Andrew Crosbie and Stephen O'Shaughnessy in the National 18 'Virtual MissFits' were the 2021 Ballinacurra Race winners hosted by Cove Sailing Club in conjunction with the National 18 dinghy class.
Among other competing boats, Nine Eighteens contested the race that has traditionally been an annual pilgrimage from Royal Cork in Crosshaven to 'Jacko's Bar'.
As Afloat reported earlier, this year's Cove Sailing Club race was an open event and Commodore Niall Hawes gave a start time at 3 pm near to the harbour's Spit Bank.
The race started from Committee boat Brisa Mar with OOD Joanna O’Brien onboard.
Class 1 started first with a quick dog leg down to 16 and back to no 20 then straight to Ballinacura.
Class 2 started straight after with a fleet of 9 with 4 Rankins in attendance with 2 young hopefuls Sam and Noah Dorgan racing Optimists.
The breeze began to drop as the fleet neared the corner of east ferry and the Race officer decided to finish Class 2 at the church in East Ferry.
Class 1 consisting largely of National 18’s carried on up the East Passage where the tide was flooding rapidly with the shifty breeze.
The race concluded with Class 1s finishing at South Quay in Ballinacurra with the committee boat Bris Mar braving the shallow channel to record the finish
There were two classes racing to Ballinacurra.
A number of Rankins (below), two catamarans (above), two RS400s and a few mixed dinghies including two Optimists also started the race.
An interesting course for Class 1 dinghies was set to send them round Spit buoy and run back to No. 20 buoy and then straight to Ballinacurra.
Winds were very light prior to the start with some boats towed the final quarter of a mile just to get to the line.
The wind filled in for the start of the race to Ballinacurra with one National 18 dinghy over the line and having to return
Although largely a family affair, the race was not without some decent competition especially for the National 18 lead in Class One.
In very strong tide, the National 18s found it hard to keep spinnakers filled at East Ferry
Ballinacurra Race Results 2021
Class 1
1st National 18 Misfits Andrew Crosbie & Stephen O’Shaughnessy
2nd National 18 Puss in Boots Katie Dwyer, Tome Dwyer & Willy Healy
3rd National 18 Minnie’s Return Colin Barry, Ronan Kenneally & John O’Gorman.
Class 2
1st Rankin Maurice & Francis Kidney
2nd Rankin Owen O’Connell & Joe Keenan
3rd Rankin James & Suzanne Burke
There was also a special presentation to the youngest competitor Harry Coole who was just 10 years old.
Cove Sailing Club wish to thank all the competitors who ensured this historic race was well supported.
Thanks to Charles Dwyer of the National 18 class for helping organise with us, Joanne O’Brien and crew of the Bris Mar for providing committee boat duties, the Brooklands Bar for providing much needed libations and to Steven Byrne and Harry McDwyer for providing rescue cover.
