The Sun Fast 3300 Cinnamon Girl from Kinsale, sailed two-handed by Cian McCarthy and Sam Hunt, has been cutting a successful swathe through Irish offshore racing for more than two years now. But in December, they'll be making the top-level scene on the other side of the world in the annual Sydney-Hobart race. Lee Condell, originally of Limerick but now Australian agent for several boat ranges, notably including Jeanneau and particularly the Sun Fast performance marque, has arranged the charter of a Sun Fast 3300, but she'll be setting key Cinnamon Girl sails, and using her trademark "extra-large bowsprit".
Taking the sails and bowsprit is only the half of it, for the successful duo sailors both have important families at home, so the word is that the Kinsale contingent flying down under will include a total of eight McCarthy and Hunt children...
Meanwhile, we hear whispers of other possible Irish involvement in the forthcoming end-of-year Sydney-Hobart major and have featured Trevor Smyth - formerly of Clontarf - who has already notched the win in the new Sydney-Auckland Race with Mick Martin on the TP52 Frantic. Trev will be right there again on Frantic in the race to Hobart.
If your participation in the race has been confirmed, please let us know at Afloat.ie, as we've found that Irish interest in this "Twixtmas Classic" is always at a very high level in the depths of winter.
