Heavy fog delayed Wednesday's Cork Week Harbour Race before a spectacular afternoon contest unfolded across Cork Harbour, where shifting tactics and a clean downwind start produced significant results across the regatta fleets.
Visibility was reduced to around 100 metres during the morning, forcing the AP postponement signal to be displayed ahead of the scheduled 1200 start.
Fog Delay: Cristina waits in dense morning fog off Cork Harbour before racing could begin on Wednesday, when visibility of around 100 metres forced a postponement to the Cork Week harbour race. Photo: Con Murphy
Once conditions improved, the fleet eventually got away at 1510 under the direction of Course Race Officer Richard Leonard aboard Sparetime, assisted by Principal Race Officer Con Murphy.
Race Route: The harbour race course took the fleet from a downwind start across the harbour entrance off Roche's Point, into Cork Harbour before a beat to the finish at No. 3 buoy.
To minimise the risk of a general recall after the lengthy delay, officials opted for a U Flag start. Only one boat, IRC Zero leader The Big Picture, was caught over the line at the pin end and was scored UFD.
Pin-End Pressure: The Cork Week fleet crowds the pin end (green buoy pictured centre) of the 700-metre starting line at Roche's Point as Wednesday's delayed harbour race gets under way under U Flag rules. The Big Picture was judged over the line at the pin end and scored UFD. Photo: Con Murphy
The fleet launched on a spectacular 700-metre downwind start stretching across the entrance to Cork Harbour off Roche's Point before turning towards No.13 buoy to port.
Competitors immediately split across both sides of the harbour to avoid the strong ebb tide flowing down the centre of the channel. Boats choosing the western shore found stronger pressure as the breeze filled further up the harbour and gained a tactical advantage.
After a reaching leg around a laid mark off Cobh and No.18 buoy to starboard, the fleet beat back downriver to the finish at No.3 navigation buoy.
The race was not without incident, with Australian entry Escapade, Alastair McMichael's Arcona 430 from Royal Perth Yacht Club competing in Coastal 1 IRC, running aground off Cobh.
Grounded: Australian entry Escapade, Alastair McMichael's Arcona 430 from Royal Perth Yacht Club, receives assistance after running aground off Cobh during Wednesday's Cork Week harbour race. Photo: Bob Bateman
Greystones skipper Frank Whelan's El Syd claimed line honours, finishing one hour and 16 minutes after the delayed start.
Harbour Race IRC Overall
Barry Cunningham’s Royal Cork YC / Royal Irish YC J/109 Chimaera produced the standout IRC performance of the Cork Week Harbour Race, winning IRC One and recording the lowest corrected time across the IRC fleet after time correction. Results for the Harbour Race overall are here
IRC Zero: UFD Costs The Big Picture
Setback Absorbed: The Big Picture races under spinnaker during Wednesday's Cork Week harbour race. The IRC Zero leader was scored UFD after being over the line at the pin end of the start, but retained the overall class lead after applying its discard. Photo: Robert Bateman
Today's harbour race victory went to Hero, ahead of Whiskey Jack and La Veuve Noire, after overall leader The Big Picture was disqualified under the U Flag rule.
Despite the setback, Michael and Richard Evans' J/112e retains the overall IRC Zero lead after discarding the UFD score. Hero moves second overall ahead of Whiskey Jack.
Chimaera Keeps Winning
Harbour Panorama: A group of J/109s sweeps up Cork Harbour under spinnaker during Wednesday's delayed harbour race, with Cobh providing a dramatic backdrop as the fleet raced towards the laid mark off the town. Photo: Robert Bateman
Barry Cunningham's Chimaera continued its outstanding consistency by winning both the harbour race and maintaining a perfect scoring sequence in IRC One.
Colour Run: Joker 2 (left) and Hero charge down Cork Harbour under white spinnakers during Wednesday's delayed harbour race, with Chimaera following astern beneath a red kite. Photo: Robert Bateman
John Maybury's Joker 2 finished second with Tighey Boy third, leaving Chimaera comfortably clear at the top of the overall standings after five races.
