Displaying items by tag: Kinsale
With just three months to go to the Covestone Asset Management Sovereign's Cup 2013, the first listing of registered entrants has just been published and features an impressive 45 entries covering the full spectrum of yacht racing - from stripped out carbon fibre thoroughbreds through to those of more leisurely racing ambitions in the White Sail Class.
The list of entrants (registered to 27th March) can be viewed below.
Regatta Director Mike Walsh expressed his delight with the early response. 'We are well ahead in terms of fully paid up registrations on where previous Sovereign's Cups would have been at this stage'.
'Almost 25% of our entries are travelling to the event from clubs in the UK.
Looking at current registrations as a whole at the moment, over 75% of the entries are visiting competitors, which demonstrates that the Covestone Sovereign's Cup provides a highly attractive offering to those travelling to Kinsale – both on and off the water ", noted Walsh.
The 1720 class will be holding their European Championships as part of the Sovereign's Cup, and six of these dynamic 26 footers are already signed up. Seasoned followers of the 1720 class will no doubt be intrigued by the father-son duel that's in store between sailing supremo Anthony O'Leary and Olympic veteran Peter. According to the Regatta Director, "the set up in Kinsale is excellent for the 1720 fleet with easy craneage into the water and convenient free parking for the trailers while the boats are afloat."
The Quarter Ton Cup will also be held as part of the Covestone Sovereign's Cup, and a number of visitors from the UK have already signed up. Some potent performers are on their way such as Aguila, winner of the Quarter Ton trophy two years ago, Anchor Challenge, winner in 2009 and third in 2012, while Illes Pitituses was nominated for ICRA Boat of the Year in 2012. With the likes of that competition, it's no wonder that there is confirmed interest and intent to enter from a number of other Quarter Ton owners in Dun Laoghaire, Howth and the Solent.
While the Covestone Sovereign's Cup 2013 will continue to deliver the special atmosphere of the nine previous events, with its intimate and friendly setting of the Kinsale Yacht Club and surrounding town and harbour, visitors this year will enjoy the benefits of the major development works underway on the clubhouse. Much improved changing room and showering facilities will be available on the ground floor, while an extended sun deck will tempt those wishing to drink in the sun while downing the finest from the Club's welcoming bar staff.
Yacht Name |
Sail No |
Yacht Type |
Class |
Club |
30 Something | IRL3007 | Beneteau First 31.7 | IRC / Echo | RStGYC |
Adrenalin | IRL1348 | A35 | IRC / Echo | NYC |
Aguila | GBR8414R | Quarter Ton | Quarter Ton | - |
Alpaca | IRL2506 | Corby 25 | IRC / Echo | RCYC |
Anchor Challenge | IRL3087 | Quarter Ton | Quarter Ton | RCYC |
Bite the Bullet | IRL3335C | Elan 333 | White Sails IRC | HYC |
Black Velvet | IRL3471 | First 34.7 | IRC / Echo | RIYC |
Cimarron VI | IRL6006 | Beneteau 423 | White Sail | KYC |
Cosmic | GBR1771L | 1720 | 1720 | RYA |
Dark Angel | GBR8833 | Dubois 37 | IRC / Echo | SYC |
Dux | IRL988 | X302 | IRC / Echo | HYC |
Godot | IRL4475 | Dufour 44 | IRC / Echo | KYC |
Graduate | FRA079 | J80 | IRC / Echo | RIYC |
Gringo | IRL7778 | A35 | IRC / Echo | NYC |
Guinness Kann | IRL2840 | GK 24 | IRC / Echo | KYC |
Illegal Immigrant | GBR501 | Quarter Ton | Quarter Ton | RTYC |
Illes Pitituses | IRL1392 | Quarter Ton | Quarter Ton | CSC |
Impetuous | GBR7737R | Corby 37 | IRC / Echo | SCYC |
Indecision | IRL9898 | J109 | IRC / Echo | RIYC |
Jaws Seachange Now | IRL1183 | J24 | IRC / Echo | DBSC, LRYC, RstGYC & RIYC |
