#calvesweek – There has been a marked increase in entries to Calves Week this year writes Claire Bateman. Entries are up 25% with boats coming to Schull from clubs around the coast for the 4 day regatta. Boats from Waterford and Kerry Sailing Clubs are joining the usual strong contingents from Kinsale, Crosshaven and Dublin, and a few new visitors from the UK completed the strong racing line up. With 15 boats competing in some classes, some great days' racing is promised in the Cork Dry Gin sponsored event.

With light winds from the south east backing south forecast for the starting day's racing, Race Officer Neil Prendeville kept the starts clean with separate guns for the four cruiser classes as well as the two Whitesail classes outside Copper Point. He chose a windward course for the fleets out around the Calf Islands. The cruisers were able to hoist their spinnakers from a laid mark south of West Calf Island with a leeward run back to the Amelia Buoy. Class 0/1 completed 3 rounds with the other classes completing fewer laps. A sailing breeze picked up, allowing the various fleets the opportunity to complete before the weather unexpectedly closed in.

With a spread of entrants from sailing clubs around the country, racing competitively against each other, winners were produced from around the country. Conor Doyle in Freya from Kinsale YC) took line honours and won Class 0/1, IRC ahead of Colman Garvey in True Penance (RCYC) and Rob McConnell in Fools Gold (Waterford Harbour SC). In Echo, Freya again took the honours, ahead of local boat Infinity with Dave Harte and Des Cummins in Dear Prudence (RStGYC). In Class 2 IRC while Dexterity from Foynes YC (McEneff/Madden/Hobbs) took line honours, on corrected time the day went to Frank Desmond, RCYC, on Bad Company ahead of Derek Dillon, Foynes YC, in Big Deal and Viking with Robert Dix/Brian McKernon (Howth YC). Big Deal took Echo honours, ahead of Val Kriss (Nigel Dann, KYC) and Bad Company.

Class 3 saw a 1:2 punch for Cobh SC, with Billy Burke and Danny McCarthy's Sigma 33, Muskateer, first over the line in Class 3 and rewarded with first in both IRC and Echo, ahead of Adrian Tyler on a Hunter Impala, Whyte Knight. Jimmy Nyhan on Outrigger (RCYC) and Padraig O Donovan on Chameleon (KYC) took third in IRC and Echo respectively.

Saoirse, under Richard Hanley from Kinsale YC won Class 4 IRC and Echo respectively, ahead of local boats Witchcraft (Simon Nelson) and Barossa (Edmund Krugel) in Echo.

In the fleet of larger whitesail boats, John Dowling in Samba (RCYC) crossing the line first and getting both IRC and Echo honours. Ger Hayes' First 36.7, Y-Dream took second in both handicaps. Dufour 425 Act 2 (Roche, O'Leary, Andrews) took third place in IRC, and new entrant Samatom, a UK based

XC45 sailed by Bob Rendell, was third in Echo. In Whitesail 2, Ashanta took IRC honours, with local boats Aoife under Hugh O'Donnell, and Giggles under Peter Morehead, first and second in Echo, ahead of Calypso, another UK based boat under John McCarthy (MBSC).

In keeping with friendly nature of the club, any newcomer to Schull has been offered a "buddy boat" – a local captain to share important details like the need for attention to the local sailing hazards and where to get a good meal after an

#schull – Commodore of Schull Harbour Sailing Club Tadgh Dwyer set out the details of the 30th Cork Dry Gin Calves Week Sailing Festival from 5 – 8 August 2014 at Blackrock Castle in Cork city.

Dwyer pointed out that Calves Week is one of the largest annual sailing festivals on this island, attracting boats every year from around the island. "The attraction of Cork Dry Gin Calves Week has always been the strong mix of great sailing among and around the islands of Roaringwater Bay and the family entertainment held ashore."

Boats travel to Schull from clubs around Ireland for Calves Week every year to take advantage of sailing conditions not available elsewhere.

