The fleet is in! With over 100 boats competing in the first races on Monday, Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Annamarie Fegan officially opened the 2024 Volvo Cork Week Regatta on Sunday afternoon with local dignitaries and politicians at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour.
Competitors and supporters gathered on the lawn at the Royal Cork Yacht Club ahead of Cork Week Regatta Photo: Bob Bateman
Royal Cork Yacht Club was buzzing with pre-race activity as visiting sailors arrived for the week of racing that runs from Monday, July 15 to Friday, 19, under International Race Officer Con Murphy of Dun Laoghaire, who ran May's Scottish Series on the Clyde and will also officiate at Setpember's Dragon Gold Cup in Kinsale.
Royal Cork Admiral Annamarie Fegan with sponsors and dignitaries at Sunday's Volvo Cork Week launch. (from left to right) Mark Whitaker, CEO of Johnson and Perrott, Alan Cowley, MD of Volvo Cars Ireland Ltd. Simon Coveney TD, Cllr Seamus McGrath, Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Honore Kamegni, Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, Michael McGrath TD and Annamarie Fegan, RCYC Admiral, Rossoce Deasy, Chair of Cork Week Regatta and RCYC CEO Gavin Deane Photo: Bob Bateman
As Afloat previously reported, the organisers have already announced the class splits for its four IRC spinnaker fleets and, as recently as Friday, added a coastal fleet to the slate.
The regatta has been organised by the RCYC since 1978 and the 2024 edition is promising a week of good breeze on a variety of Harbour, Coastal and Windward Leeward courses. The first racing gun is due to sound on Monday morning with five days of thrilling racing scheduled.
Principal Race Officer, Con Murphy (right) with team members from a Beaufort Cup crew at the Cork Week launch Photo: Bob Bateman
Competing boats have been arriving into Crosshaven for some time with the last of the yachts arriving yesterday (Saturday) after the ISORA and SCORA staging of the 160-mile Dun Laoghaire to Cork K2Q race.
Fegan and Cork Week Regatta Chairman Rosscoe Deasy officially welcomed guests to the official ceremony attended by TDs Michael McGrath and Simon Coveney and the Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork City, Cllr Honore Kamegni and Cllr Seamus McGrath, Deputy Lord Mayor of the County of Cork.
A Royal Navy team will compete in the inter-services Beaufort Cup event of Volvo Cork Week Photo: Bob Bateman
Sponsors Mark Whitaker, CEO of Johnson and Perrott and Alan Cowley, MD of Volvo Cars Ireland Ltd, were thanked for their support and from the sailing community, the President of Irish Sailing John Twomey and ICRA Commodore Denis Byrne, an RCYC Vice Admiral, were both in attendance.
Royal Cork CEO Gavin Deane, with Vice Admiral Denis Byrne, Irish Sailing President John Twomey and Admiral Fegan at the Cork Week launch Photo: Bob Bateman
Well over 100 boats and hundreds of sailors from Ireland and worldwide are competing at the Royal Cork’s famous regatta. The vast array of boat designs ranges from high-performance carbon fibre flyers to Quarter Tonners and everything in between. Four keelboat classes will be dual-rated under IRC and Echo.
Racing in sportsboats at Volvo Cork Week will be the 1720 Class for the European Championship and new this year, the RS21 Class.
For a unique experience, the eight-team Beaufort Cup provides offshore and inshore racing as an inter-services regatta within Volvo Cork Week. Three US teams are competing as well as a Royal Navy team.
For those new to racing or for cruising boats that count fun above the need to win, two non-spinnaker classes offer an ideal programme to enjoy.
Sunday was a day filled with nautical fun at the picturesque waterfront of RCYC, which was transformed into a treasure trove of free fun, education, and nautical activities that entertained the young sea lovers. Activities included face painting, balloon modelling, an expanded family-friendly area perfect for fun games that all the children enjoyed, a colouring competition with some fantastic prizes, a children’s marine talk with UCC marine ecologist Sam Cox, and a great Coastal Market. The adventures took families across the whole village of Crosshaven from the RCYC to Camden Fort Meagher and everywhere in between