Joker 2 | IRL1206 | J109 | IRC / Echo | RIYC |
Jonah | GBR3768 | Beneteau First 35 | White Sail | CBYC |
Keronimo | GBR6889R | Ker 40 | IRC / Echo | RWYC & SSC |
Lisador | IRL1295 | Dehler 36 | IRC / Echo | GSC |
Loa Zour | IRL3172 | Mono Hull | White Sail | KYC |
Loch Greine | IRL1033 | Hanse 311 | White Sails IRC | RCYC |
Luv Is | IRL4646 | Dehler DB1 | IRC / Echo | KYC |
Maverick | GBR5369 | Half Tonner | IRC / Echo | PHYC |
Meridian | IRL4076 | Salona 45 | IRC / Echo | KYC |
Merlin | 1730 | 1720 | 1720 | CBYC |
Objection! | IRL4004 | Sun Odyssey 35 | White Sail | KYC & MBSC |
Ragtime | IRL109 | GK24 | White Sail | KYC |
Rhythm | IRL5639 | Trapper 28 | White Sail | GYC |
Rodmar of Aberaeron | GBR7334R | Westerly Fulmar | IRC / Echo | AYC & NQYC |
Roxstar | GBR8038R | XP38i | IRC / Echo | CCC |
Saoirse | GK149 | Westerly GK | IRC / Echo | KYC |
Slack Alice | IRL4170 | GK Westerly | IRC / Echo | WHSC |
Smile & Wave | IRL1722 | 1720 | 1720 | BSC |
Spiced Horse | IRL1808 | 1720 | 1720 | BSC |
Storm | IRL1141 | J109 | IRC / Echo | HYC & RSC |
Sunburn | IRL1132 | Sunfast 32 | IRC / Echo | HYC |
To be confirmed ("TBC") | TBC | XP 33 | IRC / Echo | RIYC |
Wahoo | IRL1750 | 1720 | 1720 | RCYC |
Wavetrain | IRL1477 | Channel 28 | IRC / Echo | RStGYC |
Wet N Ready | 1843 | 1720 | 1720 | RCYC |
Kinsale Cruiser League Musters Seven Boat Turnout
#kyc – Last Sunday was a bright and sunny day in Kinsale for Patricks day saw seven cruisers hit the water writes Brian Carlin.
The wind was cool with a strong northwesterly building to 20-25 knots.
The PRO made the most of the conditions and sent the small fleet of Class 1's and white sails on a fast downwind ride to Black Head.
The flat seas and strong winds made for an ideal windward leeward course, centre point being the only other mark on the course.
Results: IRC All In went to Chancer (Carroll Bros), Echo went to Joker (Broderick & Gibbons)
White sails went to Maximser (Carl Queen)
UK Yachts Boost Sovereign's Cup 2013 Regatta Entries
#sovereignscup – With entries for the Covestone Asset Management Sovereign's Cup 2013, scheduled to take place from 26th to 29th June, well ahead of expectations, a number of highly regarded "rocket-ships" have already declared their intentions of setting the pace next June in the waters off Kinsale. UK-based entries feature prominently, together with a very healthy level of registration from the domestic IRC and White Sail fleets is sure to make this year's Sovereign's Cup a great success. The addition of the 1720 and Quarter Ton Fleets competing for their European and National Championships respectively will ensure a vibrant atmosphere both ashore and afloat.
A number of the entries received to date have registered their interest in and are already eyeing up the 'Triple Crown' Trophy. This novel trophy will be awarded to the boat that achieves the lowest points aggregate score under IRC from results obtained in the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race, the ICRA National Championships and the Sovereign's Cup. Regatta Director Mike Walsh, is delighted to recognise the significant effort and commitment of Skippers and their crews who take part in these events and is thrilled this novel trophy is generating such interest.
Consistent with previous events, entries for this year's Sovereign's Cup will be limited to 100 boats.
Some names and stats that caught our eye among those already entered for the Covestone Sovereign's Cup to date are:
Keronimo - Overall Top Boat 2012 Brewin Dolphin Commodores Cup, Winner Class 1A 2011 Fastnet Race.
Impetuous - 2012 Class 1 ICRA National Champion, Winner 2012 Cork Week, Winner 2012 Corby Week.
Storm II - 2011 Class 1 ICRA National Champion, and too many other titles to mention!
