Last weekend saw Royal Cork Yacht Club Team Wildcard take another podium finish at the Monaco Sports Boat Winter Series, Primo Cup-Trophee Credit Suisse, the flagship winter event organised by Yacht Club de Monaco.

For Team Wildcard there were two prizes to aim for as the Primo Cup doubles as the fourth and final act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series of monthly regattas.

The last event of the four event series’ saw 81 J70s from 16 nations compete in Monaco for the final regatta in the principality prior to the 2022 J70 worlds which will take place there next October.

After four events over the winter months and three final days of very close racing in a variety of conditions, team Wildcard finished in 7th place overall and 2nd Corinthian team in the Primo Cup. Some big names were at the event and these included past J70 world champions and Americas cup sailors scattered across the highly competitive fleet.

This meant team Wildcard won the 2022 J70 Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series in the Corinthian division and came 4th overall for the series.

The result is a major result for the Irish team who had to keep a cool head going into the last event of the series in first place. Their competitors kept the pressure on but in the end, the Irish team showed their strength and knowledge of the J70 and delight at being back out competing after two years of Covid.

William Twomey said, “I am thrilled with the win and looking forward to the Europeans and Worlds”.

The team now go onwards to the Italian J70 summer series in Punta Ala and Lake Garda to name a few stop-offs before the Europeans in France and the Worlds next October also on the med in Monaco.

Wildcard will be hoping for continued success in the Corinthian category at these two major regattas that will have 100 teams.

With Irish sailing life struggling to return to normality, we find we are facing it without someone who could put it all into perspective.

Dermot Burns, Honorary Archivist to the Royal Cork Yacht Club for many years, passed away peacefully in February after a lifetime in which any spare moments were devoted either to sailing, or in placing the story
and memorabilia of Cork sailing and the maritime life of Cork Harbour in its proper historical context.

We first became aware of this special talent many years ago on one of several occasions when the Royal Cork YC became what was then the Mitsubishi Motors Sailing Club of the Year. The presentation party included people from Mitsubishi headquarters in Japan, and Dermot as ever rose to the occasion by giving them chapter and verse on how, in the 1860s, a shipbuilding company on the shores of Cork Harbour had constructed a 690-ton steamship for the Mitsu Bishi Company of Japan.

On other similar occasions, he always enriched the evening with his store of fascinating and appropriate facts which, quite rightly, put Cork Harbour at the centre of the maritime world. He was the "marine archivists' archivist", and while he will be much missed, what he achieved means he will always be remembered.

Our thanks to the Royal Cork YC for permission to publish this appreciation of Dermot Burns from their club website:

Former club Archivist Dermot Burns passed away peacefully on February 6th. Dermot served as club Archivist from 1991 to 2019, it’s said history was his passion and sailing his hobby.

Dermot’s enthusiasm for the club’s history was infectious and it was matched by a careful and meticulous approach to the cataloguing and care of any documents and items that came into the club. He delighted in discovering new aspects to the club’s history and left no stone unturned in trying to track down much-needed information.

He brought his skills as an engineer to his study of the archives and soon realised that there was wonderful material contained within and potentially more information elsewhere, all of which would be vital in telling the history of the club. So, the idea of publishing a book about the club began to take shape and over the ten years leading up to 2005 he worked closely with Dr. Alicia St. Leger, the author of the book. Peter Crowley, Admiral in 2005/2005, also realised that as Cork was to be European Capital of Culture, it would be appropriate to release a book on the history of the oldest yacht club in the world, and indeed gave his wholehearted support for the project. 

His own love of sailing and his knowledge of Cork Harbour was of huge assistance in compiling the history of the club. In fact, that publication would not have happened without his enthusiasm, dedication and sheer hard work. But his input certainly did not stop there. He continued to research the origins of the club and to interact with people (both within and outside the club) who shared his interest in the history of sailing.

He has left a remarkable legacy in the club Archives which he built up so carefully over the years and which will be a vital resource for future researchers. His role in the 2005 book and his ongoing contributions to publications, to interested individuals and groups, and to the media, have been immense and were rightfully acknowledged when he was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Dermot will be greatly missed by all in the Royal Cork and our sympathies are with Fran and their wide circle of family and friends.

