#sovscup –  It's only now, with clear signs that the Irish economy is on track to return to vigorous health so long as everyone is reasonably sensible, that we can look for a real upturn in sailing enthusiasm. But with a good fleet getting great racing in the four day ICRA Nats/Sovereigns Cup in Kinsale, there's no denying a growing atmosphere of optimism. WM Nixon muses on the new mood, sets Kinsale in the local and national context, and speculates on the cast of thousands who might be on the podium when the championship finishes this evening.

When Ireland was still reeling from the savage economic downturn which followed the Celtic Tiger years, active numbers in sailing showed a marked decline. The nadir was reached in 2012, when the Irish Cruiser Racer Association failed to raise a three boat team to defend the Commodore's Cup which had been won so stylishly by Anthony O'Leary and his squad in 2010.

That it should have come to this.......After all, at the height of the boom years, there'd been three Irish Commodore's Cup teams competing for the same trophy. So the 2012 No Show served to emphasize the severity of the decline. But ICRA gritted its teeth, and planned accordingly. While Anthony O'Leary quietly beavered away under the radar on what was virtually a solo run in putting together a Commodore's Cup team which was to make a triumphant return to the fray in 2014, the national offshore racing authority had meanwhile been calculating the odds on getting good turnouts in its annual Irish championship.

There were hopes that there would continue to be a respectable turnout when the ICRA Nats were staged in Dublin Bay, as they'd be with the Royal Irish YC in Dublin Bay in 2014. And those hopes were duly fulfilled, even if many boats were racing with older sails than would have been the case in the boom years, while new boats were as rare as hen's teeth.

But for the first of the unforeseeable years beyond 2014, it was reckoned new thinking was required, and ICRA's number cruncher Denis Kiely came up with the notion that for 2015, it would make sense to run the ICRA Nats in conjunction with the established biennial Sovereigns Cup Regatta in Kinsale. To most, it seemed a good idea. A superb venue. And a very experienced race management team with a fine track record in the Sovereigns and other major events. All they needed to demonstrate their capabilities was a decent fleet. But with active cruiser-racer numbers weakened on the south coast, a decent turnout could not be taken for granted without some magic Ingredient X to encourage boats to travel from other areas.

Like it or not, the two words "National Championship" are Ingredient X. And in ICRA's case, there's multiple value, as their National Championship provides racing for a total of nine classes, and seven of those classes are racing under both IRC and ECHO.

It takes a while to get your head round all this, but it means that tonight there could be a total of sixteen different crews who can rightfully claim to be National Champions. Add in further multiple permutations which might just emerge among the minor places, and it's within the remoter realms of possibility that about half of the 109 boats taking part will be able to claim, when they've finally wended their way home along most of the coasts of Ireland and beyond, to have had a podium place in a National Championship.

So what's not to like? For a sailing community emerging from an economic recession so disastrous we still haven't really grasped its extent and depth, an event which aims to provide something for half the people in the audience is just the ticket. And if harsh critics say that this is fantasy sailing, the photos – particularly from yesterday's sun-blessed racing – tell us otherwise.

And as for the venue, well, there's something unreal about Kinsale anyway. It seems too good to be true. Yet it is there, and it's for real. And all the factors which saw it relinquish its position as the south coast's premier Naval Port from around 1750 onwards work together to make it the perfect sailing venue for our own times.

Toytown harbour – Kinsale's compact size made it obsolete as a naval port as ship sizes grew from 1750 onwards, but the same factors make it perfect as a sailing venue today.

For Kinsale is a sort of Toytown. When it was at its height of naval importance, ships were much smaller, and harbour towns had to be as compact as possible to provide them with defence. But as ship sizes grew rapidly, Cork Harbour began to take over, and on Cork Harbour, it was Cobh with its big, new and confident sea-facing terraces of houses which became the expression of a growing naval presence.

By contrast, Kinsale in its great naval period around two or three centuries ago had generally smaller houses which clustered along both sides of a winding and very narrow main street which ran along the shoreline, but didn't provide a waterfront as we know it now. And though the Royal Navy had shifted its emphasis to Cork Harbour, Kinsale continued to house an army garrison to keep the place busy. That's why Kinsale is such a fascinating place to visit by boat. What you see is not what you're going to get. The "new" waterfront may be gradually developing, but the real Kinsale with its myriad of good restaurants and pubs is to be found in a rabbit warren of little streets which hark back to a much earlier age.

Kinsale's rabbit warren of little old streets dates back a long time

The contemporary waterfront of Kinsale is on reclaimed land along the original uneven and marshy shore. The houses on the south side of the main street had their backs to the sea, and Kinsale YC (on the extreme left) is a mixture of old and new, with the modern south-facing part of the building, looking towards KYC marina, added to the back of a handsome town house which faces north away from the harbour.

Once upon a time, this was the most important trading and naval port on the south coast, but Kinsale today is all about sailing and fishing.

It has an attractively prosperous and busy air to it all, but it's not so long ago that Kinsale seemed a place in irreversible decay. Time was, though, when it had enough people in business in the 1800s to support busy local sailing, and the Royal Cork YC's most famous trophy, the Kinsale Kettle of 1859, attests to this, while a regatta was reported as early as 1839. The Thuillier family set much of the waterborne pace, and John Thuillier's fascinating book Kinsale Harbour – A History (Collins Press, 2014) puts a complex story into perspective.

Ship and boat building was part of the scene, but sometimes the shipwright branch of the Thuilliers built a yacht, the most famous being the 35ft cutter Tertia from 1898. According to Lloyd's Register, she was designed by a local clergyman, the Reverend Welsted, but the folk in Kinsale reckon the Thuillier brothers put manners on the Reverend's vague drawings to make Tertia a real performer.

