A 15–20-knot northwesterly delivered a fast but demanding second day at Calves Week as the fleet contested Wednesday’s Fastnet Rock Race.
All classes raced via Weather Mark, Goat Island, Fastnet Rock and Amelia, leaving each mark to port before the finish off Schull.
Fastnet Bound: The Calves Week fleet powers away from Schull at the start of Wednesday's Fastnet Rock Race before splitting across the course towards Ireland's most famous lighthouse. Photo: Bob Bateman
The wind direction produced a tight reach towards the Fastnet Lighthouse and another tight reach on the return leg. Few crews attempted to carry spinnakers on the course.
Class Zero – Dead Heat at the Rock
Class Zero produced the closest finish of the regatta in Wednesday's Fastnet Race, with John Treanor's Cristina and Frank Whelan's El Syd sharing IRC honours after finishing on exactly the same corrected time.
The race was sailed in 15 to 20 knots of breeze on a course that proved to be a tight reach to the Fastnet Rock and a similarly demanding reach home. The conditions rewarded accurate sail trim and boat speed rather than tactical gambles.
Close Contest: El Syd races home to the Fastnet Lighthouse. Photo: Bob Bateman
Under ORC, however, Tim MacCarthy and Wan Waterman's Joyride claimed victory after correcting out just 28 seconds ahead of El Syd, with Paul O'Higgins' Rockabill VI taking third. The razor-thin ORC margin underlined how closely matched the leading boats were throughout the contest.
For Cristina, the shared IRC victory represented a breakthrough performance, allowing the yacht to demonstrate the pace her crew has been seeking. By contrast, Rockabill VI was left to recover from a difficult start that hampered her challenge despite a strong recovery later in the race.
Holding Course: Simon Coveney's Waterfront powers home during Wednesday's Fastnet Rock Race. Photo: Bob Bateman
With lighter winds forecast for the final two days of Calves Week, the overall Class Zero battle remains finely balanced.
Flying High: Johnny Treanor's Cris Tina heels into the fresh northwesterly during Wednesday's Fastnet Rock Race. Photo: Bob Bateman
The expected conditions could favour the versatile El Syd, while Cristina, Waterfront and Rockabill VI will be looking for opportunities to regain the initiative as the regatta enters its closing stages.
On the Charge: Royal Irish Yacht Club's Rockabill VI powers along on the opening stages of Wednesday's Fastnet Rock Race. Photo: Bob Bateman
Rock Rendezvous — Cris Tina (right) and El Syd round the iconic Fastnet Lighthouse during Wednesday's Fastnet Race at Quintas Capital Calves Week 2026 in 15–20 knot conditions. Photo: Robert Bateman
Class One: Seconds Separate Storm, Artful Dodjer and Chimaera
Rail Riders: The crew of Storm stack the rail as the yacht powers towards the Fastnet Lighthouse. Storm claimed the Class One IRC victory in one of the closest finishes of the day. Photo: Bob Bateman
Pat Kelly’s Storm won Class One under IRC, correcting to 2:20:19. Finbarr O’Regan’s Artful Dodjer was only 37 seconds behind, while Barry Cunningham’s Chimaera finished another three seconds back.
The order changed under ORC. Chimaera won in 3:11:21 corrected, beating Artful Dodjer by 38 seconds. Powder Monkey was third, one minute and 14 seconds behind the winner.
Local entry Growler made it two ECHO One victories from two races. Its corrected time of 2:20:17 gave it a 21-second win over Incorrect 2.0, with Storm third.
After two races, Artful Dodjer leads IRC One ahead of Storm and Chimaera, while Growler holds a perfect score in ECHO One.
Class Two: Three Systems Produce Three Winners
Spray Away: Ghost Raider drives hard through the Atlantic swell during Wednesday's Fastnet Rock Race, where the fresh reaching conditions produced fast sailing across all classes. Photo: Bob Bateman
Ghostraider 2 won Class Two under IRC, correcting to 2:22:25. Prince of Tides was second by four minutes and 26 seconds, with Swuzzlebubble a further 17 seconds behind.
The ORC result went to Black Velvet. Its corrected time of 3:19:10 placed it four minutes and 22 seconds ahead of Miss Whiplash, while Bateleur 88 was only eight seconds further back in third.