Anchor Challenge- Irish Quarter Ton Champion – 2009, Quarter Ton Cup Winner 2009.
Wet n Ready – 1720 Supremo- Anthony O'Leary.
'EOS' Winner of the Portcullis Trophy at Sovereign's Cup 2011.
Laser Sharp Kenneally Wins Kinsale Yacht Club Frostbite Sailing Prize
#kinsale – Ronan Kenneally received the Laser Standard Trophy, Darragh O'Sullivan – the inaugural ASM Radial Trophy, Richard Thompson – the 4.7 Destiny Trophy and Colm Dunne – the Squib Trophy after the final race day of the ASM-Marine KYC Frostbite League.
The early calm conditions on the final day of the ASM-Marine Frostbite League at Kinsale Yacht Club last Sunday morning did not look promising. With two previous race days cancelled due to an excess of wind it was more in hope than expectation that the Race Committee lead by OD Bruce Mathews decided to take to the race area. Their positive action was soon rewarded as the predicted South-Easterly Force 2 to 3 arrived ensuring a timely start to the final day's programme.
With a top mark laid in close proximity to Kinsale boatyard, and the incoming tide early in its cycle, a windward-leeward course was offered to the four competing classes. As racing progressed, with the South-Easterly variable and backing at times thirty to forty degrees and the flood tide increasingly more affective, the usual critical decision of which side of the beat to favour was complicated by the opposing set of conditions.
Consistency was the foundation once again this year for Ronan Kenneally (MBSC) as the returning Champion retained the Laser Standard title. Never out of the top two in any race and scoring seven wins in total, Ronan's final flourish of a second and two firsts placed him in an unassailable lead at the top of this class. Finishing in second and third overall were Matthias Hellstern (KYC) and James Long (Inniscarra SC) with two seconds and a third and two thirds and a second respectively.
Already clear ahead at the top of the Radial Fleet, an off-form Darragh O'Sullivan still retained his overall title from last year, despite just two fifth places on Sunday. Successful on the day were Ewan O'Keeffe (CSC) who won the first race with Dermot Lyden (BSC/RCYC) and Aisling Keller (LDYC/KYC) sharing the next two races, each scoring a win and a second.
Having led the Laser 4.7 League throughout, Richard Thompson (RCYC/KYC) with a fifth and a third still managed to repel a late challenge from Cliodhna O'Regan (KYC) who took line honours in the last two races of the day. Unable to discard a 'maximum points' scoring, Cliodhna had to settle for second overall. Florence Lyden (BSC) had her best day to date with two seconds.
The conclusion to the 2013 Squib Class League had all the promise of a closely fought contest for the top spot, between two very well matched boats. Neither of the two crews directly involved, nor the few privileged to view the contest could have envisaged the enfolding drama. Colm Dunne and Rob Gill in Allegro (KYC), started the first race holding an advantage overall of just a single point, to Marcus & Meagan Hutchinson in Sensation (KYC). Allegro lost that one point advantage in the first race, only to regain it emphatically in the second, thus ensuring the outcome of the final race would determine the winner. With the overall points scoring always subject to the two discards rule, both crews must have been frantically doing the 'Math' at that stage. Concerned only with the relative position of their immediate opponents and with both crews sailing tactically, Allegro quickly established a winning lead only to surrender this at a top-mark 'port and starboard' incident. Accepting the required penalty, they still managed to collect a fourth place to Sensation's second. However, with Allegro's fourth in this race and Sensation's fifth in the second going to discard, Colm Dunne & Rob Gill emerged as worthy Champions by virtue of that single point. On this occasion, Marcus & Meagan Hutchinson had to settle for second place, while Paul McCarthy & Paul Cotter held onto third place also with an excellent first and a second.
Prize-Giving was hosted by Commodore Cameron Good, who on behalf of Kinsale Yacht Club congratulated the deserving winners and thanked all the sailors for their efforts. Special mention went to PRO Bruce Mathews for his continuing and enthusiastic support for this event. Appreciation was additionally expressed for the support of the various Committee members, the Sponsor and the many helpers who had assisted, both on and off the water, to make this annual and long-standing event such an enjoyable regatta. The Commodore awarded the prizes for each class which were presented by Agnes McLaverty on behalf of ASM-Marine. Ronan Kenneally received the Laser Standard Trophy, Darragh O'Sullivan – the inaugural ASM Radial Trophy, Richard Thompson – the 4.7 Destiny Trophy and Colm Dunne – the Squib Trophy.
