The Jones family J/122 Jelly Baby from the host club were the winners of the annual Royal Cork Yacht Club Naval Race in Cork Harbour on Saturday. 

Racing in the seven-boat spinnaker division, skipper Brian Jones beat season-long big boat club rivals Annamarie and Denis Murphy in the Grand Soliel 40 Nieulargo. 

Winner J122 Jelly Baby on starboard crosses Annamarie and Denis Murphy in the Grand Soliel 40 Nieulargo on the second leg of the 2022 Royal Cork Yacht Club Naval Race in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Brisk northerly winds gave the fleet a reaching start to No.5 buoy from a RIB-based Committee Boat start that proved more than adequate, with flags flying from a stick. 

Videos by Bob Bateman and Mary Malone

The 19-boat sailed close hauled to No.13 Cuskinny buoy, about a mile off Cove, then outside the harbour with a traditional finish at the Haulbowline Naval Base.

Third was Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star.

Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star racing under spinnaker in the Royal Cork Yacht Club Naval Race in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

(Above and below) Neil Kenefick (on stern) was a guest on board vintage one tonner Imp, helmed by Paul Gibbons in the Royal Cork Yacht Club Naval Race in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

In the 12-boat Club ECHO division, Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet continues his recent White Sail success (winning the RCYC August/SeptemberLeague, as Afloat reported previously) with a win in the Naval Race.

Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet in the Royal Cork Yacht Club Naval Race in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Frank Caul and John Molloy's Grand Soliel 37B Prince of Tides finished second ahead of Des Corbet's entry Netta J, from Cove Sailing Club.

Des Corbet's entry Netta J, from Cove Sailing Club, competing in the Royal Cork Yacht Club Naval Race in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Results are below

Royal Cork Yacht Club Naval Race Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman

Evening cruiser-racing concluded in Cork Harbour with the final race of the August/September Whitesails League at the RCYC.

Evening cruiser and dinghy racing has also finished at Cove SC. Monkstown Bay Sailing Club dinghy racing is moving from evenings to Saturdays for September.

The June/July and August/September Friday whitesail leagues at the RCYC were both won by SCRIBBLER (Tom and Cormac MacSweeney). The dual success of the Sigma 33 was helmed respectively by the young brothers Oisin (June/July) and Rowan (August/September). They are also both Laser sailors at the RCYC.

Second in August/September was John O’Connor and John Hanley’s Impala FAST BUCK, and third Clive Doherty’s PHAETON. Second in the June/July League was Peter Webster’s, THISTLE and third was FAST BUCK.

Bob Bateman's RCYC Whitesails League and Prizegiving 2022 Photo Gallery

Established in 1944, the Sutton Book Trophy (‘the book’) is arguably the oldest team racing event in Ireland which has seen Royal Cork dinghy sailors do battle with Sutton Dinghy Club sailors on Dublin Bay in order to establish which club gets to win and retain ‘the book’ year on year.

Last weekend, Sutton Dinghy Club played host to the 2022 iteration, and as is always the case with Sutton Dinghy Club, the Royal Cork sailors were warmly received over breakfast prepared in the clubhouse prior to the race briefing.

Competing for the Junior Sutton Book, the Royal Cork Junior team were first to hit the race course in a light warm northerly breeze and the sun shining. The team was made up of a cross-section of our many talented junior dinghy sailors from the RCYC Laser, Optimist, 29er and Topper club fleets.

Isabel McCarthy, Megan O Sullivan, Fionn Daly, Oisin Pierce, Liam Duggan and Jonathan O Shaughnessy (Captain) all worked in a cohesive manner and sailed very well as a team to secure the overall win and retain the Junior Sutton book trophy for the second year in a row.

The RCYC Junior Sutton Book Winning Team

Sutton DC commodore Ciara O‘ Tiarnaigh (right) presenting the Sutton Junior Book

Next up were the senior teams, and by the time they were ready to compete, all the signs were that the breeze would fade as the afternoon wore on. Nonetheless, the race officer did very well to get three races completed, with Sutton winning by two races to one and deserved winners in the conditions.