Rui Ferreira, who is responsible for delivering the Calves Week programme this year, emphasised that the 1000 Carbery Isles laid out in Roaringwater Bay play a major part bringing sailors back every year. "It is a significant additional part of the challenge for sailors that they have to deal with islands as marks, instead of managing a "round the cans" course. Islands come with rocks, currents, wind shadows and a host of other problems. When you sail in a Calves Week race, you can be competing as much with nature as with the other boats in your class. But a race with the Fastnet Rock as a racing mark is hard to beat."

At the same time the Committee has been focused on ensuring that boats can participate in the Regatta at a reasonable cost. "Entry fees have been maintained at the same rate for some years but more importantly by consolidating the racing days to 4 consecutive days in a single week, it makes it much easier for crews to be available, book houses locally for their families, and so on."

Dwyer added "This is as much an event for families as for sailors and that has been a significant part of the attraction of this sailing festival over the last three decades. This year the ashore programme will be hugely boosted by the local Regatta Committee which is putting together a great programme to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Schull Regatta the Sunday after Calves Week. We will be working closely with the Regatta Committee on their plans for celebrations of what is by any standards a significant sporting milestone. There aren't many sporting traditions in this country that can claim that sort of history. Venerable institutions like the IRFU haven't been around as long, although the GAA was established in the same year – a good year for sport in Ireland!"

Calves Week is proud to have a principal sponsor in Cork Dry Gin. Other Festival Associates are Parnells, Land Rover and Aseco.

#calvesweek – Schull Harbour Sailing Club has opened entries for the 30th Cork Dry Gin Calves Week and will formally launch this year's regatta next week at Blackrock Castle in Cork. A regatta entry form is downloadable below as a pdf file.

Well known as a hybrid of high quality cruiser racing and shorebased family-oriented festival in the first week of August, Cork Dry Gin Calves Week has worked hard to sustain its high level of entries particularly for travelling boats over the last few years.

Club Commodore Tadhg Dwyer said that to maintain participation in the regatta over the last few years, the Club had taken the decision to rework the racing timetable in 2011. "In the end simple changes to the racing schedule meant that travelling crews are now able to sail in the same number of high quality races and get back to their home base after one week. We were also very conscious that the old format caused problems with families finding renting houses for more than 1 week very expensive and, for an event that is as much about bringing the family and enjoying all West Cork has to offer, that was a big concern. With simple changes to the overall timetable, we were able to address that."

This year, Schull Harbour Sailing Club is working to bring more travelling boats down for the week. "We have always had a mix of travelling and local boats. It would be great to get the message out to crews that might travel from clubs around the coast about the mix of both racing and on shore entertainment.

Cork Dry Gin Calves Week is great for amateur cruiser crews who want to test their racing skills against a bigger fleet and boats from around the coast. "We want to get the message out that if you come, you will have good quality racing without facing the pressure and costs of the bigger events."

For boats travelling from the South Coast, the offshore race from Crosshaven to Schull and the Calves Week Fastnet Race also forms part of the annual Scora Championship calendar.

The core format is now a four-day regatta from Tuesday to Friday of the 1st week in August, using both laid marks and the islands of Roaringwater Bay, including a race around the iconic Fastnet Rock.

As it is centred around the traditional village of Schull, there is also evening events and live entertainment around the village for both adults and children.

Dwyer noted that this year will be particularly special because it will be the 130th Schull Regatta on the Sunday after Calves Week. "There are very few sailing or sporting events in Ireland that can trace an unbroken lineage back to 1884. The Club is working with the local committee in Schull to mark this very historical event. So the week in Schull this year promises to be very, very special indeed."

Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2014 will be announced at a reception to be held at Blackrock Castle on Wednesday the 8th of May from 6.00pm to 7.30pm. Registration forms are available on www.shsc.com.

#calvesweek– With a good sailing breeze, from the north west, forecast for the last day of sailing in the 2013 Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2013 yesterday, Race Officer Neil Prendiville took the opportunity to send the fleets in an unusual triangular course. Photos by Bob Bateman below. A beat from north of the Calf Islands to Goat Island 3 nautical miles west of Schull Harbour, a fast spinnaker run down the smooth channel inside Goat and Long Islands and a broad reach out and around the Middle and Calf Islands was the set for some challenging and enjoyable sailing.