Kinsale Laser Sailors Brave Strong Winds for a Sunday 'Burn'
#kinsale – With Kinsale Yacht Club racing cancelled due to a building forecast on Sunday local helmsman Rob Howe and one other Laser sailor went out for a 'burn' with the above resulting 'deck-cam' video from Brian Carlin.
Fisherman Dies Of Head Injuries Off Kinsale
#Coastguard - The Irish Times reports that a fisherman has died after sustaining head injuries in an incident off the Old Head of Kinsale last night.
The man, one of three crew on the West Cork-based fishing trawler Liberty, is believed to have died from his injuries on board the vessel.
According to TheJournal.ie, the Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat and Irish Coast Guard helicopters from Shannon (Rescue 115) and Waterford (Rescue 117) were all scrambled to the scene.
The deceased was airlifted by Rescue 117 to Cork for transfer to hospital, while the remaining crew returned to Kinsale this morning with the lifeboat crew.
It is thought that the accident involved trawling wires on board the fishing boat.
#kinsale – The ASM-Marine Frostbite League for Lasers, Squibs and Mixed dinghies at Kinsale Yacht Club passed the half-way mark on Sunday when a further three races were successfully completed to bring the total races sailed to eight, with two discards to be applied. With a further six races possible over the next two Sundays and with one more discard to be taken into consideration, the eventual outcome in most classes remain tantalizingly open.
A steady Force 4 Moderate Breeze in a bright but cool morning set the backdrop for the fourth day of racing, as the KYC Race Committee lead by PRO's Bruce Matthews and Clem McElligott decided on a triangular course for the first two races, laying the windward mark just south of the beach at Castlepark with the leeward near Kinsale Boatyard. As the tide had just turned prior to the start of the first race, it would be the third race before the effect of the flood tide was to prove a decisive input into race tactics. A more determining factor was the greater wind strength apparent on the left side of the course. Due to a the wind veer of approximately twenty-five degrees prior to the start of race three, the course was re-adjusted accordingly for that final race of the day.
The combined Laser Fleet of thirty-two boats comprising Standard, Radial and 4.7 rigs were boosted by the presence of the ISA Munster Training Squad and got off to a flying start @ 12.00 hrs. without incident.
In the Laser Standard Class, last year's overall winner Ronan Kenneally (Monkstown - MBSC) and leading helm from the previous week by just one point, markedly improved his advantage to eight points with an unbeatable combination of a second and two firsts. Meanwhile, his fellow competitors experienced very mixed fortunes on the day in this otherwise tightly contested series. Aided by a fine second in the final race James Mathews (KYC) managed to retain a firm hold on second overall, while Mathias Hellstern's (KYC) third place in the first race assisted his move to a third place overall. Robert Howe's (MBSC) performance of a first and second in the first two races is worthy of note, though he is not currently in contention due to several DNCs accumulated earlier in the series.
In the Laser Radial Class, the ever consistent Darragh O'Sullivan (KYC) and another returning winner from last year marked up one of the two outstanding performances of the day's racing by taking line honours in all three races. In so doing, he has leaped from fourth to first place overall. Given that the league standings have been affected by various helms including Darragh, not competing at various stages due to other commitments, his thirteen points lead in the top spot is looking comfortable. Despite Dara O'Shea (KYC) and Dermot Lyden (BSC/RCYC) not competing on Sunday as indicated above, with their accumulated points to date, they still manage to hold second and third positions overall. Two further notable results were achieved by Aisling Keller (LDYC/KYC) and Kinsale's Sorcha Ni Shuillabhain who was last year's winner of the Destiny Trophy for best performance by a Kinsale sailor when she competed in the 4.7 class. Aisling's second and two thirds moves her from ninth to fourth overall, while Sorcha's third and two seconds are her first set of scores in the league to date.