Certainly around Kinsale she's remembered as a boat which – during the 1920s and '30s – used to give Harry Donegan's famous Gull a hard time on the competitive course, particularly in the legendary August weekend "ocean race" from Cork Harbour to Kinsale. But inter-harbour rivalry is such that around Cork Harbour – where she was ultimately based, ending her days as a fishing boat in Cobh - she's remembered as the boat in which a very young crew, under the command of the then 15-year-old Clayton Love Jnr, sailed from Cork Harbour to Dublin Bay early in the summer of 1944. Ireland was so cut off from much of the rest of the planet during World War II that it was only when the young sailors arrived into Dun Laoghaire that they found they'd been making their voyage during D-Day, but that's a story for another day.

Tertia, designed and built in Kinsale in 1898. In June 1944, she was cruised from Cork Harbour to Dublin Bay, but her crew of schoolboys only found out after they'd arrived in Dun Laoghaire that D-Day had happened while they were at sea.

By the late 1940s, Kinsale was only a shadow of its former sailing self, but some such as John Henry Thuillier and Dick Hegarty continued to keep the faith, and by the 1950s Kinsale Sailing Cub – nowadays Kinsale Yacht Club – was in being, the pace gradually increasing until it today it is one of Ireland's top ten, and was the Mitsubishi Motors "Club of the Year" in 1998 and 2014.

With its glorious yet compact natural harbour leading into the midst of the hospitable and historic town, Kinsale is Ireland's most popular international cruising destination. But as has been seen these past three days, it lends itself equally well to being a racing venue, and with the weather picking up as the current four day regatta has progressed, we face into the final day with top sport guaranteed.

As for the number of visiting boats, they have been the making of the event. The Royal Irish YC – hosts for the 2014 ICRAs – have sent seventeen spread across most classes, while Howth – who step up to the plate to host the 2016 ICRA Nats – have sent fifteen, with their Kinsale HQ established in The White Lady.

Team spirit. The successful squad from Howth YC have established their Command HQ in Kinsale in The White Lady. Photo: Kevin Burke

The veteran X332 Equinox (Ross McDonald). As the wind has freshened, Equinox has consolidated her lead in Div 2, even though the three Half Tonners had shown ahead in the early races.

The successful modified Half Tonner Harmony (Jonny Swan and Jim Freyne) clearly subscribes to the theory that best speed downwind in light airs is best obtained through keeping weight well away from the stern.

It seems the Howth men and women are in serious training for 2016 already, as they're in there battling at the top of several classes, and even with today's races still to be sailed, your money would be very safe betting on a Howth boat to win Division 2, as they're in the top four places after six races.

The series started in a gentle and muggy southerly breeze, and in the soft going the light breeze specialists did mighty well, with the three hot Howth Half Tonners – Dave Cullen's Checkmate XV, Jonny Swan & Jim Freyne's Harmony, and the Evans brothers' Big Picture – vying for the lead.

But as the breeze sharpened over the next couple of days towards yesterday's sunny power-blast which saw sails torn, spars broken, and four crewmen over the side, Ross McDonald's veteran X332 Equinox found conditions increasingly to her liking, and last night as the discard swung into place, she moved clear on top with a discarded fourth while counting four bullets and a third.

ICRA Commodore Nobby Reilly – also from Howth – has likewise been having a good series up in Class 0 with the Mills 36 Crazy Horse, which he co-owns with Alan Chambers. Crazy Horse's performance hasn't been at all impaired by having the great Dave Harte of Schull on board, though the notching of discards had been to the advantage of Andy Williams from south Devon with the Ker 40 Keronimo (Class 0 find great inspiration in the names of Native American chieftains) which was only two points adrift on the Horse.

The Mills 36 Crazy Horse (Nobby Reilly & Alan Chambers) has the points lead in Division 0 going into the final day's racing in the ICRA Nats this morning.

The Ker 40 Keronimo (Andy Williams, Yealm YC) was a contender for the top slot in Dvision 0, but damage in yesterday's second race has resulted in her withdrawal from today's races. Photo: Courtesy KYC.

However, in the breezy second race yesterday, Keronimo had such a contretemps with her spinnaker that it resulted in serious damage to her pulpit and liferails which cannot be repaired in time for this morning's first race, and she has withdrawn. This means that second overall in Div 0 is now likely to be George Sisk's Farr 42 WOW (RIYC), which is thus doing best in class of the three gallant Dun Laoghaire boats which did the recent Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race before coming back to Kinsale. The other two are the J/109 Dear Prudence (Bourke, Cummins & Lyons, RIYC) currently 16th in Division 1, which has her astern of the twin-ruddered JPK 9.60 Alchimiste (Mike Murphy, NYC) – Alchimiste is 12th, which is some small compensation for being pipped by Dear Prudence by 50 seconds for fourth place in the race to Dingle.

Division 1 is a seriously strong brew, with Olympian Mark Mansfield of Cork helming John Maybury's J/109 Joker from the Royal Irish in what was developing as a battle with the new British J/109 champion, Ian Nagle's Jelly Baby from Royal Cork. But after yesterday's brisk sport, Scottish Series 2015 overall winner Rob McConnell from Dunmore East has got in between the two of them after scoring a first and fourth with his A35 Fool's Gold.

Division 2 we've looked at already, Division 3 sees another Howth boat on top, but this time it's only equal top for Richard Colwell and Ronan Cobbe's Corby 25 Fusion to lead on count-back, as they're level-pegging on 13 points with Tim Goodbody (RIYC) in the Sigma 33 White Magic. Captain Tim is relishing every minute of sport in Kinsale, as he has indicated that as Chairman of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2015 in ten days' time, he won't have time to campaign his own boat on Dublin Bay. White Magic got a first in the second race on Thursday, and with a second and a fourth yesterday, she's very much in contention.