The prize giving was conducted over dinner hosted by Sutton Dinghy club members for all competitors and their wider entourage. The Junior Sutton book was presented to the team and will remain in the Royal Cork clubhouse for another 12 months. The Senior Sutton Book will remain in Dublin for now but the Royal Cork sailors are already looking forward to try and wrestle the book back to Cork in 2023.

Special thanks to Royal Cork club member Richard McGlade for organising the 2022 team and great to see the competition is still very much alive 78 years on.

Denis Byrne's Trapper Cracker is the overall winner of Royal Cork Yacht Club's August/September League for cruiser-racers in Cork Harbour.

After seven races sailed and one discard, the Byrne crew finished on 23 points, seven ahead of Paul and Deirdre Tingle's X4 Alpaca. In third place in the 13-boat fleet was Ria Lyden's X332 Ellida on 31 points. 

J122 Jelly Baby (Jones family) and X4 Alpaca race in the light airs of the last race of RCYC's August/September League Photo: Bob Bateman

The last race was sailed in light winds to bring the curtain down on RCYC's summer season. 

Kieran O'Brien's MG335, Magnet Photo: Bob Bateman

A separate start for the 11-boat white sail division was won by Kieran O'Brien's MG335, Magnet. The O'Brien team beat Pat Vaughan's Contessa 33, Aramis by 17 points.

In third overall after seven races sailed and one discard was Frank Caul and John Molloy's Grand Soliel 37B Prince of Tides. 

Bob Bateman's Photo Gallery of RCYC's August/September League Race is below 

The league results are below.

Evening racing ends this week at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven with the final races in the Thursday and Friday leagues which have been running in Cork Harbour since August.

After six races, Denis Byrne’s Trapper, Cracker, is leading the IRC Spinnaker Division on 16 points, followed by Ria Lyden’s X332, Ellida on 20. In third place is Paul and Deirdre Tingle’s X4, Alpaca on 25. Ellida leads under ECHO with Cracker second and Wan and Eric Waterman’s X37, Saxon Senator, third.

Denis Byrne’s Trapper, Cracker, is leading the IRC Spinnaker Division Photo: Bob Bateman

IRC Whitesails is led by Kieran O’Brien’s MG335, Magnet, on 6 points. Pat Vaughan’s Contessa 33, Aramis, is second on 21. Third is Paul O’Shea’s Sun Odyssey, Elegance, on 22.

Magnet also leads under ECHO handicap, where John O’Connor’s Impala, Fast Buck, is second and Elegance third.

Friday night IHS Whitesail is led, also after six races, by Tom and Cormac MacSweeney’s Sigma 33, Scribbler, on 11 points from John O’Connor and John Hanley’s Impala, Fast Buck, on 16 points. In third place is Clive Doherty’s Phaeton on 18 points.

RCYC Thursday Evening Racing Photogallery By Bob Bateman

The Royal Cork Yacht Club's two-day At Home regatta in Crosshaven attracted good fleets, with racing in light winds and sunshine on Saturday, followed by high winds on Sunday and a lumpy sea for the cruiser fleet offshore.

Dinghies raced in the harbour.

The National 18 class was won by Patrick Crosbie and Conor Kelly. Second Colin Chapman, third Ronan Kenneally/Robert Vincent O’Sullivan.

Eoin Dunne of sponsors AIB and RCYC Admiral Kieran O'Connell presented the winners with prizes along Maurice Collins, Rear Admiral Dinghies and Paul Tingle, Rear Admiral Keelboats.

Bob Bateman's RCYC At Home Photo Gallery 2022

Results:

Mixed dinghies – 1, Peter O’Leary/Dafne O’Leary; 2, Tim and Isobel O’Connor; 3, Bella Clarke Waterman/Sam Kelleher. Lasers – 1, Patrick Bruen; 2, Rowan MacSweeney; 3, Eve McCarthy.

