Monday (Day 3) 1330hrs – Turckheim is a modest place, a commune in far northeast France close west of Colmar, and midway between Strasbourg and Basel. It has the distinction of being about as far as it is possible to get from the sea in all France, although the mighty Rhine with its substantial shipping is about 20 kilometres to the east.

Yet despite the townland of Turckheim’s totally non-nautical character, today at 1300 hrs Baron Eric de Turckheim raced far at sea in the rough Atlantic past Eagle Island in remote northwest Mayo, making 20 knots and better in his mighty custom-built NYMD Teasing Machine II in the strong southerly wind, while leading the mono-hull division in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland every which way. And as cream on the cake, at his Eagle Island time, he was sailing faster than the much larger trimaran Paradox, which was up ahead bringing Donegal’s Aranmore abeam.

“KINDLY” CLASS SETUP

When you’ve larger-than-life characters and boats like this leading the way in a race which is becoming faster by the minute, headline writers will find it irresistible to focus on the superstars. But for real sailors, one of the great attractions of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race is that it has a kindly structure – we can think of no other word for it – that rewards effort at every level and size of the fleet.

So while we salute the Lord of Turckheim on Teasing Machine, and Adam Davis, Monarch of All He Surveys on Paradox, today we’ll start at the other end of the other end of the awards setup, and highlight those who are doing well. And an excellent example is the vintage Mills 36 Prime Suspect, designed by Mark Mills in Wicklow, and raced by Keith Miller of Kilmore Quay.

Keith is deeply into the maritime world of Wexford, as he is also the Cox’n of Rosslare Lifeboat, so it made sense to enter Prime Suspect with a Rosslare Lifeboat crew in the Services Division, whch will come into focus again next month when Service Crews of all kinds race for the Beaufort Cup in Volvo Cork Week.

SUPER SERVICES BOAT

Prime Suspect has been very well in the frame in IRC 2 at various stages of the current round Ireland, but right now she lies fourth in that but first in the Service Division as her Wexford people take her across the mouth of Bantry Bay at 8-plus knots.

Keith Miller of Kilmore Quay is batting away in the vintage Mills 36 Prime Suspect supportd by the RNLI in IRC 2 of the 2024 Round Ireland Race Photo: Afloat

Next up, Welsh sailors are so keen about this race that they now have their own additional prizes, and current leader of the Welsh contingent is Chris Miles J/111 Jezebel, with the Skelligs recently astern, and second in IRC 2 and in the Sailing Schools also currently on her notice board.

A TRUE CRUISER

Quite a few boats have nominated themselves to be in the Cruisers Division, as it all depends on what you mean by “cruiser”. But there’s no doubt a vintage 32ft Westerly Fulmar fits the role, and currently Robert Marchant’s Fulmar Fever, approaching the Fastnet at 7 knots, leads the cruiser class.

SAILING SCHOOLS HOT UP

The Sailing Schools Division has really come to life this time round, but so too has the well-used Sun Fast 37 Desert Star of Irish offshore sailing in Dun Laoghaire. Originally virtually a salvage case, Desert Star is looking better than ever, and Ronan O Siochru and his trainee team are racing her with a fast new suit of black sails to such good effect that at times she has been overall leader, she has never been out of the frame in IRC 4 where she currently lies second as she storms past Dursey Head at 8.1 knots, and of course she has never relinquished the lead in the Sailing Schools Division.

“EMBARASSING” TWO-HANDERS

In recent years on the international offshore scene, the two-Handed Division has sometimes been a bit of an embarrassment, as top two-handers have shown they can out-sail full crews. It has already happened for the overall prize in the Fastnet, and in this race the Sunfast 36 Bellino has been sailed by Rob Craigie and Deb Fish to such good effect that they’ve led overall at several stages, currently as they zap across the mouth of Dingle Bay in close company with Jezebel and IRC 2 leader Rockabill VI (Paul O’Higgins) towards the course’s most westerly point beyond the Blaskets, they’re lying second overall and first in Two-Handed, while Cinnamon Girl from Kinsale with Cian McCarthy & Sam Hunt is second.

Cinnamon Girl from Kinsale with Cian McCarthy & Sam Hunt is lying second in the two handed division of the Round Ireland Race Photo: Afloat

IMP WINNING

In the basic IRC class structure, George Radley’s Imp from Cobh (pictured top) – winner overall in his ownership in 2000 – is leading IRC4, Bellino adds the IRC 3 lead to her many other achievements, Rockabill VI continues to hold the IRC 2 lead as she has done for a long time, and Pete Smyth’s Ker 46 Searcher (overall winner in 2010) is leading IRC 1 as she zooms along at 13 knots on the latitude of Kilkee in County Clare, but many miles at sea with the Class 40 leader Swift (Greg Leonard, USA) shadowing her further west at nearly 15 knots.

After the struggle to get to the Fastnet and along towards the Kerry coast beyond in flukey light airs, it is now Payback Time.