A change of course format tested crews across Cork Week 2026 on Tuesday (July 7) as the provisional overall standings began to take shape after the Cork Harbour regatta's second day.
While IRC Zero and One switched from Monday's windward/leeward racing to a coastal course, IRC Two, IRC Three and the Non-Spinnaker fleets moved onto laid courses. The daily rotation again rewarded versatility, while several boats maintained unbeaten records. Provisional results were available after racing.
Principal Race Officer Con Murphy described another successful day's competition.
"Another cracking day's racing down here," he said. Racing started on schedule at 11am after a 6-8 knot southerly sea breeze filled in shortly beforehand before increasing steadily to around 14 knots in bright sunshine and excellent visibility.
Murphy oversaw IRC Two and Three together with the Non-Spinnaker fleets. Separate starts were used for the opening race before the fleets combined for the remaining races, producing close and competitive starts.
IRC Zero & One Leaders Stay Perfect
Four From Four: Howth Yacht Club's J/112E The Big Picture continued its unbeaten run to lead IRC Zero after four races. Photo: Robert Bateman
Fleet A exchanged Monday's windward/leeward racing for a coastal challenge, but the change of format did little to interrupt the leading boats.
Howth Yacht Club's Michael and Richard Evans continued their remarkable start in IRC Zero, steering the J/112E The Big Picture to a fourth consecutive victory and an unbeaten record after four races.
Royal Cork Yacht Club and Royal Irish Yacht Club's Barry Cunningham matched that consistency in IRC One, with the J/109 Chimaera also maintaining a perfect scoreline. Royal Irish Yacht Club's John Maybury and Joker 2 remain second overall.
The ECHO standings tell a different story, where Royal Cork Yacht Club's Mark Ivers and Donal Keane lead aboard the J-92S Ejine.
Quarter Tonners Keep Fleet B Honest
Perfect Pace: Royal Cork Yacht Club's Farr Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble maintained a flawless IRC record after four races. Photo: Robert Bateman
Tuesday brought a complete change of challenge for Fleet B as IRC Two and Three moved from Monday's coastal course onto windward/leeward racing.
Royal Cork Yacht Club's Dwyer James adapted seamlessly aboard the Farr Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble, preserving a perfect four-race record to head IRC Two. Clubmate Ronan Downing's Miss Whiplash remains second, while Royal St George Yacht Club's Allig8r is third.
Race Officer's View: Fleet B powers away from the start as seen from Principal Race Officer Con Murphy's committee vessel. Royal Cork Yacht Club's Swuzzlebubble (third from the camera) went on to preserve her unbeaten IRC Two record. Photo: Con Murphy
IRC Three continues to produce some of the closest racing of the regatta. Royal Yacht Squadron skipper Sam Laidlaw's Quarter Tonner BLT has yet to be beaten after four races, but Howth Yacht Club's Anton Korshunov and Symmetry remain firmly in contention, with County Antrim Yacht Club's Hellaby Puffin third.
In the ICRA division, Symmetry leads after another strong day.
Coastal Racing Rewards Consistency
Coastal Charge: Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club's J/109 Jings races off Crosshaven before taking the Coastal One IRC lead. Photo: Robert Bateman
Unlike Fleets A and B, the Coastal classes remained on passage-style racing for a second consecutive day.
Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club's Robin Young moved the J/109 Jings to the top of the Coastal One IRC standings, narrowly ahead of Greystones Sailing Club's Frank Whelan aboard the Sydney 43 GTS El Syd.
The outcome might easily have been different.
"We were winning easily out in front by about six minutes when we made a nav error and went wrong course, losing about 12 minutes," Mark Mansfield told Afloat.
"We lost first place by five minutes, so would have won the race except for that."
Howth Yacht Club's Paddy Kyne continues to lead Coastal Two IRC aboard the X-302 Maximus, while Galway Bay Sailing Club's Fergal Lyons heads the ECHO standings with Out of the Blue.
New Format Brings Fresh Non-Spinnaker Battles
Close Company: The Non-Spinnaker fleet races off Crosshaven after switching to windward/leeward competition on Tuesday. Photo: Robert Bateman
The Non-Spinnaker divisions switched from Monday's Round the Cans course to windward/leeward racing, producing a reshuffle in several standings.
Royal Cork Yacht Club's Big Mac now heads Non-Spinnaker One under IRC after four counting races, while Malahide Yacht Club's David Greene leads the ECHO standings aboard White Pearl.
In Non-Spinnaker Two, Kinsale Yacht Club's John Twomey and Shillelagh lead IRC, while Royal Cork Yacht Club's Brendan Egan tops the ECHO standings aboard Boekanier.
Sportsboats Remain Tight After Six Races
Flying Start: Carrickfergus Sailing Club's VX One Sheep Dawg powers through Tuesday's racing off Crosshaven. Trevor D'Arcy's crew retained the overall Sportsboat lead after six races at Cork Week. Photo: Robert Bateman
The Sportsboat fleet completed three more races on Tuesday, with one discard now applied after six races.
Carrickfergus Sailing Club’s Trevor D’Arcy continues to lead in Sheep Dawg, counting five scores for a 5-point nett total. Carrickfergus clubmate Matthew McClernon is second in Blur, tied on 14 nett points with East Antrim Boat Club’s Ian Patterson in Sid.
Under progressive ECHO, Sheep Dawg also leads, with Blur second and Sid third. National Yacht Club and Royal St George Yacht Club’s Charlotte O’Kelly is fifth aboard the SB20 SneakyB.
Cork Week Day Two Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman
Leaders Represent Clubs Across Ireland and Britain
One of the notable features of the provisional standings is the breadth of clubs represented among the class leaders.
Current leaders include boats representing Howth Yacht Club, Royal Cork Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club, Kinsale Yacht Club, Greystones Sailing Club, Galway Bay Sailing Club, Malahide Yacht Club, Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club, the Royal Yacht Squadron and Baltimore Sailing Club.
Wednesday's harbour racing presents another change of format before Cork Week returns to laid and coastal racing later in the week, ensuring the unbeaten records established over the opening two days will come under fresh pressure