In the Laser 4.7 class, with three wins to his credit so far Richard Thompson (RCYC/KYC) has emerged as this year's leading helm. Another first, a third and a second on Sunday gives him a lead of three points and a total of eight overall. However Cliodhna O'Regan (KYC) with two of her maximum scores discarded and due to a second and two wins on Sunday moves up into second place and is definitely very much in contention for that top place. Thomas McGrath (RCYC) unable to repeat his performance of last week which delivered two wins drops to third overall and three points behind.
In the Squib Class, the competition between the two leading boats is definitely ratcheting up with both boats seldom out of the top two positions in any race. On Sunday Colm Dunne &Mark Buckley (KYC) in Allegro gained the upper hand, and overturned a deficit of two points overall with a remarkable winning performance of three firsts. Marcus & Meagan Hutchinson (KYC) in Sensation had to settle for three seconds and though they drop to second place overall are only one point behind. The final outcome between these closely matched boats remains very much open. Paul McCarthy/Paul Cotter (KYC) in Mack took third place in the second race, and Bobby Nash/Mike Walsh (KYC) were third in races one and three.
With only the elements as their main adversaries, the K6 of Peadar Murphy, Alan Bateman & Keith O'Riordan continued unchallenged in the Mixed Dinghy Class, adding its own particular spectacle to the overall excitement of the Frostbites.
The league continues over the next two Sundays ending on 24th February. It is an Open Event for all Lasers, Squibs and Mixed Dinghies. F.G. @ 11.55.
Laser Sharp O'Shea Sets Early Mark in Kinsale Frostbites
#kinsale – The seasonal sharp drop in temperature heralded the opening day of the 2013 ASM-Marine Frostbite League at Kinsale Yacht Club on Sunday. The long established winter league, offering early competitive racing opens the KYC sailing season and continues to appeal in the main to the local Laser and Squib Fleets on the South coast. Though entries to the Mixed Dinghy fleet were predictably down in numbers this year, appetites for an injection of excitement were somewhat sated by the appearance of a Rondar built K6.
A chill though steady Force 4 Easterly was the dominating feature of the first day's racing that saw two races completed. The windward-leeward course set by OD's Bruce Mathews and Clem McElligot placed the upwind mark just shy of Kinsale Boatyard crossing the ebbing tide at the start of its cycle.
The three Laser Classes comprising Standard, Radial and 4.7 had a combined start and were first off at the usual time at 12.00 hours. Setting the early pace in the Standard Fleet was RCYC's Edward Rice who expected to take the lead overall with two on-course results of a first and second. Due to missing a mark of the course in error, he settled for an RAF scoring –retirement from the first race. Taking the advantage, KYC's Sean Murphy with a third in race 1 ended the day with a fine win in race 2 and leads the field overall on four points. Eoin Keller (LDYC & KYC) with a consistent showing of a second and third is one point adrift in second position overall. James Long (Inniscarra SC) despite taking line honours in race 1, had to settle for third overall due to a fifth in final race.
KYC's Dara O'Shea has set an early marker in this year's Laser Radial league with his initial results of a second and first, putting him in the top spot on three points. Just two points off the lead is Dermot Lyden (RCYC & BSC) with a win in the first race and a fourth in Race 2. Two points off this mark is Ross O'Sullivan (KYC) due to a fourth and a third.
It is encouraging each year to see the progression of young sailors through the different ranks of the Laser Fleet, and in particular to welcome the new entrants coming into the 4.7 class and gaining their first experience of frostbite series. After the first day of racing Richard Thompson (KYC & RCYC) tops indisputably the league table with two excellent wins. Thomas McGrath's (RCYC) second in the first race against Scott O'Sullivan's (KYC) third being the difference in the battle for second overall.
KYC's familiar stable of Squib crews gathered once again for their annual contest in the Frostbite League with Glandore's Diarmuid Wrenne & Finbar Durgan in Scooby Doo hoping to shake up the local fleet. With last year's winners James and Bruce Mathews participating in Laser this time around – James to the Standard and Bruce to the 4.7 – the way is clear for a compelling and hopefully close-fought competition. Off to a flying start on the first day were Marcus & Meagan Hutchinson in Sensation by winning the league's first two races. Determined to put pressure on the leaders in the weeks ahead are the crews of Colm Dunne & Mark Buckley of Allegro and Victor Fusco & Ruth Ennis of Espresso (is that a double?). With both crews scoring a second and a third they hold the next two positions on the league table on equal points.