Tim Goodbody blasting downwind in his Sigma 33 White Mischief in yesterday afternoon's race. He currently lies equal first in Division 3 at Kinsale, and it's his last opportunity for some sport afloat before his duties as Chairman of the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta take over completely in ten days time. Photo courtesy KYC

The Quarter Tonners and others in Division 4 are well led by Tony Hayward's Blackfun from Cowes, which – thanks to consistency – is all of ten points ahead of a couple of J/24s, Kilcullen with the Under 25 squad from Howth, and Flor O'Driscoll (who doesn't quite qualify for an Under-25 squad) with Hard on Port from Royal St George YC.

In the two White Sails Divisions which have their starts in civilised style in the harbour off Charles Fort, we just can't sidestep the fact that Howth boats are setting the pace again, with Colm Bermingham's Elan 333 Bite the Bullet three points clear of Paul Tully (DMYC) in his sister-ship White Lotus in Non-Spin Div 1, while Non Spin Div 2 sees HYC's Windsor Laudan and Steph Ennis with the Club Shamrock Demelza (winners in 2014) ahead again in 2015 after logging four wins in the first four races.

Having sailed with this formidable duo in the ICRA Nats 2014, this is no surprise – they're a marvellous testimony to the racing potential of a good old boat well tuned, well cared for, and well sailed. But with plenty of wind expected from the south by this afternoon to round out the ICRA Sovereigns 2015, the Demelza team - together with all the other front runners in all divisions under whatever handicap systems – are going to have to play it cool to bring this great regatta to a safe and successful conclusion before the weather goes down the tubes again tonight.

Heading out from the start in Kinsale for yet another win. Demelza is probably the most successful of the veteran Club Shamrocks designed by Ron Holland in the 1970s. Currently owned by Windsor Laudan and Steph Ennis, Demelza won Div 2 (Non-spinnaker) in the ICRA Nats 2014 in Dublin Bay, and looks likely to complete a successful defence today at Kinsale. Photo: Peadar Murphy

Results – ICRA Nationals & Sovereign's Cup 2015
Day 3, after 6 races sailed (26th June 2015)

Division 0 IRC

1 Crazy Horse, Norbert Reilly/Alan Chambers (Howth Yacht Club)
2 Keronimo, Andy Williams (Yealm Yacht Club)
3 WOW George Sisk

Division 0 ECHO

1 Godot, John Godkin (Kinsale YC)
2 Forty Licks, Jay Colville, East Down YC
3 Roxstar, Jonathan Anderson, (CCC)

Division 1 IRC

1 Joker 2, John Maybury, (Royal Irish Yacht Club
2 Fool's Gold, Robert McConnell (Wicklow Harbour SC)
3 Jelly Baby, Ian Nagle, (Royal Cork Yacht Club)

Division 1 ECHO

1 Adrenalin, Joe McDonald (National Yacht Club)
2 Indecision, Declan Hayes (RIYC)
3 Gringo, Tony Fox (NYC)

Division 2 IRC

1 Equinox, Ross McDonald, (HYC)
2 Harmony, Jonny Swan/JamesFreyne, (HYC)
3 Checkmate XV, Davie Cullen (HYC

Division 2 ECHO

1 Harmony, Jonny Swan/JamesFreyne, (HYC)
2 Dexterity, Foynes Team (Foynes YC)
3 Black Velvet, Leslie Parnell (RIYC)

Division 3 IRC

1 Fusion, Richard Cowell, (HYC)
2 White Mischief, Timothy Goodbody, (RIYC)
3 Bad Company, Desmond, Ivers, Deasy (RCYC)

Division 3 ECHO

1 Powder Monkey, Liam Lynch, (Tralee Bay SC)
2 Maximus, Paddy Kyne (HYC)
3 White Mischief, Timothy Goodbody, (RIYC)

Division 4 IRC

1 Blackfun, Tony Hayward (Cowes)
2 Kilcullen, (HYC)
3 Hard on Port, Flor O'Driscoll (RSt.GYC)

Division 4 ECHO

1 Seven Whistler, Rene Wubben (WHSC)
2 Kilcullen (HYC)
3 No-Gnomes, Leonard Donnery, (RCYC)

J109

1 Joker 2, John Maybury (RIYC)
2 Jelly Baby, Ian Nagle (RCYC)
3 Storm, Pat Kelly (Rush SC/HYC)

Quarter Tonner

1 Blackfun, Tony Hayward (Cowes)
2 Anchor Challenge, Paul Gibbons (RCYC)
3 Quest, Barry Cunnigham (RIYC)

White Sail Division 1 IRC

1 Bite the Bullet, Colm Bermingham, (HYC)
2 White Lotus, Paul Tully, (Dun Laoghaire Motor YC)
3 Baccarat, Brian & Anthony McCarthy (KYC)

White Sail Divison 1 ECHO

1 Baccarat, Anthony/Brian McCarthy (KYC)
2 White Tiger, Tony O'Brien (KYC)
3 Cimarron IV (KYC)

White Sail Division 2 IRC

1 Demelza, Windsor Laudan, (HYC)
2 Loch Greine, Tom O'Mahony (RCYC)
3 Saoirse, Richard Hanley (KYC)

White Sail Division 2 ECHO

1 Privateer, Dermot Lanigan (KYC)
2 Valfreya, David Riome (KYC)
3 Demelza, Windsor Laudan, (HYC)

#icra –  A change of leader in class one was just one of the upsets as the ICRA Nationals reached the halfway poiint at Kinsale Yacht Club yesterday. Overall positions in most of the eight racing classes lie finely balanced with just four races remaining in the Cork County Council sponsored series.

