Saturday's final races will bring the curtain down on the 2025 Kildare Innovation Campus Sovereign's Cup, but in some divisions, it is already quite clear, barring disaster, where the ICRA IRC National Championship titles are heading, with Howth Yacht Club boats leading in three key classes.
Howth yachts Checckmate XX, The Big Picture and Outrajeous are among the top boats that will vie for the Sovereign's Cup overall title on Saturday, as well as important Coastal 1, IRC Zero and IRC One victories.
Friday's racing was held in the forecasted big winds and big seas, to the extent that much of the 95-boat fleet did not compete (DNC), including in the Cup's biggest class, where 50% of the 20-boat fleet were scored 'DNC'.
A significant number of boats did not compete in Friday's Sovereign's Cup racing due to strong winds and big seas off Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman
Checkmate XX keeps perfect score in Coastal 1
Nigel Biggs and David Cullen's First 50 Checkmate XX count four straight wins in the Cup's biggest class; a perfect score that leaves them in pole position for overall Coastal One class honours as well as the Sovereign's Cup itself. The performance gives them a ten-point cushion over Peter Dunlop and Victoria Cox's J/122E Mojito from Pwllheli on 14. Lying third on 18 is the local XP50, Freya, skippered by Conor Doyle. Fifty per cent of this class were recorded as DNC, which is a disappointing outcome for many of them, not least the smaller J109 White Mischief (Tim and Richard Goodbody of the RIYC), which was just off the podium in fourth place after a strong performance on Thursday.
ICRA Commodore Denis Byrne's Elan 31 Grin & Bear returns to port without competing in Friday's race four of the Sovereign's Cup Photo: Bob Bateman
Jac Y Do has eight-point margin in Coastal 2
Only two of six boats came to the line in Coastal IRC 2 with Welsh visitor Mark Thompson in his J97 Jac Y Do from Pwllheli Sailing Club taking the win from Magnet to lead overall by eight points over Kieran O'Brien and Fiorentina Stainchu in the MG 335, Magnet on 15. Lying third but now counting a retirement and a DNC in his four-race tally is ICRA Commodore Denis Byrne's Elan 31 Grin & Bear on 21.
Evans' J112e 'The Big Picture' moves into the IRC Zero lead
Two race wins on a windy Friday have put Michael & Richard Evans J112e, The Big Picture, from Howth, into a slender overall lead in IRC Zero. The Dublin brothers have a half-point lead over the Jones Family's J122 Jelly Baby of Royal Cork on nine points. Welsh IRC champion, the South Caernarfonshire YC Corby 37, Impetuous (Crompton/Miller/Hodges), are lying third on 12. Only three of five boats in this class raced.
Six races, six wins for Outrajeous in IRC 1
With six wins from six races, John and Suzie Murphy's standout season continues in Kinsale, where the J109, defending champion Outrajeous, leads by eight points from local J109 Artful DodJer (O’Regan Family) on 13. In a one-two-three for this design, the Royal Irish Barry Cunningham's Chimaera, also on 13, will need one race tomorrow if he is to break the tie-break rule in his favour. Five of eight boats competed.
Swuzzlebubble takes the lead in IRC 2
A tie-break race will be required to separate the sistership half-tonners after James Dwyer's Swuzzlebubble took two wins to top the table on Friday. The Sovereign's Cup defending champion now shares the same seven points after six races sailed as Boardman, Kelly, and O’Leary in the Rush/Baltimore half-tonner, 2 Farr. Steven Quinn's J97 Lambay Rules lies third but is ten points adrift on 17.
Diamond shines in IRC 3
The Kinsale Yacht Club Quarter Tonner Diamond of Kieran Kelleher/Colman Garvey that has led IRC 3 since Wednesday now has a four-point cushion over Paddy Kyne's X 302 Maximus from Howth YC on eight. David Buckley's sistership, Blues Xtra from Tralee Bay Sailing Club, is third on 13.
Racing concludes on Saturday.
Full results here
