#roundireland14 – 24 hours into the Round Ireland race 2014, the fleet is unusually compacted with only 70 miles separating the on the water leader from the second to last boat. Amazing Grace, following her return to Wicklow to resolve some damage, is still some way behind the fleet, but with the forecast light winds, has a good chance of returning to the mix. Cosmic Dancer experienced some damage when rounding the Tuskar Rock resulting in their retiral and return to Dun Laoghaire.
With chances of an overall IRC win fading for the on the water leaders, the focus turns to the battle for line honours. The light northerly winds facing the fleet as they round the Fastnet is turning the race into a tactical hunt for wind pressure. It’s at the head of the fleet where the decision making is currently most crucial. The headwinds rule out the rhumb line option and the other variables take on a new meaning. The hunt for more wind is probably the dominant topic on board the on-the-water leaders right now. With only a couple of miles separating the ocean racing thoroughbreds Monster Project, Teng Tools Kilcullen and Libertalia, the wind speed issue is all consuming. In lighter winds, a 4 knot wind speed difference can mean a 7 knot boat speed difference on these boats. In these conditions the decision making becomes crucial – will there be more wind through land effect, or will it be cleaner offshore? How close can we go? How close should we go? Is the tide an issue around the headlands?
#MonsterProject first yacht round #Fastnet at 12.20 @RoundIreland pic.twitter.com/DgOQKumeuT
— Peter O Flynn (@Flynner004) June 29, 2014
Still to round the Fastnet, the bulk of the fleet is not faced with such choices as yet. Close reaching to the famous lighthouse, it’s straightforward for now. Cavatina still holds the overall IRC lead but is joined on the leaderboard by a cluster of J-Boats enjoying some really close racing. Liam Shanahan’s J109 Ruth is currently 2nd but is being chased hard by sister ship Mojito (Dunlop/Cox), while Philip Bourke’s J105 Jet Dream is in 4th place.
@RoundIreland 12.30 TenkTools passes #Fastnet Rock pic.twitter.com/2A32apReTP
— Peter O Flynn (@Flynner004) June 29, 2014
Forecast winds suggest the peloton will enjoy increasing following winds along the southwest coast tonight, while the on-the-water leaders will struggle with lighter airs further north.
So two fascinating battles being played out with many a twist to come.