The 109-strong fleet enjoyed fresher conditions though a lumpy seaway proved challenging for some despite the steady 14-18 knot southerly breeze.

The mid-size divisions are providing some of the closest battles with changes to overall leaderboards since the opening day. In Division 1, the two-way battle for the lead between Ian Nagle's Jelly Baby from the Royal Cork YC and John Maybury's Joker 2 from the Royal Irish YC reversed places as the Dublin boat edged ahead by a single point.

Meanwhile, Division 2 saw David Cullen's Checkmate XV ousted from his overall lead when his Howth club-mate Ross McDonald on Equinox matched his opening day double-win with one of his own yesterday to take the lead in the class. Howth boats continue to dominate this class, occupying the top four places.

"There are five or six boats in with a real chance at the overall win at this halfway stage," said Kinsale Yacht Club's Denis Kiely. "The decision to put the modified half-tonners with the three-quarter ton size boats is proving to be correct and there's genuine competition taking place in this division."

In Division 0, a navigational error cost Andy Williams the overall lead of this eleven strong class as he was obliged to retire or face protests from the fleet. A win in the afternoon was more like his form and with the single discard coming into force after race six, the Plymouth Ker 40 is almost certain to retake the lead.

However, ICRA Commodore Norbert Reilly still holds first place in the class on Crazy Horse and any further slips by Williams could still upset the standings. Also waiting in the wings is Conor Phelan's Jump Juice from the Royal Cork YC who delivered a win and a second place yesterday in a markedly improved form from the opening day.

Elsewhere in the large fleet, the White Sails divisions enjoyed an 18-mile race from their start off Charles Fort in Kinsale's spectacular natural harbour. Windsor Laudan's venerable but fast Club Shamrock Demelza from Howth delivered impressive performances on the water and leads on both IRC and ECHO handicaps. Racing continues today with the finale on Saturday afternoon.

Results – ICRA Nationals & Sovereign's Cup 2015 Day 2, after 4 races sailed (25th June 2015)

Division 0 IRC

1 Crazy Horse, Norbert Reilly/Alan Chambers (Howth Yacht Club)
2 Jump Juice, Conor Phelan, (Royal Cork Yacht Club)
3 Keronimo, Andy Williams (Yealm Yacht Club)

Division 0 ECHO

1 Godot, John Godkin (Kinsale YC)
2 Forty Licks, Jay Colville, East Down YC
3 Roxstar, Jonathan Anderson, (CCC)

Division 1 IRC

1 Joker 2, John Maybury, (Royal Irish Yacht Club
2 Jelly Baby, Ian Nagle, (Royal Cork Yacht Club)
3 Fool's Gold, Robert McConnell (Wicklow Harbour SC)

Division 1 ECHO

1 Adrenalin, Joe McDonald (National Yacht Club)
2 Indecision, Declan Hayes (RIYC)
3 Gringo, Tony Fox (NYC)

Division 2 IRC

1 Equinox, Ross McDonald, (HYC)
2 Checkmate XV, Dave Cullen (HYC)
3 The Big Picture, Michael and Richard Evans (HYC)

Division 2 ECHO

1 Equinox, Ross McDonald (HYC)
2 Checkmate XV, Davie Cullen, HYC
3 The Big Picture, Michael and Richard Evans (HYC)

Division 3 IRC

1 Fusion, Richard Cowell, (HYC)
2 Bad Company, Desmond, Ivers, Deasy (RCYC)
3 White Mischief, Timothy Goodbody, (RIYC)

Division 3 ECHO

1 Powder Mondy, Liam Lynch, (Tralee Bay SC)
2 White Mischief, Timothy Goodbody (RIYC)
3 Reavra, Stephen Lysaght (KYC)

Division 4 IRC

1 Blackfun, Tony Hayward (Cowes)
2 Anchor Challenge, Paul Gibbons, (RCYC)
3 White Magic, Donal Hardig (Waterford Harbour SC)

Division 4 ECHO-

1 Seven Whistler, Rene Wubben (WHSC)
2 No-Gnomes, Leonard Donnery, (RCYC)
3 White Magic, Donal Harding, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club

J109
1 Joker 2, John Maybury (RIYC)
2 Jelly Baby, Ian Nagle (RCYC)
3 Storm, Pat Kelly (Rush SC/HYC)

Quarter Tonner

1 Blackfun, Tony Hayward (Cowes)
2 Anchor Challenge, Paul Gibbons (RCYC)
3 Cartoon, Ken Lawless, Joe Brady, Sybil McCormack (RIYC)

White Sail Division 1 IRC

1 Bite the Bullet, Colm Bermingham, (HYC)
2 White Lotus, Paul Tully, (Dun Laoghaire Motor YC)
3 Baccarat, Brian & Anthony McCarthy (KYC)

White Sail Divison 1 ECHO

1 Baccarat, Anthony/Brian McCarthy (KYC)
2 White Tiger, Tony O'Brien (KYC)
3 Bite the Bullet, Colm Bermighham (HYC)

White Sail Division 2 IRC

1 Demelza, Windsor Laudan, (HYC)
2 Saoirse, Richard Hanley (KYC)
3 Loch Greine, Tom O'Mahony (RCYC)

White Sail Division 2 ECHO

1 Demelza, Windsor Laudan, (HYC)
2 Privateer, Dermot Lanigan (KYC)
3 Loch Greine, Tom O'Mahony (RCYC)

#sovscup – No surprises that form boat Jelly Baby leads division one of the 2015 ICRA Nationals in Kinsale Yacht Club tonight writes Claire Bateman. No surprise either that another Irish UK champion this season is also in the frame after two light races on the south coast.