Sole entrant to date in the Mixed Dinghy Class was the Peadar Murphy owned K6 - The Widowmaker, crewed on its maiden race by fellow adrenalin junkies Alan Bateman & Keith O'Riordan (KYC). Spectacular performance on the run as the boat leap onto a plane ably assisted by the increasing Force 4 and manfully handled by the crew before succumbing to a spreader bolt giving up the ghost. Looking forward to next week lads?
The league continues over the next five Sundays and is an Open Event for all Lasers, Squibs and Mixed Dinghies. F.G. @ 11.55.
Byrne Finishes Gold Cup in 11th and Top Irish, Good Wins Corinthian Title
#dragongoldcup – After six tough races there were no Irish in the top ten at the Dragon Gold Cup in Kinsale but there were three in the top 15 overall after today's final race. Top Irish trio were former Edinburgh Cup winners Martin Byrne, Adam Winkelmann and Pedro Andrades in 11th with Kinsale's own Cameron Good, Simony Furney and Henry Kingston 12th. Good also won the Corinthian title, for the top non-professional crew in the 60-boat fleet. Byrne's Royal St. George club mates Andrew Craig, Brian Mathews and Mark Pettit were 14th overall.
The 2012 Gold Cup was brought to a close with a final race as dramatic as any Shakespearean play. Going into the day Britain's Lawrie Smith led the fleet on 31 points, Russia's Dmitry Samokhin was second on 43 points and Germany's Tommy Mueller lay third on 51 points. With no discard allowed Smith's lead was far from unassailable and Samokhin clearly had him in his sights. Mueller knew that realistically his chances of victory were slim as not only would he have to sail his socks off, but the other two boats would both need to have bad races if he was to overtake them.
The tension and excitement as the sixty strong fleet, from sixteen nations and four continents, left the dock was palpable and the boats were accompanied down to the race area by a host of spectator boats crammed with supporters keen to watch the final battle. A sudden wind shift forced Alan Crosbie to abandon his first start attempt just a few seconds before the gun. Having adjusted the course the second start was a general recall and so Crosbie went to the Z-flag for his third attempt. This time the fleet got away, but with 8 boats identified as over the line; two of these went back and were given a 20% scoring penalty, but the other six failed to return and were scored OCS.
On the line Mueller had opted for the committee boat end while Smith and Samokhin came off the centre of the line together with Smith to weather. Up the first beat Mueller struck out for the favoured right side while Smith and Samokhin traded tacks up the centre left. The two boats were clearly locked in a battle for supremacy to the exclusion of all else and meanwhile Mueller was sailing a textbook beat to round the first mark in the lead with Hoj-Jensen second, Germany's Tanja Jacobsohn third and Cameron Good from Kinsale fourth.
As the leaders streamed off down the run all eyes turned to the middle of the fleet where Samokhin had got the better of Smith. They rounded the first mark in a bunch of boats in twenty-eighth and thirty-fifth respectively putting Mueller into the overall lead with Smith second and Samokhin third. The breeze dropped off in the second half of the first run making for some tricky sailing. As Mueller stretched out his lead Smith and Samokhin continued to battle it out and as a result they lost more places and rounded the first leeward mark overlapped with Smith thirty-fourth and Samokhin thirty-fifth.
On the second beat there was a massive 20 degree right shift and at the weather mark Mueller and Hoj-Jensen continued to lead with Russia's Evgeny Braslavetz now up into third and Chris Hunt of Cornwall fourth. Smith and Samokhin had made big gains and Samokhin came through in twenty-second with Smith alongside in twenty-third. Now all Smith needed was to gain another three places and the championship would be his.