The wind, which was light onshore, built to a 17 to 18 knot breeze outside Copper Point, with gusts up to 25 knots, added interest to the spinnaker legs in particular. Classes 0/1 and 2/3, and the larger Whitesail boats, completed the circuit twice, with the smaller boats finishing after the run around the Calves.

Class 0/1 bunched around the Committee boat at the start with a few caught in the middle of a squeeze, but the fleet separated on the beat to Goat Island, with Kieran Twomey in Gloves Off leading the fleet down the sound under spinnaker. On the spinnaker leg, Dublin's Paul O'Higgins enjoyed a successful joust with Roy Darragh from Cork, with Rockabill V coming off the winner after luffing Fool's Gold up before hauling up its spinnaker. Many boats struggled however to hold their spinnakers in the gusts with a few generous broaches to add to the excitement, which may explain why in the final shakeup Fool's Gold were ahead of Rockabill V on corrected time in IRC. Both however were behind Kieran Twomey who completed a clean sweep in Class 0/1 IRC for the week.

As usual, the results in Echo had more variability. Local skipper Gabby Hogan took the lead again on Growler, ahead of Conor Doyle from Kinsale on Freya and Dave Harte in the Schull Outdoor Education Centre boat, Infinity, helmed by 15 year old Florence Lyden from Baltimore.

In Class 2/3 IRC honours were taken again by Derek Dillon on Big Deal, ahead of Brian O Sullivan on Amazing Grace and David Buckley from Tralee on Boojum. Local skipper Paul Murray won on Full Pelt in Echo ahead of local rival Frank O'Hara on Chinook and Diarmuid Dineen on Growler.

In Class 4, Shelly D won in IRC ahead of Saoirse. Waterford visitor Rene Wubben took the Echo prize on Seven Whistler, to also win that series. Whitesail 1 was won by Roche/O'Leary/Andrews, helmed by Tom Roche, on Act 2, ahead of Ciaran Geogheghan on Fizz in IRC and Morris Mitton on Albineta in Echo. Schull skippers James and Deborah Crowley on La Perle Noir won against a fleet of local rivals in Whitesail 2, by 9 seconds ahead of Colin Moorehead in Giggles.

Overall results: Class 0&1 IRC Gloves Off Kieran Twomey (RCYC). Class 0&1 Echo Freya Conor Doyle (KYC). Class 2&3 IRC Big Deal Derek Dillon (FYC). Class 2&3 Echo Amazing Grace Brian O'Sullivan (TBSC). Class 4 Shelly D Michael Murphy (SHSC). Class 4 Echo Seven Whistler Rene Wubben (WHSC). Whitesail 1 IRC Fizz Ciaran Geoghegan (DSC). Whitesail 1 Echo Act 2 Roche/O'Leary/Andrews (RIYC) Whitesail 2 La Perle Noire James and Deborah Crowley (SHSC).

#calvesweek – There was a very mixed forecast for today's racing at Calves Week for the Fastnet Race writes Claire Bateman. The Race Officer sent Class 4 and Whitesail 2 straight to the Rock and back a distance of some fourteen miles. Classes 2 and 3 were also sent to the Rock but had to return via the Calf Islands while Zero and 1, having rounded the Rock, had to go round Cape Clear. This resulted in a mass finish of boats in the harbour all close together.

The weather was somewhat unkind starting out as sunny but on the way to the rock deteriorated into fog and rain and a very lumpy sea brought about by a flooding spring tide resulting in some gear breakage.

Once again there was no stopping Kieran Twomey in Gloves Off who took a third win of the three races sailed to date in IRC. Conor and Denise Phelan, as ever enjoying their annual West Cork trip, were second today and are lying second overall. Paul O'Higgins Rockabill had to be content with an eighth place but is lying third on equal points with Robert McConnell's Fools Gold.

In Class 2/3 IRC it was Foynes entry Derek Dillon took first place and now leads overall followed in second place by Ernie Dillon from Royal Cork in overall second while in third place was Brian O'Sullivan's Amazing Grace from TBSC who has now climbed to second overall. In Class 4 Michael Murphy of Shelly D is smiling tonight as he leads overall in both IRC and ECHO. Second in ECHO to day was Rene Wubben's Seven Whistler followed by Richard Hanley's Saoirse in third.

