Monday (Day 3) 0730hrs – It was well gone 2200 hrs last night (Sunday) as Round Ireland Race multi-hull leader Paradox (Adam Davis) and IRC monohull front-runner Teasing Machine (Eric de Turckheim) began to feel they were truly into the keenly-anticipated Atlantic southerly wind, notwithstanding a brief blip in pressure between Sheep’s Head and Dursey.

IRC monohull front-runner Teasing Machine (Eric de Turckheim) is pictured here leading on the water after Saturday's Round Ireland Race start from Wicklow. On the morning of day three off the west coast and in the latitude of the Aran Islands the 54- footer is headed northwest in the hope of finding an even stronger line of the southerly wind Photo: Afloat

Despite that, their underlying speed graph was firmly upwards to put them into a different world completely, so much so that at the time of writing, they’re getting into Connacht waters with Paradox on starboard gybe to approach Slyne Head at 20 knots, while Teasing Machine is downwind on port at 15.6 knots, in the latitude of the Aran Islands but headed northwest in the hope of finding an even stronger line of the southerly wind.

SOUTHERLY WIND NOW DOMINATES EVERYTHING

This wind now dominates everything, albeit in different strength, but sufficiently powerful to over-ride any chance of a northerly sea breeze off the land through the night for smaller boats, who had to make on as best they could towards the Fastnet Rock race mark in variable southwest to west breezes.

Nevertheless, until you got comfortably past Mizen Head, it has been optimistic to expect anything approaching steady sailing, for as our 0730 hrs deadline approaches, there’s a tightly-packed group of outstanding performers in that Fastnet-Mizen area showing varied speeds.

Rockabill VI, Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 from the Royal Irish Yacht Club Photo: Afloat

The two-handed Sunfast 26 Bellino (Rob Craigie & Deb Fish), although still very well-placed overall and leading her class, is struggling past the Mizen at 3 knots, while just up ahead, steady performer Rockabill VI, Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80., is only marginally better at 3.6 knots as she shapes her course for Dursey Head.

The two-handed Sunfast 26 Bellino (Rob Craigie & Deb Fish) in company off the Cork Buoy on Sunday afternoon Photo: Bob Bateman

DESERT STAR SHINES

Overall, Bellino had continued leading overall until quite recently, but now with Teasing Machine firmly in the fast lane, she leads overall but with Bellino holding onto second OA, while third is for now Irish Offshore Sailing’s veteran Sunfast 37 Desert Star, (pictured top) sailed with consistent brilliance by Ronan O Siochru and his trainee crew.

Pete Smyth’s Ker 46 Searcher coming off Saturday's Round Ireland Race startline at Wicklow. On the morning of day three of the race, the Royal Irish yacht is passing the Skelligs off the County Kerry coast Photo: Afloat

Well ahead on the water of this Mizen Head group is Pete Smyth’s Ker 46 Searcher, currently passing the Skelligs on 8.7 knots, though well down the rankings on CT at 18th overall IRC. But she also is placing first in IRC I, ahead of Mike O’Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood, with Phosphorus third.

Mike O’Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood pictured off Cork Harbour on Sunday afternoon, day two of the 2024 Round Ireland Race Photo: Bob Bateman