29ers – 1. Rian Collins/James Murphy; 2, Dara Jenkins/Ben O’Shaughnessy; 3, JP Curtin/Dan O’Leary. Toppers – 1, Craig Jnr. O’Neill; 2, Ellen Bruen; 3, Shane Collins.

Optimists Main Fleet – 1, Lucy Moynan; 2, Andrew O’Neill; 3, Rian O’Neill.Tin and Copper Fleet – 1, Dylan O’Sullivan; 2, Conor Lynch; 3, Emily Lynch.

Cruisers Results

IRC 1Spin Class – 1, Jelly Baby, Jones Family; 2, Alpaca, Paul/Deirdre Tingle; 3, Ellida, Ria Lyden.

IRC 2 -1, North Star, Fiona Young; 2, Illegal, Dominic Losty; 3, Bad Company, Dedmon/Ivers/Keane.

Whitesail Class One IRC – 1, Magnet, Kieran O’Brien; 2, Jolastan, Mike McCarthy; 3, Sweet Dreams, Batt O’Leary.

Class Two – 1, Bic Mc, McGrath Family; 2, Aramis, Pat Vaughan; 3, Esme, John/Fiona Murphy.

At the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, the August/September evening league has had three races and is being led in the Spinnaker Division under both IRC and ECHO handicaps by Ria Lyden’s X332 Ellida.

She is followed under both handicap systems, IRC and ECHO, by Denis Byrne’s Trapper, Cracker and Wan and Eric Waterman’s Saxon. In IRC Ellida has nine points, Cracker 11 and Saxon Senator 12. Close racing there.

In ECHO Ellida leads on six points, with Cracker and Saxon Senator both on 11. Paul O’Shea’s Sun Odyssey, Elegance, leads the whitesails fleet in the league series in both IRC and ECHO, followed by Kieran O’Brien’s Magnet and John O’Connor’s Fast Buck in IRC. Derry Good’s Exhale is second in ECHO, with Fast
Buck third.

Friday Whitesails league under IHS handicapping

The Friday Whitesails league which is sailed under IHS handicapping has also had three races and is being led by the Sigma 33 Scribbler (Tom and Cormac
MacSweeney), with Fast Buck second and Clive Doherty’s Phaeton third.

Finally, after all the frustration in Cork Harbour, the Royal Cork Yacht Club hosted 505 Worlds finish in brochure conditions...

The final day again dawned with no wind and again, the wind filled in from the NE out to sea. Today the conditions were even better than yesterday with the wind filling in slightly stronger and holding for longer. Nearly all racing was conducted in 10-12 maybe 14kn of wind. Late in the day, it did move slightly right and start to fade, but by then, boats were turning onto their last upwind of the final race.

Three races again were conducted today, allowing 7 races in total and bringing a drop into play.

The first race of the day (R5) looked like there could be some movement ahead for the leader board. McNay and Payne were 7th and Batchelor/Pascoe 3rd. The winners were Jan-Philipp Hofmann and Felix Brockerhoff in a tight battle with Roger Gilbert and Ben McGrane. Peter Nicholas and Luke Payne were part that trio, but on the last run they went furthest to the left when a little righty came down the centre of the course dropping them to 6th. The German pair of Hofmann and Brockerhoff looked like they could move up to third overall.

The second race of the day (R6) was a return to form for McNay/Payne, but Batchelor/Pascoe were a little deep. Nicholas/Payne were again near the front and this time would make no mistake finishing second. Former champions Mike Holt and Adam Lowry emerged from the forest they had been lost in all regatta to give us a flash of brilliance to pick up third.

And the final race (R7), well it was an exhibition, really. McNay and Paine just sailed away from the fleet. It was impressive! In second, was the other form boat Batchelor and Pascoe with third going to Mike Martin and Adam Lowry.