The final race of the Cork Dry Gin Calves Week will take place tomorrow (Fri) followed by the prize giving.

Additional report from Calves week PR:

On day 3 of racing in the Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2013 and with the wind backed from south easterly to south westerly overnight and forecast to get up to 18 knots forecast in the afternoon, all boats knew that they would face very different weather conditions for the scheduled run around the Fastnet Rock. A heavy swell from the southwest and a forecast for a front to pass over in midafternoon added to the challenge of deciding which route to take in the beat out to the Rock for skippers.

The simplest course - "Fastnet, Port" - was set for the smallest boats, Class 4 and Whitesail 2, who left first. Class 2/3 returned via the Calf Islands, now a familiar sight. The largest boats, in Class 0/1 and Whitesail 1, had the added challenge of a run around Clear Island and through the Gascanane Sound after rounding the lighthouse, and a beat back around Western Calf before the reach for the line.

The fleet divided on the way out, with some choosing to head south to Cape Clear, and others heading west along the southern shore of Long Island before tacking south towards the Fastnet. The front came through earlier than expected and the result wind shift benefited those who had gone west.

Perhaps reflecting their detailed knowledge, local boats did well in the results. The first boats finished in a little under 3 hours with Kieran Twomey in Gloves Off from the Royal Cork completing a hat trick in IRC, ahead of Jump Juice. He was trumped in ECHO by Gabby Hogan in local boat Growler , ahead of Frank Whelan sailing Wavetrain (Royal St George). The Dillon brothers on Big Deal and Silk Breeze divided IRC and Echo honours in Classes 2/3, with Big Deal less than a minute ahead on corrected time from Silk Breeze after 3 hours of racing. Micheal Murphy in Shelly D, from Schull won both Class 4 prizes.

In the Whitesail 1 fleet, Ciaran Geoghegan from Dungarvan, skippering Fizz, again took the IRC prize, with Tom McCarthy in Ashanta picking up his first prize in Echo. The Ronan famil y in Kopper Two won in Whitesail 2.

#calvesweek – The light conditions obviously suited Kieran Twomey in Gloves Off from the Royal Cork YC on the second day of racing at Cork Dry Gin Calves Week.

He won again in both IRC and Echo, again ahead of Cork boat Jump Juice in IRC and local boat Infinity, helmed by David Harte from the local sailing centre. Derek Dillon in Big Deal (Foynes YC) won combined Classes 2/3 in IRC, with John Bourke in Northside Dragon from the Royal St George securing his first win in ECHO. Simon Nelson from Schull won Class 4 Echo in Witchcraft.

The racing was delayed slightly but with the south-easterly breeze forecast to reduce further over the afternoon, Race Officer Neil Prendiville started the racing outside Copper Point. Other than the light wind, there was an incoming tide all afternoon and a rolling swell from the South West.

Each fleet was sent on a windward course through the Calf Islands, and having rounded Western Calf, north to the Amelia. The larger competitors, Class 0/1 were able to complete two circuits of the course before the dying breeze forced an early close by the Amelia for all classes.

In the Whitesail 1 fleet, Ciaran Geoghegan from Dungarvan, skippering Fizz and Philip Smith from the Royal Irish YC swopped winning honours Colin Moorehead took the prize in Whitesail 2 ahead of yesterday's winner Martin Lane in Chatterbox.

Full set of racing results at www.shsc.ie

#calvesweek – The first day of sailing in the Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2013 was conducted in light to moderate winds and in warm, fair conditions.

This is the 29th time this well-loved sailing festival has been organised by the volunteers from Schull Harbour Sailing Club. The racing schedule was revamped last year to better meet the needs of skippers and crew, who generally bring their families and stay in the local area. The successful new 4 day format, and the recent good weather, helped to persuade a dozen additional new crews to travel to the West Cork village. Travelling Dublin boats include Leslie Parnell on Black Velvet, Paul O'Higgins on Rockabill V, Frank Whelan on Wavetrain and Declan Hayes on Indecision. Substantial contingents based in Tralee and Waterford, and a large number of Royal Cork boats also made the journey.

