Calves Week Regatta 2023 kicked off with a misty start and a light breeze in Schull, West Cork, after heavy overnight rain, but Race Officer Alan Crosbie managed to get class zero off on time for the CD Environmental-sponsored event on Tuesday morning.
The IRC Zero and One course in Schull Harbour Sailing Club's first Calves Week Regatta 2023 race in West Cork. Photo: Maurice O'Connell
All 72 boats in seven fleets rounded a weather mark in Long Island Sound and dispersed on various courses off the Islands in the bay before finishing in the harbour in a slightly improved eight knots, touching ten occasionally.
See results below
The Class Zero fleet start in Schull Harbour Sailing Club's first Calves Week Regatta 2023 race in West Cork. Photo: Bob Bateman
In Class Zero, a five-boat fleet that included the canting keel Elliot 57, Opal (in the vid above), it was a clean sweep in both handicap divisions for John Treanor’s Valen Tina, who held off Norbert Reilly's Ghost Raider in a three-and-a-half-hour race.
Norbert Reilly's J111 from Howth Yacht Club (left) on opposite tacks with John Treanor's J 112E ValenTina from the National Yacht Club on the eastern Schull Harbour shore in the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork. The approximately three-and-a-half-hour IRC Zero race was won by Valentina from Ghost Raider Photo: Bob Bateman
Royal Irish regular Leslie Parnell’s Black Velvet won IRC 1 from local boat Tighey Boy with the results reversed in ECHO.
Royal Hong Kong's Jamie McWilliam on the helm of Kiwi in the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork. Photo: Bob Bateman
In IRC 2, the Dwyer crew on the Half tonner Swuzzlebubble continued their winning ways, taking both divisions from fellow RCYC club boat Bad Company.
Royal Cork Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble leads IRC Two from Bad Company (below) after the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork. Photo: Bob Bateman
Newly acquired Half Tonner Two Farr debuting in the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork. Photo: Bob Bateman
Class 3 produced another Crosshaven-based winner with Fiona Young sailing North Star home ahead of the Garvey Kelleher combination in Diamond.
The Skipper 70, Pat Mustard, sailed by George Radley Senior and Junior of Cove Sailing Club, leads Class Four after the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork Photo: Bob Bateman
In a strong class Four fleet, George Radley senior and junior sailed Pat Mustard to victory ahead of Rob O Reilly's Bon Journo in IRC, while Kinsale YC visitor Paul Cotter took the echo prize in Swift.
Kinsale YC's Paul Cotter took the echo prize in Swift in the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork. Photo: Bob Bateman
In the large White Sail 1 IRC fleet, Aiden Heffernan’s Indulgence had a narrow victory over Kieran O Brien’s Magnet and also held off Frank Caul's Prince of Tides in Echo.
The all-female crew of Genevieve and local skipper Lou Munday were White Sail 2 Echo division winners in the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork. Photo: Bob Bateman
White Sail 2 Echo saw a very popular win for the all-female crew of Genevieve and local skipper Lou Munday.
Ronan Twomey's Rosmarina (6765) leads the White Sails One fleet in the first race of Calves Week Regatta 2023 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club in West Cork. Photo: Thomas Newman