The annual (ICRA) championship that combines the club's Sovereigns' Cup event runs until Saturday. The event featured in today's Afloat enews. For more click here.

Forecasted moderate to fresh south–westerly winds gusting up to 25 mph that look set to provide perfect racing conditions for the 122–boat fleet failed to materialise this afternoon as did the summer sunshine. 

Ian Nagle's Royal Cork leader – that has already chalked up two UK victories this season – is a single point ahead of J109 sistership Joker II (John Maybury) in the biggest fleet of the championship. Third, six points off the lead, is May's Scottish series winner Fool's Gold skippered by Rob McConnell of Waterford Harbour, Afloat's sailor of the month for May. 

But despite the Munster lead in division in one, it is Howth Yacht Club that has set a strong early pace in the four-day series off the Old Head of Kinsale. The north Dublin club holds leading places in four of the eight racing divisions including the top four boats in Division 2.

Kinsale was like a deserted village when everybody had taken to the water. The day was dull and had what started out as a light breeze that filled in later in the day.

Former RCYC Admiral Peter Deasy reported from Class Three that it was very competitive and a very enjoyable day's racing.

Fleets were divided into red and green to alternate each day between windward/leeward and round the cans courses.

Champion Sigma 33 White Mischief skippered by Timothy Goodbody of the Royal Irish Yacht Club is fourth in class three 

Class Three were to sail today on the round the cans course but due to the fickle breeze in the morning Race Officer Jack Roy set a windward/leeward course and shortened it to two rounds instead of three. As the wind filled in during the day a round the cans course was set and while the Desmond/Deasy Ivers Bad Company (RCYC) led all the way from the weather mark, she was caught at the finish by Richard Colwell's Corby 25 who had a two and a one in IRC with Bad Company on three and two in second and another Corby 25 , Paul Tingle's Alpaca (RCYC) also enjoying the lighter conditions lying third.

Meanwhile, in Alan Crosbie's red fleet sailing the windward/leeward course were Classes Zero, One and Two, and in the lighter airs of the morning ICRA Commodore, Norbert Reilly, sailing the Mills 36 Crazy Horse Zero took the first gun followed by regular visitor to Ireland Andy Williams of Yealm Yacht Club in his Ker 40 Keronimo, in second but these positions were reversed in Race Two so an interesting battle is already developing in this fleet. Currently lying third is the Jonathan Anderson Roxstar an XP381 followed by local RCYC boat Denise and Conor Phelan's Jump Juice.

Dublin Bay's Joker II is second overall in IRC one

As previously mentioned, in Division One IRC, one of the hardest fought divisions the current two first places are occupied by RCYC Ian Nagle's J109 Jelly Baby, currently riding high on a succession of major wins, followed John Maybury's Joker 2 another J109 and a previous winner of this class Rob McConnell's Archambult 35 Fool's Gold in third place. Following in fourth place is Richad Fides Corby 33, with Paul O'Higgins Rocakbill V in fifth and Pat Kelly's J109 Storm in sixth place. A truly formidable line up and a good week of battle to look forward to.

The Quarter Tonner Cartoon (Ken Lawless, Joe Brady, Sybil McCormack) second in class four

As reported today in Afloat.ie, the battle for the half tonners is in already in full swing. With the first four positions dominated by Howth Yacht Club led by David Cullen's Checkmate XV with two wins, with Harmony having to be content with two seconds. Lying third is the well travelled Equinox the X332 of Ross McDonald on equal points with another half tonner Michael and Richard Evans The Big Picture.

Tomorrow's winds are expected to be stronger so a great day's racing lies in store

Results ICRA Nationals & Sovereign's Cup 2015

Day 1, after 2 races sailed (24th June 2015)