Two 1720s from the CIT Sailing Club joined Infinity from Fastnet Outdoor Education Centre.

The majority of boats in the 55 boat fleet had signed up well before the launch on Monday night 5th August 2013, sponsored by Cork Dry Gin. Other returning sponsors include Landrover, ASECO, A&L Castors, and Charts Latitude in Kinsale. The festival has always been strongly supported by local businesses such as Rossbrin Boatyard. With the assistance of Schull Tourism, the sailing has now been integrated with an onshore festival with music organised each evening in the village and a farmers market on the pier on Thursday.

Experienced Race Officer Neil Prendiville, taking account of the slightly fresher breeze in Long Island Bay, sent the 4 fleets on a triangular course around a windward mark, through the Calf Islands and past the Amelia Buoy. Combined Classes O/1 and 2/3 followed a further windward/leeward leg.

The lack of a breeze inshore led the Race Officer to shorten the course for all Classes to finish offshore by the Amelia with a spinnaker finish for all cruiser classes.

Kieran Twomey in Gloves Off (RCYC) started the honours list in Class 0&1 in both IRC and Echo, ahead of Jump Juice (Conor, Denise Phelan) and Freya (Conor Doyle) respectively. June's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race winner Amazing Grace (Brian O'Sullivan, Tralee Bay SC) took both prizes in Class 2/3, ahead of Derek Dillon in Big Deal (Foynes YC) in IRC and Donagh Russell in Bedlam (Cove SC). Local boat Shelly D took line honours in IRC in Class 4, with Rene Wubben in Seven Whistler taking the Echo prize.

In the Whitesail 1 fleet, Dublin boats Zephyr (Ross Cahill O'Brien, NYC) swopped places with Andrew Knowles in Sandpiper of Howth (HYC) in the 1:2 stakes in IRC and ECHO. Martin Lane in Chatterbox scooped the ECHO honours in Whitesail 2 from an entirely local fleet.

Calves Week 2013 at Schull Harbour Sailing Club Overall (after day one):

WHITE SAIL 2 ECHO: 1. Chatterbox Oceanis 331 (Martin Lane SHSC); 2 La Pearl Noire First 27.7 (James Crowley SHSC); 3 Cu na Mara Norfolk Smuggler (David Kiely SHSC)

WHITE SAIL 1 IRC: 1. Zephyr J100 (Ross Cahill O'Brien NYC); 2 Sandpiper of Howth Jeanneau S.O.37 (Andrew Knowles HYC); 3 Act Two Dufour 425 (T Roche & M O'Leary & D Andrews RIYC)

WHITE SAIL 1 ECHO: 1. Sandpiper of Howth Jeanneau S.O.37 (Andrew Knowles HYC); 2 Zephyr J100 (Ross Cahill O'Brien NYC); 3 Act Two Dufour 425

Class 4 ECHO: 1. Seven Whistler Albin Ballad (Rene Wubben WHSC; 2 Chinook First 210 (A Bradley & P Morgan SHSC); 3 Shelly D Moody 30 (Michael Murphy SHSC)

Class 0 & 1 ECHO: 1. Gloves Off Corby 38 (Kieran Twomey RCYC); 2 Freya X-422 Conor (Doyle KYC); 3 Endgame West A35 (Frank Doyle RCYC)

CLASS 0 & 1 IRC: 1. Gloves Off Corby 38; 2 Jump Juice Ker 37 Custom (Conor & Denise Phelan RCYC); 3 Rockabill V Corby 33 (Paul O'Higgins RIYC)

CLASS 4 IRC: 1. Shelly D Moody 30 (Michael Murphy SHSC); 2 Saoirse GK 24 (Richard Hanley KYC)

1720 CLASS: 1. Warrior 1720 CIT (Sean O'Riordan CITSC); 2 Scholar 1720 CIT (Paul Gallagher)

CITSC Class 2 & 3 ECHO: 1 Amazing Grace Oyster 37 (Brian O'Sullivan TBSC); 2 Bedlam Impala 28 mod (Allister & Russell & Doyle CSC); 3 Valkriss First 345 (Hennessy & Murphy & Dann KYC)