In a post-race interview, McNay and Paine shared their glory with their coach, (and McNay's crew for the last two Olympics), Dave Hughes.

The two lead boats were identical packages. Brand new Ovington V2 hulls, Pinnell and Bax sails and Superspar M2 masts.

The top Irish were locals Ewan Barry and Charles Dwyer in 12th place.

Next year the Worlds return to the US West Coast in Santa Cruz and given the size of the US fleet here in Cork, it should be a great success.

After a long wait, the 505 World Championship fleet in Cork Harbour was greeted with a 12-14kn from the N/E today.

It was a gradient breeze and expected to wane a little as the day went on. The PRO could get a maximum of three races in, and three were needed to constitute a series, so everyone knew what was to come. Whilst the breeze was oscillating, most of the fleet worked to the left upwind, and down. There seemed to be more pressure over there.

There were some performances to highlight throughout the races.

South Africans James Largier and Richard Hutton-Squire in 6th the first race of the day (R2). Lena Stückl and Johannes Tellen 7th in R2 - Lena stated yesterday she prefers breeze and proved it. In R3 Malin Broberg and Johan Röök finishing 4th and locals Ewen Barry and Charles Dwyer in R4 finished 6th, plus youngster Morgan Pickney and Garrett Brown 4th in R4.

Tomorrow the wind looks lighter but hopes remain for a few more races to finish the Worlds Photo: Christian Favreau

The first race today, (R2) was almost perfect 505 weather, the lightweight teams were in play and the heavyweight teams were in play. Crews were on the wire and the boats could power reach the runs. At the top mark the first time the team of McNay and Paine were again in the front with Mike Martin and Adam Lowry looming. The other front runners of Batchelor and Pascoe were back in the teens. For the second leg Batchelor and Pascoe moved through the fleet finishing third behind our two original race leaders.

The second race, (R3) was a couple of knots lighter moving to the 9-11kn range and favouring our lighter teams. This time Batchelor and Pascoe lead from start to finish with McNay and Paine second. The fleet was tight, so there was a large bunch fighting for third. Nicholas and Payne won that battle from the Swedish team of Broberg and Röök, the leading mixed team.

In the final race the pressure again dropped a couple more knots and moved right 20 degrees. The order for the lead was reversed with McNay and Paine leading Batchelor and Pascoe, third went to Mal Higgins and Nick (Camel) Johnstone. The big excitement for the whole fleet though was the finish of Earle Alexander and Angus Higgins in 8th. Angus is Malcolm's son and an emerging youth sailor. He joined with Earle (76y.o.), a class stalwart and permanent fixture in the 505 class for at least 40 years, and one of the most popular men in the field. Earle is there for everyone, yet he has never had a top 10 race at a Worlds, until today - there was a lot of celebration.

Tomorrow the wind looks lighter but hopes remain for a few more races to finish the Worlds. No drops as yet, so McNay and Paine have a 5-point lead heading into the final day.

Day three is completed and the 505 World Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club still have only sailed one race.

Ireland has a large ridge of no wind sitting stationary above it, and it is wreaking havoc on the 505 fleet.

For the second day in a row, the planned racecourse offshore had zero wind.

The race committee tried to get racing on the inshore course.

There has been localised breeze inshore over the last few days and on the planned inshore course, it varied from 3-8 knots, with large direction changes.

Sailors left shore at midday and the first attempt at racing was around 2.45 pm.

The 505 class requires more than 5 knots over the course otherwise, racing is abandoned. Two races were started in 7-8 knots but both were abandoned halfway through when it dropped to 3 knots.

The fleet was kept on the water until 6 pm, but nothing eventuated, and everyone went home frustrated.

The pressure is on to get some races in. Tomorrow (Thursday) is a scheduled lay day which may be converted to a racing day, but again, no wind is expected.