The second run was to be the deciding point of the race. The race committee had signaled a change of course and the new leeward mark was a single port rounding buoy instead of the more usual gate. Smith and Samokhin were still trading gybes and both boats lost some ground on the leg. They came into the mark together with a big gaggle of boats with Smith leading but on the outside and Samokin in the middle of the bunch. As they rounded Samokhin got a slight advantage but they were only up to twenty-seventh and twenty-ninth places. Smith now needed to make up nine places on the last beat if he was to claim the title and with the breeze going even further right it didn't look hopeful as he kept to the centre of the course while Mueller, Hoj-Jensen, Braslavetz and the main pack went right.
Yet again Smith sailed a brilliant beat and made up an impressive number of places. On the line Mueller crossed with a huge lead, Hoj-Jensen took second, Braslavetz third and Good fourth. Mueller clearly felt that Smith had done enough to win and he peeled off back to harbour apparently happy with his race but resigned to second place. However, the race was far from over and everyone was carefully counting off boats as they came to the finish. Smith did his very best and claimed a number of places, but ultimately he just ran out of runway and finished in twenty-second place giving Mueller the Brewin Dolphin Dragon Gold Cup 2012 by a single point. Mueller was blissfully unaware of his victory until the media team motored up and confirmed that he had taken the trophy for the second time.
In the overall standings Tommy Mueller, Vicent Hoesch and Michael Lipp claimed the title with 52 points. Lawrie Smith, crewed by Tim Tavinor and Joost Houweling finished second with 53 points. Russia's Dimitry Samokhin, crewed by Andrey Kirilyuk and Aleksey Bushuev finished third on 62 points. Fourth place went to Portugal's Jose Matoso sailing with Gustavo Lima and Stephen Hellriegel and in fifth was London based Klaus Diederichs crewed by Andy Beadsworth and Jamie Lea.
At the prize giving Tommy Mueller paid tribute to his crew, known in the Dragon fleet as the Bavarian Dream Team, and to his wife for her wonderful support of their campaigning. For Tommy this was a second Gold Cup win, his first being in 2002, but for Hoesch it was an incredible sixth win, two of which had been as a helmsman.
In the Corinthian all-amateur division first prize went to Kinsale Yacht Club Commodore Cameron Good sailing with Simon Furney and Henry Kingston. Remy Arnaud and his crew of Herald Arnaud and Pascal Civel from France came second and in third was Graham Bailey of the Isle of Wight crewed by Julia Bailey, Dylan Potter and Will Heritage.
The Nations Cup, for the top performing three-boat national team went to Britain, represented by Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen, Lawrie Smith and Chris Hunt. The actual trophy was awarded to Hoj-Jensen as the leading British boat in the final race.
Also concluded today was the Irish Dragon Grand Slam competition incorporating the Northern Area Championship, the Edinburgh Cup, the Irish Nationals, the Irish South Coasts and this regatta. The winner of the 2012 Irish Grand Slam was Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen with Klaus Diederichs second, Martin Byrne third, Lawrie Smith fourth and Cameron Good fifth.
The 2013 Dragon Gold Cup will be held in Douarnenez, Brittany, France from 16-24 August
Craig Aims for Top Ten Finish in Final of Dragon Gold Cup
#dragongoldcup – Dun Laoghaire's Andrew Craig took a stunning win in the penultimate race off Kinsale yesterday to be 11th overall and top Irish boat at the Dragon Gold Cup. Scroll down for video interview with Andrew Craig below.
There were more shocks and upsets as several of the top boats posted poor results and the leader board was shuffled once again. It was another strong wind day and with the sun frequently breaking through the scudding clouds and plenty of spray flying it was a spectacular day in every way keeping the spectators enthralled from start to finish.
The race got underway cleanly at the first attempt and the boats set off up the beat in around 16-18 knots from the West South West punching a building sea. The fleet spread out right across the course and at the first mark those who had come up the centre right had a slight advantage. First to round was Ireland's Claire Hogan followed by Remy Arnaud of France, Brit Mark Dicker, Australia's Richard Lynn, Andrew Craig from Dublin, Lawrie Smith sailing for Glandore YC, Jose Matoso of Portugal, Gavia Wilkinson-Cox from Cowes and London based Klaus Diederichs. For the spectators looking out for the rest of the overall regatta leaders it was a long wait as Hungary's Ferenc Kis-Szölgyémi, Germany's Tommy Mueller, Denmark's Joergen Schoenherr and overnight leader Dmitry Samokhin were all badly buried well down the fleet.