CLASS 2 & 3 IRC: 1 Amazing Grace Oyster 37 ; 2 Big Deal Dehler (Derek Dillon FYC); 3 Bedlam Impala 28 mod (Allister & Russell & Doyle CSC)

For further results please check out www.shsc.ie

#calvesweek – The Fastnet Marine Outdoor Education Centre saw a lerge turnout yesterday evening for the opening party of the 2013 Cork Dry Gin Calves Week. Commodore of Schull Harbour Sailing Club, Frank Murphy launched the festival of sailing, thanking the entire Community of Schull for their amazing support, "We are really delighted with the turnout this evening and look forward to a great week's sailing."
The first race kicks off today at 12.25pm when Schull Harbour will be a spectacular sight not to be missed, filled with 60 yachts at full sail. Racing will continue each day Tuesday to Friday with the Round the Fastnet Race starting on Thursday at 11.55am. Prize giving and live entertainment will take over the town each evening from 6pm until late.

Named with a tongue in cheek reference to the famous Cowes Week, this event is not to be missed for lovers of sailing and for those with a passing interest in boats. The regatta has been an annual event since 1884, the big attraction at the time being the fierce rivalry and epic battles between the local fleet of fishing yawls and the visitors from Baltimore, Sherkin, Cape Clear and Crookhaven.
Schull is in a very beautiful part of West Cork, a charming village popular with visitors at the best of times, but for this week it is thronged and the place is humming. There are cruiser and dinghy racing every day with a race around the Fastnet rock on Thursday the 8th.
With street entertainment and other events throughout the festival, Cork Dry Gin Calves Week is as legendary for its on shore partying as it is for the on the water racing.

#calvesweek – This year's Calves Week feeder race from Crosshaven, in Cork Harbour to Baltimore in West Cork will take place on Saturday, August 3rd with a warning signal at 8 a.m. as per the Sailing Instructions and a start from Cork Harbour's Grassy line in  writes Claire Bateman.

An opening reception will be held on Monday, August 5th at 6.30pm and racing will commence on Tuesday and continue until Friday. Thursday is the designated day for the race around the Fastnet.

The event will have an abundance of trophies and the organisers are busy with preparations for the nightly prize giving and entertainment. If last year is anything to go by a carnival atmosphere will pervade the town for the duration of the event. One also hears on the grapevine that the sea water temperature at Schull is really warm after the recent hot spell.

Over sixty boats are expected and with Neil Prendeville on Mary P doing the honours as Race Officer, and Denis Kiely with lap top in hand to deal with handicapping matters, all is set for an excellent week of racing under the Chairmanship of Tadgh Dwyer.

Rockabill and Jump Juice are already West and other well known names expected from Royal Cork include Gloves Off, Senator Incatatus, Yanks & ffrancs with White Knight from Cove Sailing Club also expected to attend.

Calves Week 2013 was launched in style at Blackrock Castle in Cork Harbour tonight. Scroll down for photos by Bob Bateman!

The August 6th-9th event will feature around the islands racing in Roaringwater Bay as well as a race around the Fastnet rock.

Some 60 boats took part in 2012 Calves Week to celebrate the annual West Cork festival of sailing, which featured racing for six classes.

Last year’s feeder races provided ample opportunity for skippers and crews to familiarise themselves with Roaringwater Bay, for which principal race officer for Calves Week, Neil Prendeville, had drawn up a new course card featuring over 40 different courses taking in the many islands and natural marks.

Details of the 2013 Festival were announced at a reception tonight.

This Festival of Sailing has become a very important date in the National Racing Calendar. The Week, run by Schull Harbour Sailing Club begins with an opening reception and skippers briefing at the Fastnet Marine Centre on Monday August 5th and the first "Round the Islands" race will kick off on Tuesday 6th. The series will finish Friday 9th with the final race from Schull to the Fastnet rock and back.

The overall presentation of prizes, closing ceremony and live entertainment will take over Schull Main Street each evening.

The festival will feature nightly fun and live entertainment around the village for both adults and children. There are plenty of activities during the day for the non-sailors to ensure everybody has a thoroughly enjoyable week.