Classic boats from across Europe will take part in July's Volvo Cork Week Regatta for the first time as they join the celebrations of the Royal Cork's Tricentenary.

Sir Edward Heath's Morning Cloud, since renamed Opposition, is amongst one of the early entrants in the historic boat fleet.

Morning Cloud was the name given by the former British Prime Minister to a series of five yachts that he owned between 1969 and 1983.

Royal Cork organisers have also confirmed The Atlantic Yacht Club of France will be strong supporters of the event, committing 20 boats through their GoToCork campaign.

The Notice of Race for the Classic fleet is currently being finalised.

The international Inter-Service Regatta, the Beaufort Cup, will be held during Volvo Cork Week, including an overnight race around the Fastnet Rock.

The third edition of the Cup organised by the Royal Cork Yacht Club will include a 'wealth of international teams' racing for charity.

The Cup is open to national and international teams from the RNLI, Navy, Coast Guard, Army, Airforce, Police and Emergency Rescue Services.

Inshore racing will be held on different style courses every day for the prestigious Beaufort Cup in honour of Sir Francis Beaufort along with €10,000 to be presented to a charity of the winners choice.

The Harbour Race will take place on Wednesday 13th July with spectacular racing in Cork Harbour for the fleet.

In previous years, both local Crosshaven and Baltimore RNLI lifeboat crews have taken part in the race.

The RNLI have in the past been the recipient of the charity donation from the winners.

A Notice of Race for the Beaufort Cup will issue shortly.

Royal Cork YC has announced that its popular annual PY1000 race will take place this year on Saturday, March 26

“With racing at high tide, the plan as always is to race in the river at Crosshaven if conditions allow. This is always an amazing spectacle,” the RCYC says.

This year, the €1,000 prize will be split with €500 for the winner of Class 1 and €500 for the winner of Class 2 (Toppers, ILCA 4, Mirrors, Topaz’s etc.). First Gun – 11.25 a.m.

“There will also be some great prizes available for youngest sailor, first female helm, youngest combined crew age and oldest combined crew age,” the club says.

Entry is open to members of any ISA/RYA affiliated club.

“The entry fee will be €20 for single-handed entries and €25 for double or triple handed entries and is only available online. No entry means no result,” says the club.

Notice of Race & Sailing Instructions have been published on the RCYC website.

Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork Harbour is seeking an experienced sailing coach required to fulfil the role of “Head of Sailing Development”.

RCYC says the candidate should at a minimum have their senior instructor ticket or equivalent, be actively sailing and coaching. They should have strong organisational skills and a strong leadership style, which will be required to manage sailors, parents and coaches/instructors together with interacting closely with Club officials.

The role is primarily the organisation and facilitation of top-class training programmes within the RCYC, it requires an understanding of the mission statement and a collaborative approach to make the best use of the skill sets already existing within the club.

Management and maintenance of the club’s growing dinghy and keelboat fleet will also form a key part of the role.

Download the full job spec below.

The national and international achievements afloat of Irish Laser dinghy star Jonathan O'Shaughnessy were recognised ashore this weekend at Royal Cork Yacht Club when the Irish champion was presented with its perpetual Pyewacket Trophy.

As regular Afloat readers will recall, O'Shaughnessy qualified as the male radial youth sailor to represent Ireland at the 2021 World Sailing Youth World Championships in Oman in December based on his International Results and performance in the Youth Nationals.

The Pyewacket Trophy is presented each year to the youth sailor, who has achieved the best results overall in the opinion of the club's Adjudicating Committee.

In October 2001, the late Roy Disney, the widely known American sailing enthusiast who had a home in West Cork, who had strong ties with the Royal Cork Yacht Club, and participated in many Cork Week Regattas, presented the club with the Pyewacket Perpetual Cup at a dinner in the club hosted by the then Admiral, Anthony O'Leary.

The Pyewacket Trophy was the icing on the cake in a bountiful season for O'Shaughnessy, who last June at the  Laser Radial Youth Europeans in Croatia finished top Irish youth and 26th overall from a fleet of 217 male youth competitors.

