The first overall J Cup Ireland winner was awarded to Pat O’Neill’s J/80 ‘Mojo’ on Sunday afternoon for scoring four out of five wins across two days of racing at Dun Laoghaire.
All J Cup One Design classes completed three races on Sunday's second and final day of the J Cup Ireland hosted by the Royal Irish Yacht Club, with the IRC class completing two longer races round the cans.
With clear start lines across all classes and easier wind conditions, racing was straightforward for the 40 boats out on Dublin Bay.
The wind picked up, and the rain stayed away for the second and final day of racing, which made for some good racing conditions.
J/109 Class
Nick Smyth’s ‘Joker 2’ managed to place third overall in the J/109 class, and Pat Kelly’s successful and popular ‘Storm’ in second after scoring 1-5-3, but this was not enough as it was Barry Cunningham’s ‘Chimaera’ that managed to take the championship, scoring 5-1-1.
The J Cup Ireland J109 fleet Photo: Key Yachting
Barry Cunningham’s J109 ‘Chimaera’ Photo: Key Yachting
J109 crews celebrate at the J Cup Ireland prizegiving Photo: Key Yachting
J/80 Class
Similar sailing conditions as yesterday meant little change in the results for the large J/80 fleet. Austin Kenny’s ‘Ram Jam’ placed 3rd, scoring 3-2-3 behind Johnathan Craig’s ‘Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty’, which scored 2-3-4. But it was Pat O’Neill’s ‘Mojo’ that remained the leader by the end of the regatta. Mojo scored three straight bullets in today’s races.
(Above and below) J80 racing at the J Cup Ireland on Dublin Bay Photo: Key Yachting
J/24 Class
Tadhg O Loingsigh’s ‘Janx Spirit’ managed to creep up into third place. Dave Bailey’s ‘Hard On Port’ moved firmly into second after scoring 2-5-4. The under-25 Kinsale team managed to stay in the top spot, scoring 4-4-3 with a total of 10 points across the two days. A fantastic win for an under-25 team.
IRC
There was lots of action in the IRC fleet today. As the courses were longer and round the cans, the bigger boats thrived in the wind conditions. Richard and Timothy Goodbody’s J/109 ‘White Mischief’ scoring 4-1-4. Michael and Richard Evans’ J/99 ‘Snapshot’ took second place, but in front overall was the J/109 ‘Outrageous’ helmed by John Murphy.
Bill Stringer, Key Yachting Managing Director, who thanked sponsors Viking Marine and Quantum Sails, said that next year’s date and location of the J Cup Ireland will be announced soon.
Reporting by Key Yachting
