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#rssailing – Monkstown Bay Sailing Club's Alex Barry and Richard Leonard got the jump they needed when they won the final race of the RS400 Euro–cup in Carnac, France yesterday.

Two races were scheduled for the final day of the Cup. With First gun at 10:30 and no warning signal allowed passed 13:00, it was a tight window.

One race was eventually sailed in 5 – 8 knots from the North and glorious sunshine.

The Cork harbour pair lead the race from start to finish and with their closest competitors having a poor race it meant they moved up to third overall and a prized podium finish.

The race for the overall title was extremely tight with Jim Downer and Jono Price from Cowes winning on count back.

Results downloadable below.

Additional report from David Rose below:

Excellent race management, in mixed conditions over four days, made for a brilliant RS Eurocup in Carnac at the weekend for the large RS fleets competing. The RS400 had the largest, and one of the most competitive fleets with 31 entries.

Emmet Ryan, who had travelled to a well-attended Garda event last season, and was coming off the back of a 3rd place at a very competitive Irish Eastern Champs with brother James, commented that the standard at this year's European adventure was every bit as high as the top class racing he had experienced in the Italian mountains twelve months earlier. Like at that event, Emmet started really strongly, and was best of the Irish with two 8th place finishes on day one. The Ryan's were to remain consistent for the rest of the regatta, never really hitting the dizzy heights they are capable of, apart from one 5th place. They were extremely consistent with only one race outside the top 10, and will no doubt be competing for honours in Ireland all season.

Day two involved a good deal more hiking, with plaining conditions and 3 longer than usual races. When the sweat settled, Alex Barry and Richard Leonard had put in a great shift and brought themselves back in touch with the top end of the fleet after an average first day, with a 6, 3, 1. This form was to continue for another two days, with two races sailed on day 3 and one on day 4. In the final race Alex / Richard were to lead at every mark and record a second bullet in the event. This mercurial team from MBSC/RCYC, who have become accustomed to the winning circle at the Irish events just kept reeling in and passing competitors on the score board, akin to Rory Mac on birdie charge. They were to run out of races in 3rd position, a brilliant result for them, their clubs MBSC and RCYC and for Ireland.

Paul Mc Laughlin and his crew and only lady to travel Michael Mc Minkey performed admirably and finished up in 14th place, followed by Robert O' Sullivan and David Whitaker who faired particularly well on day one, and were to finish 19th. 'Uncle' Liam Donnelly and his crew Richard Mc Caid came in a respectable 22nd overall.

The Irish RS400 fleets was well represented by the following teams in order of their finishing places:

3rd - Alex Barry & Richard Leonard MBSC / RCYC
11th – Emmet Ryan & James Ryan RSTGYC
14th – Paul Mc Laughlin & Michael Mc Minkey
19th – Robert O' Sullivan & David Whitaker MBSC / RCYC
22nd – Liam Donnelly and Richard Mc Caid RNIYC

#rs400 – Royal St. George's Emmet Ryan is lying sixth in a fleet of 45 at the RS400 EuroCup at Fraglia del Garda, Italy after three races. Ryan, sailing with Jay Stacy, counts a 9, 6 , 6 at the Italian lake venue. The Dublin crew are one of two Irish boats competing. Royal Cork's David Rose and Ian Heffernan are 11th. Racing continues today. Full results are here.

Published in RS Sailing
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The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

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