Mark Mansfield as tactician should find the conditions to their liking but Harmony owned by Johnny Swann and Dave Cullen's Checkmate will have something to say about this. In heavier conditions, later in the week, Ross McDonald's Equinox should be to the fore. Overall, in the likely two days of lighter winds and two windier days, expect one of the half tonners to shade it and watch out for the newly launched Checkmate XVIII. He rarely finishes far down the pecking order.

X302 Dux from Howth

Class Three Not a large class and expect one of the X302s to take this, likely Dux from Howth Yacht Club.

Class Four Will likely go to a quarter Tonner with three entered including Anchor Challenge recently crowned ICRA class 3 champion. In this event she is being sailed by Dave Dwyer and not her normal crew but she will be potent in lighter airs. Ken Lawless in Cartoon from Dublin Bay Sailing Club may just shade it however in mixed conditions.

Anthony O'Leary competing in the 1720 Wet'n'Ready in today's first Sovereign's Cup race. Photo: Bob Bateman

1720 class –12 entered. This is the class European Championships. Expect an O'Leary (either Anthony or Peter) to take this.  Peter is likely to have the edge in the lighter early week conditions and Anthony in the windier stuff. Expect Peter to hold out and take it by a slim margin.

See Day One Photo Gallery here

Kinsale Yacht Club's postponed Bertoletti Trophy Race – staged annually in memory of club steward Mario Bertoletti – was held last night, ideal timing for a last minute tune–up before Kinsale's big event of the the season, the O'Leary Life and Pensions Sovereign's Cup that starts this Wednesday afternoon. Read WM Nixon's preview on Afloat.ie here. 

Bob Bateman captured the cruiser–racing action last night in Kinsale Harbour

The people of Ireland – sailors and farmers alike - are gasping for a bit of real summer. But with Met Eireann predicting that next week will be favourable for hay-making, there’s a dilemma for grassland farmers who like a bit of sailing writes W M Nixon.

The top line of attention in Irish sailing is definitely not turning towards haymaking. On the contrary, it’s looking very much to Kinsale and the biennial Sovereigns Cup Regatta. This year’s O’Leary Life-sponsored staging of the popular event starts next Wednesday afternoon – June 21st – and continues until Saturday June 24th. That’s spot on the traditional Mid-summers Day, when Kinsale is usually looking its very best - so much so that they even have a pretty little place on the harbour called Summercove.

The thought of sailing serenely past Summercove into Kinsale YC’s welcoming marina sounds very good indeed to the cruiser-racer fraternity just now. After being battered briefly but frequently during the ICRA Nationals at Crosshaven a week ago, and then battered longterm in the 275-mile Volvo Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Race which started on Wednesday evening and still has some of the surviving fleet finishing through today, the thought of smooth sailing past Summercove, with all those hospitality options close ahead in Kinsale, is very attractive and then some.

The location of the Kinsale YC marina offers immediate access to the facilities of a bustling town

And there’s always the beguiling possibility that the 94-strong fleet will have excellent but not too ferocious racing, for it’s emphasized that this is a regatta, and not a championship, national or otherwise. Thus in addition to the cruiser-racer divisions, the option of other classes is available, while the new headline sponsors have provided the O’Leary Trophy for the Family Boat Award, the best-sailed boat with a family crew.

As for the social programme, wall-to-wall is a phrase that springs to mind. Club groups from elsewhere book their accommodation maybe years in advance in order to be sure of having the most convenient access to the club, the marina, and the many fabulous eating places, pubs and party venues in the town. So it’s not surprising that for many sailors from abroad, Kinsale sailing IS Irish sailing.

Kinsale’s large selection of boats includes a thriving class of Squibs

Thus after other events during July, the next big one up on the Kinsale fixtures list is the World Half Ton Classics from 14th to 17th August. Kinsale does not have a significant Half Ton Classic element in its own fleet, but when the Irish Half Ton Classics Association was told that 2017 was to be their slot and which port did they wish to use, the almost-immediate choice was Kinsale with its wide selection of places to stay, and it has clearly hit the target - already the potential fleet is pushing towards the 30 mark.

But that’s in August, meanwhile in celebrating the Sovereigns Cup regatta which originally was the brainchild of Kinsale-based sailing handicap numbers ace Denis Kiely more than 25 years ago, let’s cast a final eye back to 2015 and its winners’ list, when they carried out the tricky experiment of combining it with the ICRA Nats.