Swuzzlebubble Still Leads IRC Two
Blue Charge: James Dwyer's Swuzzlebubble leads the fleet under a towering blue spinnaker during Wednesday's delayed Cork Week harbour race. The Royal Cork Yacht Club J/109 continues to head the overall IRC Two standings after three days of racing. Photo: Robert Bateman
Although Quattro took corrected-time honours in Wednesday's harbour race ahead of Miss Whiplash and Genesis, James Dwyer's Swuzzlebubble remains firmly in control of the overall IRC Two championship after discarding today's third place.
BLT Continues Perfect Run
Sam Laidlaw's Quarter Tonner BLT maintained its unbeaten IRC Three record with another race victory.
Symmetry finished second and Illegal third in the harbour race, while BLT continues to head the overall standings from Symmetry and North Star after five races.
Spinnaker Run: Barry and Marina Rose's Obsession (Albin Express) heads downwind under a full white spinnaker during Wednesday's Cork Week harbour race. Escapade follows astern beneath a bright orange kite. Photo: Robert Bateman.
Coastal Fleet Tightens Up
Coastal Contest: El Syd (left) and CrisTina power under spinnaker during Wednesday's delayed Cork Week harbour race. El Syd took line honours, while the pair remained among the leading contenders in the Coastal One championship. Photo: Robert Bateman
Although El Syd crossed the finish line first on the water, corrected time honours in Coastal One IRC went to Jings, with El Syd second and CrisTina third.
Overall, Jings now leads the IRC standings, while El Syd continues to top the ICRA division after another strong performance.
In Coastal Two IRC, Tuco won the harbour race ahead of Bateleur88 and Maximus. However, Paddy Kyne's Maximus retains the overall championship lead after three races.
Non-Spinnaker Leaders Hold Firm
Harbour Panorama: The non-spinnaker fleet works to windward off Cobh during Wednesday's Cork Week harbour race. Cavatina (right) sails beneath the landmark of St Colman's Cathedral as the fleet heads towards the finish. Photo: Robert Bateman
The harbour race reinforced the championship leaders in both Non-Spinnaker divisions.
In Non-Spinnaker One, Big Mac claimed another race victory and strengthened its overall advantage over Magnet and Indulgence.
In Non-Spinnaker Two, Shillelagh added another race win to remain comfortably clear overall, with Cavatina and Boekanier continuing to chase.
Sportsboats: Sheep Dawg Keeps Firm Grip on Overall Lead
Steady Progress: Vixen (IRL190), David McFarland's VX One from Carrickfergus Sailing Club, races during Wednesday's Cork Week harbour race. The Sportsboat contender finished fourth overall in both the IRC and Progressive standings. Photo: Robert Bateman
Trevor D'Arcy's VX One Sheep Dawg continued its impressive Cork Week with another race win in Wednesday's delayed harbour race, extending its dominance of the Sportsboat fleet.
The Carrickfergus Sailing Club crew has now won all seven races sailed under IRC and sits comfortably on six nett points after discarding its opening race.
The battle for the remaining podium places remains much closer. Ian Patterson's Viper 640 Sid crossed second in the harbour race to retain second overall on 17 nett points, just half a point ahead of Matthew McClernon's VX One Blur.
David McFarland's Vixen remains fourth overall after finishing fourth in the harbour race, while Ian O'Leary's Cork 1720 Lime enjoyed its best result of the regatta with second place in the harbour race, although it remains fifth overall after earlier DNCs. Charlotte O'Kelly's SB20 SneakyB is sixth overall.
In the Progressive (ECHO) standings, Sheep Dawg also heads the fleet with 10.5 nett points. Sid holds second on 17 points, followed by Blur on 19. Vixen remains within striking distance in fourth on 20.5 points, while SneakyB and Lime complete the standings.
