Volvo Cork Week organisers have added a coastal racing division to Monday's regatta in Cork Harbour.
The move follows contact from competitors expressing a preference for coast racing formats.
Regatta organisers responded on Friday by introducing a nine-boat coastal racing fleet (as an option for boats rated higher than 1.00) alongside its other four IRC divisions.
The coastal fleet includes Saturday's K2Q line honours winner, the Elliot 57 Opal from Greystones, and three other contestants from the Dublin-Cork 160-mile race.
K2Q line honours winner, the Elliot 57 Opal from Greystones, will compete in Cork Week's Coastal Division Photo: Bob Bateman
Ashley Field's Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 Panache, Steven Goddard's First 36 Faenol and Cris Miles Jezebel J111, all from Pwllheli, will contest the Cork Week coastal class title.
The Royal Irish's Andrew Irvin and Ronan Mooney's JPK 1030 Coquine and Denis Hewitt's Mills 30 Raptor are entered, too.
Kenneth Cunnane's Tralee Bay SC Swan 46 Mynx will compete in Cork Week's Coastal Division Photo: Bob Bateman
From the south coast, X-Yachts from Cork and Kinsale will compete in the coastal division, with Graham Vickers from Kinsale YC racing in the all-black X 4.3, Onyx II. Paul and Deirdre Tingle's Royal Cork Yacht Club X4 Alpaca is also in.
The Cork Week fleet assembling in Crosshaven for Monday's first race of the 2024 edition of the biennial regatta Photo: Bob Bateman
Well over 100 boats are competing at the Royal Cork’s famous regatta. The first racing gun is due to sound on Monday 15th of July, with five days of racing on the schedule.