By the first gate Arnaud had moved up into first ahead of Matoso, Criag was third, Hogan fourth and Smith fifth. Denmark's Lars Hendriksen, sailing for the Ukraine, had moved up to sixth from eleventh. Back in the pack Kis-Szölgyémi and Mueller continued to struggle although Schoenherr and Samokhin had both begun to claw their way back up the fleet.
As the boats headed off up the second beat the breeze started to build to 20 knots and the sea increased with it. A couple of shifts helped to shake things up again and at the second weather mark Craig led from Germany's Philip Dohse with Arnaud third, Matoso fourth, Hogan fifth, Smith sixth and Hendriksen seventh.
On the second run the leading four held their positions as Hendriksen put on an impressive show of downwind speed to get past Hogan. Germany's Reemt Reemtsma moved into seventh with Smith eighth. Further down the pack Schoenherr was up to fifteenth and Mueller and Samokhin were making gains.
As they started up the final beat the wind began to gust up into the mid 20s and once again the left side of the course was much rougher. With the wind and tide more favourable on the right the majority of the fleet headed out from the mark on port tack. With only one way to go up the beat Craig was able to confidently cover the fleet and he cruised home to victory. Smith and Diederichs both put in hugely impressive beats and sailed themselves up into second and third place respectively with Diederichs just beating Matoso into fourth on the line by a nose. Arnaud crossed fifth followed closely by Hendriksen and Hogan. Looking back down the fleet for the regatta leaders the first to appear was Schoenherr who crossed ninth, Mueller made huge ground on the final beat to finish sixteenth, Samokhin twentieth and Kis-Szölgyémi twenty-fourth.
In the overall standings Lawrie Smith now leads the regatta with 31 points, giving him a 12 point margin over second placed Dmitry Samokhin. Tommy Mueller moves into third on 51 points, three ahead of Joergen Schoenherr. Ferenc Kis-Szölgyémi and Jose Matoso both count 56 points with Matoso claiming fifth on count back. Three further points adrift in seventh is Klaus Diederichs on 59 points. The top ten is rounded out by Anatoly Loginov on 65, Lars Hendriksen on 67 and Poul-Richard Hoj-Jensen on 71 points.
In the Corinthian Division for all amateur crews Cameron Good of Kinsale continues to lead the regatta. Overnight second placed Graham Bailey, the reigning Corinthian Gold Cup Champion and winner of races three and four, had a shocker of a day rounding the first mark at the back of the fleet and only recovering to eighteenth (47th overall) which drops him down the Corinthian ranking to sixth overall. Remy Arnaud was today's Corinthian race winner and as a result he now sits in second overall, three points behind Good. A single point further back is Denmark's Frank Berg with Reemt Reemtsma fourth.
In the Nations Cup competition the British Team of Lawrie Smith, Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen and Chris Hunt now lead with 192 points, Russia, represented by Dmitry Samokhin, Anatoly Loginov and Alexander Exhkov, is second on 202 and Germany, represented by Tommy Mueller, Philip Dohse and Stephan Link, is third on 248.
Tomorrow's final race showdown will be an edge of the seat affair as the sixty-strong fleet makes a last bid for gains. With no discard every point counts and both Smith and Good's leads are by no means unassailable so we can expect and edge of the seat finish to what has already been a truly spectacular regatta.
This evening the crews will enjoy the Brewin Dolphin Dragon Gold Cup Championship Dinner at Kinsale Yacht Club, preceded by an exhibition of black and white Dragon photography taken earlier in the week by renowned local photographer Giles Norman. Brewin Dolphin Executive Chairman Jamie Mattheson and his wife Angela, themselves successful racing sailors, will be joining the competitors for what promises to be a fantastic evening of fun and celebration. Also joining the party will be Olympic Bronze Medallist Ossie Stewart, who normally sails as Lawrie Smith's tactician. Ossie suffered a minor stroke just 10 days ago and so wasn't able to compete this week, but he arrived in Kinsale today and kept an eye on Lawrie's progress from the RIB. The entire fleet is delighted to see Ossie back on his feet and looks forward to racing against him again very soon.