RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew are used to working together in challenging conditions out on the water but a major event during Volvo Cork week will see them pitted against each other and their colleagues in the emergency services to take home the prize in the Beaufort Cup Regatta 2016.

The Beaufort Cup invites sailing teams representing their national services to race over five days in a mix of challenging offshore and inshore races, including round the Fastnet, to be crowned the Beaufort Cup holder and receive a €10,000 charity donation. The event is being run by the Royal Cork Yacht Club and is supported by the Irish Defence Forces.

The RNLI is proud to have two teams participating in the cup with Baltimore RNLI lining out with RNLI South-Coast, made up of lifeboat crew from Fenit, Union Hall, Crosshaven and Tramore RNLI lifeboat stations. The rules state that the team must be made of at least fifty percent from the emergency services.

The RNLI South-Coast team will be racing on ‘Endgame’ owned by Frank Doyle with RNLI lifeboat crew from the South coast crewing her. The crew will be made up of Ruth Concannon from Fenit RNLI, Johnny McKenna from Union Hall RNLI, Aidan O’Connor and James Fegan from Crosshaven RNLI and Fergal McGrath from Tramore RNLI. Frank’s existing crew Harry Donegan, John Lapthorne, Will Barry and Tadhg Concannon will also be on hand during the week.

The Baltimore RNLI Beaufort Cup team 2016 (L-R) Nicholas O’Leary, Colman Garvey, Pat Collins, Jim Baker, Aiden Bushe, Caoimhe Cottrell (Cathal’s niece), Cathal Cottrell & Youen Jacob (missing from picture is team member Sandy Remington)

The Baltimore RNLI team will be racing on a projection 35 boat ‘True Penance’ given to them for the event by Martin Darer and Colman Garvey. The crew will be made of Skipper Youen Jacob, Baltimore RNLI all-weather lifeboat crew and inshore helm, Nicholas O’Leary, Tactician and second Skipper, Cathal Cottrell, Baltimore RNLI all-weather lifeboat mechanic and crewmember, Pat Collins, Baltimore RNLI all-weather lifeboat assistant mechanic and assistant Coxswain, Sandy Remington, Jim Baker All-weather and inshore lifeboat crew, Colman Garvey, co-owner of True Penance and Aiden Bushe All-weather lifeboat assistant Coxswain. Aidan will race offshore and be replaced by Brendan Cottrell all-weather lifeboat assistant Coxswain who will replace Aidan later in the week to keep the lifeboat station fully operational with a crew on-call and available at all times.

The two crews have received sponsorship and support from the Cape Clear Ferry Company for Baltimore RNLI and Helly Hanson and Solas Marine for RNLI South-Coast.

Commenting on the Beaufort Cup, Crosshaven RNLI and RNLI South-coast crewmember James Fegan said, ‘This is going to be a fantastic event and we are very grateful to the Defence Forces for supporting it and making it happen. We work side by side with our colleagues from other lifeboat stations and agencies so this is very different for us. I feel it could get quite competitive out there in the sea but may the best team win.’

Also speaking on the event Baltimore RNLI station mechanic and ‘True Pennace’ crewmember Cathal Cottrell added, ‘Everyone knows we take our sailing very seriously down here and we will be looking to bring home the Cup. It is going to be a tough few days of racing. With so many lifeboat crew onboard I don’t think we will need to call out the lifeboat. I want to wish all of the crew from across the emergency services the Best of luck, we will see them at the finish line.’

The offshore race will start on Monday 11 July off Haulbowline Island, the home of the Irish Naval Service.