1400 hrs Sunday: The Botin 56 Khumbu continues to lead the Round Ireland fleet in east to north-east winds and is past Cork Harbour, with debates about the benefits (or not) of a sea breeze effect providing a bit of poke for the pressure if you’re at the optimal distance off the coast.

This morning when off Mine Head, Khumbu — which is regularly hitting ten knots in what is not a lot of wind — had her clearest lead on the fleet. But while she favoured holding towards the land, a group including Venomour which spiked offshore seems to do very well indeed for a while.

But now with the possible benefit of some sea breeze running into Cork Harbour usefully banked, Khumbu is back in business, and has pushed back above a dozen miles clear ahead, while the offshore group are looking much less lively.

The Grafters of Greystones aboard Frank Whelan’s Sydney 43 El Syd, with their strength augmented by Cork’s Mark Mansfield, appear to punch above their weight to be right there with the group of close Khuba chasers. But the Syd carries a fierce rating, and we find that she is back in ninth on corrected time.

Johnny and Suzy Murphy’s J/109 Outrajeous (right) returned to first in IRC after a brief excursion to the crab grass | Credit: Afloat.ie

THE USUAL SUSPECTS IN ONE & TWO

In fact, it’s the usual suspects filling the top IRC spots, with Johnny and Suzy Murphy’s J/109 Outrajeous returned to first after a brief excursion to the crab grass of fifth or thereabouts, while Howth clubmate Mike Evans is second in the J/112e The Big Picture.

Tom Kneen and his crew-of-all-the-talents in the JPK 11.80 Sunrise (RIYC) have had their moments with an impressive performance which has had them in the spotlight in first. And they’re currently well in touch in third, with the extraordinary Deb Fish/Rob Craigie duo in the Sunfast 3600 Bellino fourth, and naturally well in charge of the two-handed division.

The Lough Ree/Kinsale motley crew on the JPK 1030 Loinnir Girl are getting along fine, thank you, in fifth on CT, while Chris Power’s J/122 Aurelia (RStGYC) is sixth overall and leading her class, which is right in line with the Power Smith Steady Eddy strategic philosophy.

Gery Trentesaux in his first international outing with the scow-bowed Courrier Pogo is starting to figure at seventh overall, and doubtless we’ll now hear more of him as the race progresses, while in Class 40 Italy’s Maccaferria Futura continues in the lead, up among the Khumbu-chasers.