Division 0 IRC

1 Keronimo, Andy Williams (Yealm Yacht Club)

2 Crazy Horse, Norbert Reilly/Alan Chambers (Howth Yacht Club)

3 Roxstar, Jonathan Anderson, (Clyde Cruising Club)

Division 0 ECHO

1 Roxstar, Jonathan Anderson, (CCC)

2 Crazy Horse, Norbert Reilly/Alan Chambers (HYC)

3 Forty Licks, Jay Colville, East Down YC

Division 1 IRC

1 Jelly Baby, Ian Nagle, (Royal Cork Yacht Club)

2 Joker 2, John Maybury, (Royal Irish Yacht Club

3 Fool's Gold, Robert McConnell (Wicklow Harbour SC)

Division 1 ECHO

1 Adrenalin, Joe McDonald (National Yacht Club)

2 Raptor, Denis Hewitt & others (RIYC)

3 Joie de Vie, Glenn Chaiul, Silvie Blazkova (Galway Bay SC)

Division 2 IRC

1 Checkmate XV, Davie Cullen, HYC

2 Harmony, Jonny Swan/James Freyne, HYC

3 Equinox, Ross McDonald, HYC

Division 2 ECHO

1 Harmony, Jonny Swan/James Freyne, HYC

2 Jostler, Patrick Beckett, (KYC)

3 Checkmate XV, Davie Cullen, HYC

Division 3 IRC

1 Fusion, Richard Cowell, (HYC)

2 Bad Company, Desmond, Ivers, Deasy (RCYC)

3 Alpaca, Paul & Deirdre Tingle (RCYC)

Division 3 ECHO

1 Reavra, Stephen Lysaght (KYC)

2 Maximus, Paddy Kyne (HYC)

3 White Mischief, Timothy Goodbody (RIYC)

Division 4 IRC

1 Blackfun, Tony Hayward (Cowes)

2 Cartoon, Ken Lawless, Joe Brady, Sybil McCormack (RIYC)

3 Anchor Challenge, Paul Gibbons, (RCYC)

Division 4 ECHO

1 White Magic, Donal Harding, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club

2 No-Gnomes, Leonard Donnery, (RCYC)

3 Seven Whistler, Rene Wubben (WHSC)

J109

1 Jelly Baby, Ian Nagle (RCYC)

2 Joker 2, John Maybury (RIYC)

3 Storm, Pat Kelly (Rush SC/HYC)

Quarter Tonner

1 Cartoon, Ken Lawless, Joe Brady, Sybil McCormack (RIYC)

2 Blackfun, Tony Hayward (Cowes)

3 Anchor Challenge, Paul Gibbons (RCYC)

White Sail Division 1 IRC

1 White Lotus, Paul Tully, (Dun Laoghaire Motor YC)

2 Bite the Bullet, Colm Bermingham, (HYC)

3 Val Kriss,Nigel Dann (KYC)

White Sail Divison 1 ECHO

1 White Lotus, Paul Tully, (Dun Laoghaire Motor YC)

2 Baccarat, Anthony/Brian McCarthy (KYC)

3 Sonas, David Ross (KYC)

White Sail Division 2 IRC

1 Demelza, Windsor Laudan, (HYC)

2 Loch Greine, Tom O'Mahony (RCYC)

3 Saoirse, Richard Hanley (KYC)

White Sail Division 2 ECHO

1 Loch Greine, Tom O'Mahony (RCYC)

2 Demelza, Windsor Laudan, (HYC)

3 Guinness Kann, Caroline Forde (KYC)_

Full results here

#icra – The biggest Half Ton event of the year gets underway this morning as part of the Irish Cruiser Racing Championships at Kinsale Yacht Club. 

The annual (ICRA) Championship that combines the club's Sovereigns' Cup event runs until Saturday. Forecasted moderate to fresh south–westerly winds gusting up to 25 mph look set to provide perfect racing conditions.

There has been an exceptional response by sailing crews from almost every coastal county in Ireland and many from the UK, as 112 boats have entered the event. The four-day event will decide four national titles as well as the coveted Sovereign's Cup, ensuring close competition in each class.

Of the Half Ton boats listed to compete in Kinsale this morning, Checkmate won the international Half Ton Cup (HTCC) in France in 2013, and Harmony won it when the event was in Dun Laoghaire in 2009. Kinsale will prepare the crews for the big event of the season, the HTCC in Nieupoort, Belgium in late August.

An Irish boat has never won this event although Shay Moran had a third place in Nieupoort in 2003 and could have won in 2005 in Blue Berret Pi except for a technical hitch with a folding propellor.

Many believe it would be great to bring the HTCC back to Ireland, as the idea of holding a biennial Half Ton event was hatched by Shay Moran/Didier Dardot and Vincent Delany at Cork Week in 2001.

IRC 2 of the ICRA's is an ultra-competitive division. All eyes will be on the half Tonner 'Checkmate', that will be very well sailed. Others to watch will be 'Equinox,' 'Slack Alice,' 'Harmony' and 'The Big Picture.' Lighter/medium airs will favour the half tonners so it will be interesting to see how the weather affects this fleet.

The Half Tonners in action in Kinsale this morning are:

Checkmate XV- IRL2016- Dave Cullen- A Mills modified Humphreys MGHS30 of 1985.(formerly Blue Chip).

Big Picture - IRL5522- Michael and Richard Evans- A Mills modified Humphreys MGHS30 of 1987. (Formerly Red Eye).

Demelza - IRL100- Windsor Laudan- A Holland Shamrock of 1977.

Harmony - IRL1484- Johnny Swan- A modified Humphreys one-off in red cedar of 1980 vintage.

Maverick - GBR5369- Rene Koomen- A Humphreys MGHS30 of 1983.

King One- IRL8094- Pat Boardman- A modified Berret First Evolution of 1980. 

No Gnomes - IRL78- Leonard Donnery- A Holland Jubilee Shamrock. (formerly Silver Mite) 1978.

Meanwhile, in Division 0, the highest rated boat is the Ker 40 'Keronimo,' that is expected to plane at speeds in the high teens if the wind speed rises, so she will take some beating- particularly on the round the cans courses. 'Roxy' will worth watching also as she was on the 2010 commodores cup winning team and is expected to be well crewed. Conor and Denise Phelan's 'Jump juice' is also consistent and one to watch.

IRC 1 is a very competitive mix; the highest rated boat 'Bam' - a Sunfast 3600 - is somewhat of an unknown entity but her chined hull will suit the reaching around the cans courses. It will be very interesting to see how she stacks up against proven IRC performers such as the J109s and A35s.

Notable J109s include 'Jelly Baby' who is currently on fire having won the UK J109 nationals last week and the Vice Admirals Cup late last month. The A35 'Fools Gold' was overall winner of the Scottish series at the end of May and is expected to feature as is the D2D entrant JPK 9.60 'Alchimiste' and former ICRA Boat of the Year Pat Kelly's 'Storm.'

IRC 3 is no less competitive: all the Corby 25's will feature. However given good breeze is expected, word has it that 'Bad Company' and 'Dis a Ray' will be in the running for places.

IRC 4 features some strong quarter tonners that are expected to feature this year.

'Quest' and 'Black Fun' enjoy medium/heavy air, not forgetting a challenge from 'Anchor', a super all rounder.

If conditions favour planning, Flor O'Driscoll's J-24 is expected to do well, having come second at the J24 southerns held last weekend in RCYC.

It is hoped that the new divisions will make the event more competitive and enjoyable for all although the weather, as always, will be a major factor. As the current forecast suggests medium plus conditions, boats moded for such breeze or the larger boats in each division are expected to come to the fore.