Jonathon O'Shaughnessy was the winner of the AIB Laser Nationals Radial Championships Photo: Robert Bateman

The under 18-solo sailor repeated this performance at the Laser Radial Youth Worlds in Italy a month later when he finished 52nd overall from a fleet of 265 male youth competitors and again top Irish youth male sailor.

In August, he was the overall winner of the Irish Laser (ILCA 6) National Championships. He also captained Royal Cork's Junior Sutton book team racing competition and won the event as Afloat reported here.

"The Pyewacket Trophy was the icing on the cake in a bountiful season"

Also, in September, he was a silver medallist at the 2021 All Ireland Junior Helmsman Championship held in Schull, West Cork, which led to him being nominated for a 2021 Sports Award by his Secondary School.

In October, he competed at the Laser Radial Europa Cup in Hyeres, France, finishing 11th overall out of a 97 boat fleet to secure Irish qualification for World Sailing Youth Worlds.

He wrapped up the domestic year as winner of Laser Munster Championships Radial Class in Kinsale before securing Bronze at the Irish Sailing Youth Nationals on his home waters at Crossshaven. 

Winner Jonathan O'Shaughnessy (centre) with parents Stephen and Sandie at Royal Cork Photo: Bob Bateman

Frank Thompson Trophy

Also presented at RCYC at the weekend was The Frank Thompson Trophy, an award to recognise the outstanding volunteer effort of a person or family to Royal Cork dinghy sailing.

This year the award was made to Jean and Garry O'Neill.

(From left) Royal Cork's Annamarie Fegan and Kieran O'Connell are pictured with Frank Thompson Trophy winners Garry and Jean O' Neill. Also pictured is Thompson family representative Peter Thompson and Royal Cork Rear Admiral Dinghies, Maurice Collins. Photo: Bob Bateman

At the 301st AGM last Thursday evening, Kieran O’Connell was elected the 43rd Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club. In his acceptance speech, O'Connell thanked Past Admiral Colin Morehead for the manner in which he executed his role over the past two years and steered the club through the Tricentenary celebrations and ongoing pandemic.

O’Connell, who now enters his ninth year on the Royal Cork Executive Committee, has been part of the Royal Cork all his life, having started sailing in mirrors and in recent years competing in keelboat and National 18 events throughout the country. On being appointed, he addressed members and reflected on the strength of the club at present with membership at a ten year high and finances particularly healthy. He spoke briefly about plans for further development of club facilities, including exploration of lifting, servicing and storage facilities for boats ashore.

Royal Cork Admiral, Kieran O'Connell Photo: Bob Bateman

The incoming Admiral also outlined his wish to complete the five-year plan for the club which will be key to retaining existing members and introducing new members to the oldest club in the world.

Following the success of the youth pathway model, O’Connell highlighted plans to adapt the model to cater to adult sailing, with the clubs growing fleet of now 20 keelboats and dinghies being key to introducing newcomers to the sport in a cost efficient manner.

Following a bumper year of events in the club, including multiple national and regional championships, the highlights of 2022 without doubt will be Volvo Cork Week in July and the 505 World Championships in August.

In his closing remarks, he set out the fact that nothing could be achieved without the support and dedication of its staff and its incredible committees and volunteers.

Vice Admiral, Annamarie Fegan Photo: Bob Bateman

O’Connell has formed an experienced and enthusiastic committee. Making history, Annamarie Fegan was elected Vice Admiral of the Crosshaven club, the first female Vice Admiral in the club’s 302 year existence. Fegan is best recognised in sailing circles as co-owner of ‘Nieulargo’ with husband Denis Murphy and daughters Molly and Mia, winners of the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle, the Fastnet 450 and one of the favourites for the Round Ireland Race in 2022. Annamarie will also co-chair Volvo Cork Week 2022 with Ross Deasy.

Rear Admiral Keelboats, Paul Tingle Photo: Bob Bateman

Paul Tingle was elected Rear Admiral Keelboats and brings with him a wealth of experience having first started sailing in Mirrors and Enterprises and now sailing the family’s new X-4 ‘Alpaca’. Sailing talk is unavoidable in the Tingle household with the family having undertaken Olympic campaigns, Fastnet Races, Dun Laoghaire to Dingle’s and much more in recent years.