The veteran Club Shamrock Demelza (Windsor Laudan & Steph Ennis) had a run of wins at the Sovereigns Cup in 2015, and she’ll be back in Kinsale next week to defend her title

Division 0 IRC winner was George Sisk’s Farr 42 WOW from Conor Phelan’s Ker 37 Jump Juice, with the Nobby Reilly/Alan Chambers Mills 36 Crazy Horse third. Division 1 IRC was John Maybury’s J/109 Joker II from Rob McConnell’s A35 Fools’ Gold, with Ian Nagle’s J/109 Jelly Baby third. Div 2 winner was Ross McDonald’s X332 Equinox from Dave Cullen’s Half Tonner Checkmate XV, while third was Jonny Swann’s Half Tonner Harmony.

Div 3 champion was the Corby 25 Fusion (Richard Colwell & Ronan Cobbe) from Tim Goodbody’s Sigma 33 White Mischief, with the Desmers/Ivers/Deasy Sunfast 32 Bad Company was third.

Division 4 was taken by the Howth YC club-owned junior crew-sailed J/24 Kilcullen, with the Quarter Tonner Quest (Barry Cunningham) second, and Donal Harding’s Albin Express White Magic third, while the non-spinnaker Div A was won by Colm Bermingham’s Elan 333 Bite the Bullet from Paul Tully’s sister-ship White Lotus. Non-spinnaker Division B was dominated with a run of bullets by Windsor Laudan and Steph Ennis with the veteran Club Shamrock Demelza, an impressive display.

Once the Sovereigns Cup bug has bitten, you stay bitten, and most of those owners from two years ago – some of them now in bigger boats – will be there next Wednesday to enjoy the Kinsale buzz again. But as this evidence of proper summer finally arriving takes over our thinking, it’s time to spare a thought for those who will be spending this weekend in more rugged pursuits.

Conor Fogerty has been putting in a world class performance in the OSTAR, and currently leads his sister-ship by 385 miles. Photo: W M Nixon

This is the kind of numbers Conor Fogerty’s Sunfast 3600 Bam! carries when fully crewed, which makes his successful single-handing of the same boat even more impressive

Top among them is Conor Fogerty, who has been sailing an absolute blinder in his Sunfast 3600 Bam in the OSTAR – the Original Singlehanded Transatlantic race. Although the leader Andrea Mura in the very much larger Open 60 Vento di Sardegna is already finished in Newport, Rhode Island, Fogerty is currently the favourite to win the Gypsy Moth Trophy which is the very essence of this historic event. He may even manage to be second on line honours, and has worked out an astonishing lead of 385 miles on his closest direct rival, Mark Hipgrave in the other Sunfast 3600 Mister Lucky.

As for our other noted single-hander Tom Dolan, he’s in a different scenario starting tomorrow, the two-handed Mini-Fastnet from Douarnenez round the famous rock, racing Mini 650s. His crew is his regular shipmate Francois Jambou, and for those concerned about keeping up fleet numbers elsewhere, it’s of interest to note that for the 2017 Mini-Fastnet the organisers have had to limit fleet numbers to a manageable 70 boats, and they had to set that limit quite some time ago, so keen were people to take part.

Tom Dolan (right) starts tomorrow in the two-handed Mini-Fastnet from Brittany with Francois Jambou as his shipmate in the Pogo 2

The Minis start to assemble for tomorrow’s Mini-Fastnet. Interest was so igh from an early stage that the oriagnsiers had to linit the fleet to 70 boats at an early stage

All this can be rugged stuff, but we hope that conditions are benign for this weekend’s festival of Classic and Traditional Craft in Crosshaven. For there at the Royal Cork Yacht Club, they have a modern classic which is the focus of much well-earned attention.

This is the greatly modified Etchells 22 which Bill Trafford of the very appropriately named Alchemy Marine, up at Skenakilla near Mitchelstown in North Cork, has transformed into a perfect little weekend cruiser. We’ve carried the continuing story of this Etchells transformation during the past year, but everyone has waited with bated breath for news of the first sail, and how she performed.

New girl in the block at Crosshaven. Somewhere in there is a former Etchells 22. Photo: Bill Trafford

It’s only this week they’ve completed the rigging and sail-setting in Crosshaven, and Bill Trafford was hoping for more summery conditions to take his latest creation out for the first time. But Des McWilliam turned up with an absolutely lovely suit of sails on Wednesday evening, and with a “never mind the weather, we’re in the shelter of the harbour” attitude, they took Guapa out for her first spin.

The concept of the re-configured Etchells 22 is so complete that she has every appearance of being a totally new boat. Photo: Bill Trafford

The reactions were somewhere beyond the merely rapturous. Des McWilliam would not be backwards in coming forward in telling you if he thought your boat didn’t make the grade, but he waxed lyrical with joy at the transformed boat’s ease of effortlessly making seven-plus knots, “sitting in style in your little bit of Chippendale”.

As for helming characteristics, despite the rudder being moved all of two feet aft to accommodate the new cockpit/cabin layout, the word is that she balances a treat. “Weather helm is just on three degrees” reports Des, “which I’d regard as about perfect”.

We’ve followed this intriguing story with fascination. Now that it turns out to be a good news story – and a really good news story at that – great credit is reflected on all involved, as an Etchells modification has never been taken this far before. But as ever with Bill Trafford, the question is: What next?

Sailmaker Des McWilliam’s big grin (right) says it all as Guapa takes her first sail. Photo: Bill Trafford

A new 'Family Boat Award' will be presented to the best placed boat with two or more direct family members sailing on board at June's Sovereign's Cup off Kinsale. 

Kinsale Yacht Club Regatta Director Mike Walsh, announcing the award said 'We encourage competitors to bring their families to Kinsale and enjoy our magnificent town. That is why we put such an emphasis on the day time and social shore side activities of the event'.

Up to 100 boats are expected to compete in the biennial event that runs from June 21st. More on the event here.

142 boats across the 3 fleets are confirmed for this weekend's Munster Optimist Championships at Kinsale Yacht Club this weekend.

Six races are scheduled over the two days. The Senior and Junior fleets will race outside the harbour, weather permitting, with Principal Race Officer John Stallard at the helm while the Regatta Fleet will race in the outer harbour with Race Officer Siobhan Keane Hopcraft in charge of them.

As with all junior sailing events an enormous amount of support is required both on and off the water. A flotilla of Committee Boats, Mother Ships and support RIB’s plus the Dinghy Park will be manned by the many volunteers who are helping to make the event happen.

Kinsale Yacht Club has a very strong and active Optimist Class. The ever popular Christmas Regatta in December attracted an entry of 35 boats from a wide variety of clubs.

The Kinsale Keelboat Regatta for one design fleets took place in Kinsale Yacht Club this weekend and Kinsale was delighted to welcome visiting Dragons from Glandore Harbour Yacht Club writes Michele Kennelly

Nine Dragons and twelve Squibs took to the waters on Saturday under grey skies and extremely blustery easterly winds. RO John Stallard made the wise decision to keep the fleets within the outer harbour. With winds peaking at 21 knots and choppy waters the 3 races provided a challenging day for the fleets.

Little Fella with Cameron Good, Simon Furney and Henry Kingston mastered the heavy conditions to take line honours in all 3 races. New to the fleet Serafina with Daniel Murphy, Brian Goggin and Mathias Hellstern were hot on their heels and were 2nd for all three races. Tenacious with Anthony O’Neill, Albert O’Neill and Eoghan O’Neill put in a very solid performance of 3, 4, 3 to end the day lying 3rd overall.
In the Squib fleet Allegro with Colm Dunne and Rob Gill were also masters of the waves to take 1st in all three races. Sensation, Denis and Brid Cudmore, Breakaway, David Matthews and Elizabeth Bond and Flora, Dave Ross and Bobby Nash battled it out on the course with Sensation just 1 point ahead of Breakaway at day’s end to lie in 2nd place overall.

Day two and conditions could not have been more different. Blue skies and no wind greeted the fleets as they rigged for another 3 races. With most of the fleet under tow by the Committee Boat and supports RIBs they arrived to the outer harbour to 5 – 6 knots out of the South East. RO John hopped aboard a RIB and went outside the harbour to see if there was more wind outside to discover there was none so he very wisely made the decision to stay in the outer harbour and take advantage of the local sea breeze.

