Mills 40 'Blitz' Leads in IRC Zero After Blustery First Day at Volvo Cork Week

15th July 2024

Anthony O'Leary's Cape 31 Antix (red spinnaker) is in the lead on the water in a high-speed dash downwind in IRC Zero on the first day of racing at Volvo Cork Week Regatta. O'Leary lies third overall after three races sailed, while Nicholas Burns' Blitz (HKG 2709) on left leads from Michael Wilson's Shotgunn pictured centre

Anthony O'Leary's Cape 31 Antix (red spinnaker) is in the lead on the water in a high-speed dash downwind to a finish in IRC Zero on the first day of racing at Volvo Cork Week Regatta. O'Leary lies third overall after three races sailed, while Nicholas Burns' Blitz (HKG 2709) on left leads from Michael Wilson's Shotgunn pictured centre Credit: Con Murphy

After three races sailed in the nine-boat IRC Zero division, the much-fancied pace of two Cape 31s on a blustery day one of Volvo Cork Week was no match for the Nicholas Burns Mills 40 from Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club that scored 1,2,1 after three races sailed in big seas off Cork Harbour.

Nicholas Burns Mills 40 from Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club leads IRC Zer of Volvo Cork Week Photo: James Tomlinson

It is (after an update to the provisional results below) the local J122 Jelly Baby (Jones family) that put up the greatest challenge to the Far East visitor, scoring 5,1,5 to be on the same points as the Isle Of Man Yacht Club Cape 31 Shotgunn (Michael Wilson) now lying third on countback third with a 2,3,6 and bringing to two the number of Mills designs on the podium.

Windward-leeward courses were run for the fleet under International Race Officer Con Murphy from Dun Laoghaire in direction 070 degrees and wind strength from 10 to 18 knots.

Local favourite Anthony O'Leary's Royal Cork Cape 31 red-hulled Antix sits eighth on 22 after retirement from the second race.

Strong easterly winds got IRC Zero division of Volvo Cork Week Regatta off to an exciting start in Cork Harbour on Monday Photo: Con Murphy

The Blitz crew of eleven have eight sailors from Hong Kong including Nicholas Burns. “ This is the sixth time I have been here and we absolutely love it,” commented Burns. “The weather may not have been brilliant today but it's boiling hot in Hong Kong and we have come here to cool down!”

Results below.

Racing continues on Tuesday in a five-day schedule at Cork Week 2024.

Race Results

You may need to scroll vertically and horizontally within the box to view the full results

Published in Cork Week, Cape 31

Published in Cork Week

Tagged under

Cork Week

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