Wolfgang Kallenberg and Charles Bester’s Aris took ECHO honours in 2:22:30 corrected. Lisador was second by five minutes and 32 seconds, with Ghostraider 2 third, another 16 seconds behind.
Swuzzlebubble continues to lead the IRC standings after two races, while Wednesday’s victory moved Aris to the top of ECHO Two.
Class Three: Tuco Wins Again on IRC and ORC
Fastnet Winner: Tuco powers through the Atlantic swell during Wednesday's Fastnet Rock Race at Quintas Capital Calves Week 2026. The Sun Fast 32 secured victory in IRC Class Three and also topped the ORC Class Three standings in a commanding performance. Photo: Bob Bateman
George Radley’s Tuco continued its strong opening to Calves Week by winning Class Three under both IRC and ORC.
The IRC contest was particularly close. Tuco corrected to 2:27:38, beating 3 Cheers by 13 seconds. Illegal was third, only another 16 seconds behind.
Under ORC, Tuco won by two minutes and 46 seconds from Excelsior. Manzanita completed the podium.
ECHO produced a different winner, with Jim O’Keeffe’s Cosmopolitan correcting to 2:27:31. Excelsior was second by two minutes and 49 seconds, followed by Muscateer.
Tuco now has two IRC victories from two starts, while 3 Cheers and Joxer share the lead in ECHO Three.
Class Four: Bon Journo Part Deux Maintains IRC Record
Double Delight: Bon Journo Part Deux continues towards the Fastnet after maintaining its unbeaten run in Class Four IRC with a second successive race win. Photo: Bob Bateman
Rob O’Reilly’s Bon Journo Part Deux secured a second consecutive IRC Four victory.
Its corrected time of 2:29:57 gave it a margin of 19 minutes and 17 seconds over Toroloco. Shelly D did not complete Wednesday’s race.
ECHO Four went to Tom Newman’s Sittelle, which corrected to 2:36:31. Toroloco was second by three minutes and 20 seconds, with Bon Journo Part Deux third.
After two races, Bon Journo Part Deux leads IRC Four with two wins, while Toroloco heads ECHO Four.
White Sail One: Indulgence Wins IRC as Magnet Takes ORC
Winning Ways: Magnet's crew keeps a close eye on sail trim during Wednesday's Fastnet Race. The MG 335 topped the Whitesail ORC division after correcting out 2 minutes 23 seconds ahead of Vivid, with Rosmarina completing the podium. Photo: Bob Bateman
Aidan Heffernan’s Indulgence recorded its second White Sail IRC One victory, correcting to 2:24:06.
Aisling was second, two minutes and 33 seconds behind, while Magnet finished just six seconds further back in third.
Under ORC, Magnet won ahead of Vivid and Rosmarina. The corrected margins were two minutes and 23 seconds to second place and three minutes and 20 seconds to third.
ECHO honours went to Aisling in a much closer finish. Jacada 2 was only 22 seconds behind, with Magnet another six seconds back.
Indulgence remains unbeaten in IRC, while Aisling and Magnet are tied at the head of White Sail ECHO One.
White Sail Two: Lady Min Leads IRC as Summerfly Wins ECHO
Classic Passage: Lady Min rounds the Fastnet Rock during Wednesday's Calves Week race, the beautifully restored classic yacht cutting an elegant figure in the fresh 15–20-knot Atlantic breeze as the fleet negotiated the iconic turning mark. Photo: Bob Bateman
Simon O’Keeffe’s Lady Min made it two White Sail IRC Two wins from two races.
Its corrected time of 2:23:10 placed it three minutes and 41 seconds ahead of Mischief. Cove Pirates was third, six minutes and 35 seconds behind the winner.
Michael Hearn’s Summerfly won Wednesday’s ECHO race in 2:22:58 corrected. Lornadrew was second by 41 seconds, with Lady Min third.
Despite finishing third on Wednesday, Lady Min remains the ECHO Two leader after two races, one point ahead of Lornadrew.
Calves Week Fastnet Rock Race Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman
Lighter Conditions Forecast for Thursday
Thursday’s forecast indicates a marked reduction in wind strength, with light westerly conditions expected after Wednesday’s fresh offshore race.
The change is set to give the fleet a contrasting test as Quintas Capital Calves Week moves into its third day.
Calves Week 2026 IRC and ECHO results are below and ORC results are here