#cruiserracing – The Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) National Championship has released final handicap divisions for its national championships at Kinsale Yacht Club from 24th-27th June. 

Over 110 boats have entered the four-day event that will decide four national titles as well as the biennial Sovereign's Cup.

Sailing instructions have also been published and the organisers have defered the final date for receipt of Validated IRC Certificates to 19th June.

Although provisional divisions were published by Afloat a month ago, the final cut has only been released this weekend. The divisions are downloadable below.

#icra –The Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) has published details of provisional handicap divisons for its National Championships and Sovereign's Cup 2015 off Kinsale next month.

The sensible bands is a sensible arrangement of similar sized (if not speed) boats in each class which keeps competition tight in a very good turnout of at least 101 boats.

While there will no doubt be the inevitable usual thorny issue of production cruiser/racers say in IRC 0 (Beneteau First 40, Dufour 44, Salona 45 etc) having to compete with custom race boats (Mills 37, Ker 37, Ker 40 etc) this is always the challenge for IRC in how to equitably rate these different boat types. 

The make–up of a new class two fleet out of a previously unwieldly class one is the most noteworthy aspect of the new racing bands. The Beneteau 34.7 Black Velvet will be the scratch boat in the new class that also sees X332s separated from J109s. Modified Half–tonners, all now deemed to be fully optimised, are also now in the new 15–boat class two.

Each division is extremely competitive but especially so in class one where J109s Jelly Bay and Storm are lining up for honours with Rockabill, a Corby 33 and Bob Exemple (Xp33) in a super turnout of 20 class one entries. And more are expected.

In breaking out the 101 boat fleet, there are also 12 Class zeros.16 class three boats will be racing and 20 in class four. Two white sail divisions of ten and eight respectively make up the 2015 fleet.

Download the new divisions as a pdf file below.

ICRA's Barry Rose adds:

All five provisional DIVISIONS have attracted competitive fleets from all coasts of Ireland. This will be a true test of national champions. With equal status/trophies and ISA gold, silver and bronze mounted medals being awarded by ICRA to both IRC and Progressive ECHO, all entrants are given a fair chance to compete for overall honours.

Division 0 features a strong fleet from the Kerr 40 Keronimo to the Ker 37 Jump Juice, the Farr 42 WOW and the likes of Corby 36's Roxy 6 and Stratisfear against the Mills 36 Crazy Horse with local knowledge in Freya and Godot. Also Roxstar, another high-performer from Scotland.

Division 1 sees Corby 33 Rockabill challenge sister ship Imposter, and a clutch of J 109's which includes past champions Storm and Jellybaby together with competitive XP33 Bon Exemple. This class, including A35's Gringo and Fool's Gold – recent winner in Scottish series - is building to produce a great battle for honours.

Division 2 will see an equally intense contest between the likes of modified half-tonners Checkmate XV, The Big Picture and Harmony and the very competitive X332's Dexterity and Equinox and also with top-rater Black Velvet. Provisionally this is a new Division and should provide great racing for all – taking some boats from usual Divisions 1 and 2.

Division 3 again is ultra competitive with the Corby 25's, X302's and older but very competitive Slack Alice and Dis a Ray.

Division 4 has Black Fun, Cartoon, Cri-Cri and Supernova, the modified quarter tonners which are expected to dominate this class together with recent Solent winner Aquila. The J 24's Hard on Port, Ya Gotta Wanna and Crazy Horse, and the slippery Blazer 23 Shilelagh will be all out to upset the above predictions as will the Sigma 33's which include Sigma champion Tim Goodbody..

In addition the non-spinnaker Divisions, with a fine fleet of 18 boats, will compete for ICRA's Corinthian Cups on IRC and ECHO. Boats do not need endorsed IRC certs in these divisions.

#optimist – Optimist dinghy ace Micheal O'Suilleabhain of Kinsale Yacht Club took a well earned win on home waters yesterday with a ten–point margin in the senior fleet after six races sailed at the Munster championships. The 13–year–old beat the Royal St. George's Tom Higgins with Howth Yacht Club's Jamie McMahon third in the 41–boat main fleet. In the junior fleet 12-year–old Robert Keal beat club mate Harry Twomey in a one–two for Royal Cork Yacht Club. Results for both fleets are available to down laod below as jpeg files.

The Optimist Munsters had an excellent entry of 36 boats in the Regatta fleet, all very enthusiastic and rearing to go in the excellent conditions prevailing on Saturday. They sailed against the magnificent backdrop of Charlesfort and, with the promise of more wind for Sunday, the Race Officer got in four races on the day. The very active youngsters came ashore tired but vey satisfied with their day and looking forward to enjoying some time in Kinsale but aware of the fact they had to be rigged and ready to go to sea at 9.30am on Sunday. 

Following all this activity the young competitors set about tidying and packing away their gear in preparation for the journey home. The Regatta prizegiving was held separately from the Senior and Junior fleets. Some of the regatta sailors and their families were then able to leave early for the journey home to various parts of the country with a large contingent heading for Dublin.

Others had older brothers and sisters sailing in the two higher fleets and they were able to enjoy themselves around the club facilities while waiting for the second prize giving to finish.

#WilsonTrophy – Team racing's annual pinnacle, the Wilson Trophy, came to a close this afternoon with a worthy victor in West Kirby Hawks. Two Irish teams competed in the 22 rounds event.

The third and last day of racing on the Wirral seaside town's Marine Lake, overlooking the River Dee and with Wales as a backdrop, was roundly won by the local favourites, who beat Wessex Exempt 3-1 in the Final.

Kinsale Yacht Club and Howth Yacht Club finished 21st and 22nd from the 28 competing teams.  Download results below.

