#roundIreland – Wicklow Harbour was looking its very best in sunshine as the start time of the 18th Round Ireland Race approached, but then the sky clouded over as the serious business of getting cleanly over the line came swiftly up the agenda comments W M Nixon.
The first couple of miles of the race, out of the bay and southward round Wicklow Head, can be a very nervy business.
But it was a cruel irony that the only shunt on a close-reaching start - made more difficult by a sluicing ebb - should be between two boats which had voyaged all the way from the West Coast to take part, with a too-close encounter between Amazing Grace from Tralee and Lynx Clipper from Galway.
With 704 miles to be raced, an understandable reluctance to be recalled - with all the hassle of returning over the ebb – saw several boats making conservative starts.
But the Open 60 Teng Tools Kilcullen (Enda O Coineen and Eamon Crosbie) demonstrated nerves of steel to hit the line spot on, and if you think it looks easy-peasy, then clearly you've never tried manoeuvring a specialised 60-footer.
Teng Tools Kilcullen was skilfully placed just as the start sounded, and soon was cleanly away. Photo: W M Nixon
As Teng Tools Kilcullen began to gain power, her speed relative to the smaller "normal" boats was very impressive. Photo: W M Nixon
With the close-reaching conditions and the ebb setting ever more strongly towards the Head, it was a neat decision as to which sails to be carrying, but aboard the big Wicklow entry, David Ryan's chartered Volvo 70 Monster Project, they had things set up to perfection, and she roared away down the line in pursuit of TTK, which in turn was also finding extra speed. However, it wasn't exactly cheering for those hoping for a bit of excitement. To think that this brief dash to Wicklow Head might have experienced the best speeds we'll see recorded for the entire race.
Here comes the Cavalry. After a conservative start, the local favourite Monster Project was soon developing full power........Photo: W M Nixon
....and was soon in hot pursuit of TTK. Photo: W M Nixon
Monster Project romping along. Wind expectations for the next few days are so muted that this might be the best burst of speed she'll have in the entire race. Photo: W M Nixon
In the body of the fleet, the stylish Rodman Judel Vrolik 42 Phosphorous (Mark Emerson, RORC) successfully compensated for a conservative start by having exactly the right cloth set forward of the mast. This allowed for the ebb to carry her the vital little bit to weather of the course to clear the Head, and she milled her way through the fleet in the wake of the stylish Farr 60 Newstalk for Adrenalin, sweeping past the defending champion, Laurent Gouy's Ker 39 Inis Mor, in convincing style.
But then, Phosphorous does rate 1.136 to the 1.122 of Inis Mor, so she should have been ahead in any case...... And this is going to be one long slow race. Most boats will have their moment of glory at some stage.
The 42ft Phosphorous (white sail) starting to do the business........Photo: W M Nixon
....and mills her way through the fleet, while the 60ft Newstalk for Adrenalin (right) shows that size does matter. W M Nixon