In the Dragon fleet Race 4 saw Little Fella continue to his run of 1st’s with Mar J, Adrian Bendon, Eoghan O’Mahony and Bill Applebe in 2nd and Grey Hare, Shawn Kingston, Tony Kingston and Luke Kedney in 3rd. With the wind shifting to the east the Committee Boat moved and reset the course. Race 5 saw Mar J get off to a flying start which they capitalised on and they took line honours with Serafina in 2nd and

Aphrodite, John Wyles, Peter Hayes and Arthur Mehigan in 3rd. The light airs were bouncing all over the harbour and the Committee Boat had to move again to reset the course for the final race. Race 6 started under very light airs and Aphrodite took advantage of the middle of the course to take control from the start. Little Fella took 2nd and Mar J came 3rd.

In the Squib fleet Allegro continued her dominance in Race 4. Breakaway came 2nd and Pulpo, Julie Silfverberg and Commodore Tom Roche were 3rd. Race 5 saw three boats OCS and all returned. Those who decided to sail up the right side of the harbour made huge gains on the fleet and dominated the race from the first rounding of the windward mark. Sensation took the line with Bateleur, John & Mary Stanley, in 2nd and Allegro 3rd. Race 6 saw Pulpo coming down the run with Allegro closing in, Breakaway was lying in 3rd and Sensation was 4th. Though the title was secure the minor placings were still all to play for. Allegro won with Breakaway in 2nd and Pulpo in 3rd. Breakaway and Sensation finished the Regatta on equal points but Sensation came 2nd overall on count back.

Many thanks to RO John Stallard who provided excellent racing in very challenging conditions, Ger Grant for providing Loa Zour as Committee Boat and being an excellent Flag Raiser, Michele Kennelly timing and results, Mark Layers Mike, Finbarr, Tony and Luca and Barry Ryan Civil Engineering for the sponsorship.

Kinsale Keelboat Regatta overall results:
Dragons:
1st Little Fella – Cameron Good, Simon Furney & Henry Kingston
2nd Serafina – Daniel Murphy, Brian Goggin & Mathias Hellstern
3rd Mary J – Adrian Bendon, Eoghan O’Mahony & Bill Applebe
Squibs:
1st Allegro – Colm Dunne & Rob Gill
2nd Sensation – Denis & Brid Cudmore
3rd Breakaway – David Matthews & Elizabeth Bond

With winds blowing up to 30 knots to close out its Spring Series the Kinsale Yacht Club season on Saturday, the south coast club's season is off to a great start with both the Sovereign's Cup in June and the Half–Ton Worlds in August in prospect reports Bob Bateman 

Busy pro–sailor Maurice O'Connell steered the JPK10.80 Rockabill to victory in DBSC's first Thursday night (with Mark Pettit on tactics) on Dublin Bay before joining Jump Juice (Ker 37) on mainsheet for the final race in Kinsale on Saturday. See Afloat.ie's photo gallery here.

Jump skippered by Conor Phelan had to come from behind as she missed first two races so had to win. 'We got the old girl up to 17.9 knots with our new S3 kite up, O'Connell told Afloat.ie

Rival Freya (X442) Conor Doyle was going well at the windward mark at Black Head but then lost her boom in the blustery conditions. Boomless Freya still managed to finish and did enough to win class one on ECHO handicap and to be second on IRC.

The White Sail division had two races starting inside the Harbour such were the blustery conditions. 

One of the smallest boats in Class 3, White Magic (Alan Mulcahy) clocked 14.3 knots on a downwind leg. James Matthew was showing real ability in flyng a kite on the downwind (see our photo gallery here), also achieving some great speeds on the new–to–Kinsale quarter–tonner, Diamond.

Early indications indicate a buoyant entry for June's Sovereign's Cup with up to ten J 109's planning on doing the three day event, Up to 15 1720s and up ten half tonners who will be gearing up for their worlds in August also in Kinsale. The biennial event may also benefit from the timing of the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race which allows Dublin race partcipants to stop off and do the Sovereigns Cup on the way north.

Full results on the KYC website here

Kinsale Yacht Club's Spring League closed out yesterday in fine style in strong southerly winds on the South Coast.

Bob Bateman captured the action and his photo gallery is below:

Saol Eile's Paraic O’Maolriada and wife Myra sailed around the world under the Kinsale Yacht Club burgee writes Bob Bateman. It took the couple six years returning late last season. They picked up an Afloat Sailor of the Month Award for their endeavours and an Irish Cruising Club trophy earlier this month. Last week KYC members got a fascinating insight into life onboard their 63-footer with a detailed lecture from the couple at the West Cork club house.

On the same night, Deirdre Lane of Irish Lights Navigation Services took club members on a journey around Irish lighthouses, Navigation aids and weather buoys.