For the last day of the Wilson Trophy, the wind had swung into the south, blowing out of the River Dee estuary, starting in 15 knots gusting to 18, then veering and dropping to below 10, for the final rounds. The Swiss League qualifiers ended after 22 rounds, before moving into best of three Quarter Finals and Semis and best of five Finals. These truly showcased team racing at its very highest level, with spectators lining the shallow banks of the Marine Lake providing a soundtrack of gasps, whoops, hollas and outcrys as the titans of the sport slogged it out.

West Kirby Hawks hasn't won the Wilson Trophy since 2012, but the team is the reigning World Champion, following their victory in Schull, Ireland in 2011. In fact this year is the first time since Schull, that the World Championship winning line-up of Andrew Cornah, Ben Field, Dom Johnson, Hamish Walker, Tom Foster, Debs Steele have regrouped. The reason for 'getting the band back together' is the team's desire to defend its title this year at the ISAF Team Racing World Championship due to be held on Rutland Water in July.

"The Wilson is the pinnacle of team racing, because there are so many fantastic teams here pitting it out," explains West Kirby Hawks leader Dom Johnson, who flew in from Singapore especially for the event. Here he was reunited with his crew, Debs Steele, one of the most capped Wilson Trophy competitors of all time, having sailed it 23 times and been in the final 12 times. "If you look at any of the top eight teams, any one of them can perform and take races off the other."

Saying that, West Kirby Hawks finished the Swiss League qualifiers having only been beaten in three after 22 races. In fact throughout this Wilson Trophy they only suffered four defeats. However, as Johnson pointed out, their races "weren't walkovers. They were gritty races where we were having to do conversions and come-backs. There weren't too many 1-2-3 sail-aways. The conditions were part of that, because it was quite changeable, but that was great for us in terms of progression and practice."

The Finals also saw a number of incidents, including a major one which Johnson (fourth from the right above) admitted he may have caused, as he explained: "Mark 3 at the bottom of the run can often be a 'point of congestion' in team racing. In one race we felt in control with a 2-3-4, which is a winning combination, and there was a slight boat handling error on my part: I was trying to gybe across, spun out slightly in a puff and crashed into my team mate and also the opposition boat that was trying to do a mark trap. So I caused a bit of mayhem." That was in the only race of the Final in which the Hawks suffered a defeat.

Some eminent sailors failed to make the grade. One of the most promising teams, from the Royal Dee Yacht Club, led by Team GBR Nacra 17 sailor Ben Saxton, ended up being knocked out in the Semi-Finals, a repeat of their performance here last year. Sailing with Saxton was 'super crew' Toby Lewis. "One of the reasons we have done okay is that we are all fast sailors and boat speed is important because it makes your tactics a lot easier if you are quick," observed Lewis for whom this was his seven Wilson Trophy. "They are all very good sailors here - it is a challenge."

London 2012 Olympic 470 silver medallist Stuart Bithell was racing as part of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy team: "It has been a brilliant Wilson Trophy for us - I think we've had the most wins we've ever had, even though we didn't make the Quarters. In fact we were quite up and down – we'd have a really good run and then we'd start racing better teams and it became trickier..." While this is only his third time at the Wilson Trophy with the WPNSA team, Bithell originally raced the Wilson a nipper, when he represented his original club, Hollingworth Lake, near Rochdale.

In summary, West Kirby Sailing Club Commodore Phil Shepherd commented: "It has been a fantastic weekend - everything went well. The boats held together very nicely and the number of races, the speed of turn-arounds speaks for itself. The quality of the competitors was also amazing. This is certainly the most competitive Wilson Trophy I have ever witnessed."

And in case you are wondering, the total number of races run by PRO Adam Whittle and his team at this year's Wilson Trophy was...324.

Top five:
West Kirby Hawks
Wessex Exempt
Royal Dee YC
Yale Corinthian YC
Bristol University

#cruiserracing – The south coast's biggest sailing event of the year was launched today on board the Irish Naval vessel LE Eithne by Simon Coveney TD, Minister for the Marine. The ICRA cruiser-racer National Championships event is to be hosted by Kinsale Yacht Club as part of its Sovereign's Cup event from 24th-27th June 2015.

The four-day event will decide four national titles as well as the Sovereign's Cup. Over 80 boats have registered so far for the event and this figure is expected to exceed 100 over the next two months.

At least 10 crews have entered from the UK and sailing crews from almost every coastal county in Ireland will attend the co-hosting of the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) National Championship with the 10th biennial Sovereign's Cup regatta.

Minister Coveney praised the co-operation between all the stakeholders and cited the event as a prime example of what can be achieved to bring benefits to whole communities when clubs and associations work closely with business groups and local authorities to organise world class events

Many of the Ireland's best racing crews will be competing for the Sovereigns' Cup under the international IRC handicap system that is also used to decide the ICRA national championship titles. The Portcullis Trophy will be awarded to competitors under the ECHO handicap system.

The Sovereigns Cup 2015 was launched on board the Naval Service flagship LE Eithne in Dublin by Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food, the Marine and Defence (right) pictured with Mike Walsh, Regatta Director Kinsale YC, Norbert Reilly, Commodore Irish Cruiser Racing Association and Ensign Ben Crumplin. Photo: David Branigan

#Kinsale - Kinsale Yacht Club will host an Open Day from 2-5pm next Sunday 15 March, and Rear Commodore Caroline Forde has invited anyone to come, enjoy a cuppa and chat, and take a tour of the clubhouse.

Boat trips out of the KYC marina will also be available, weather permitting, while the club will be hosting a competition for free membership among other prizes.

It comes ahead of Kinsale's pre-St Patrick's Day maritime parade on Monday 16 March, for which participating boats will parade past the pier head, followed by refreshments in the clubhouse afterwards.