Rear Admiral Dinghies, Maurice Collins Photo: Bob Bateman

Maurice Collins was elected Rear Admiral Dinghies, a considerable undertaking given the success and growth in the Youth Pathway in the Royal Cork. Having served as class captain in the Topper fleet for a number of years and with four sons competing throughout the classes in the club, Maurice is excellently positioned to ensure there is something for all youth sailors, from international competition to that first tack or gybe.

Denis Byrne, Chairman of RCYC Marina & Facilities committee Photo: Bob Bateman

Denis Byrne was elected Chairman of the Marina & Facilities committee. From the incoming Admiral’s acceptance speech, it’s clear Denis and his committee will have some exciting projects on the cards in the years ahead. Denis has been close to unstoppable in his Trapper TP250 ‘Cracker’ in Cork Harbour IRC racing in recent years.

Remaining on the committee for another term are Mike Rider as Rear Admiral Cruising, Pat Harte as Treasurer and Alex Barry as Chair of Membership, Communication and Events.

Alex Barry,Chair Membership, Communications and Events Photo: Bob Bateman

Strong winds in Cork Harbour meant the O'Leary Insurance Winter League at Royal Cork Yacht Club concluded on Sunday without further racing for the 32-boat mixed cruiser fleet.

Fiona Young's consistent performance at the top of the IRC fleet in North Star was rewarded with the perpetual Archie O'Leary Trophy.

Fiona Young with the Archie O'Leary Trophy pictured with (L to R) Andrew Kings, Eilie Anceiros, Jack Young, Nigel Young and sponsor Anthony O'Leary of O'Leary Insurances Photo: Bob Bateman

On seven points, the restored Albin Express had a two-point winning margin over early series leaders Colman Garvey and Kieran Kelleher in the Quarter Tonner Diamond.

Colman Garvey, skipper of Diamond, second in IRC Photo: Bob Bateman

Third was Richard Leonard in his Bolero, Bandit on 13 points. 

At the prizegiving, Young gave thanks to the league organisers and said she was proud to be part of a vibrant cruiser scene in Crosshaven.

Nigel Young (right) bought the Albin Express as a Christmas present for his wife last year and the family spent months restoring the boat Photo: Bob Bateman

The helmswoman also thanked her family, who, she said, had spent many happy hours restoring the classic during the early days of Covid in 2020.

Richard Leonard, skipper of Bandit was third Echo and IRC Photo: Bob Bateman

Rear Admiral Keelboats Daragh Connelly acknowledged people were not keen on the experimental use of the White Sail only rule for this year's league but explained it was a bid to get new boats out on the water. "I saw people who came out that might not have come out, so from that point of view it was a useful experiment to get 32 boats competing," he told the fleet. 

Sean Hanley skipper of Luas was the runner up in the Echo division Photo: Bob Bateman

Echo winners: The Under 25 Club J24 Team Sarah Kiely, Aoife O'Driscoll, Frances Corkery and Chris Bateman Photo: Bob Bateman

Winter League Race Officers Clem and Wendy McElligott Photo: Bob Bateman

Full results here 

© Afloat 2021 

Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star leads the IRC White Sails Division of Royal Cork Yacht Club's O'Leary Insurance Winter League 2021 after five races sailed in Cork Harbour.

The Myrtleville helmswoman has a two-point margin after today's race in an ideal northwest sailing breeze at the bottom of a December spring tide.

One time leader, Diamond (Colman Garvey / Kieran Kelleher), is second on nine points from Richard Leonard's Bolero Bandit on 13 points.

Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star Photo: Bob Bateman

After a running start from Cage out the harbour to No. 3 buoy the course set by Race Officer Clem McElligott took the fleet on a beat back to Cage and then a harbour course to the finish.

Front runner - The Tingle family's new X-4 Alpaca Photo: Bob Bateman

The Tingle family's new X-4 Alpaca led on the water but in their wake were some real boat to boat battles real between Anthony O'Leary's modified 1720 and Nick Walsh's new 1720 entry Breaking Bad. Likewise, there was a good tussle between the overall leader North Star and the quarter tonner Diamond.

Results are here

Day Five O'Leary Insurances Winter League Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman