The top boats on the South Coast were presented with their 2024 awards at the annual general meeting of SCORA, the South Coast Offshore Racing Association, in the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven on Friday night (January 31).
Thirteen boats were led by two yachts which had already won top prizes nationally and locally – Dave Dwyer's Swuzzlebubble, the Boat of the Year in the Irish Cruiser Racing Association and the RCYC's top boat, Denis and Annamarie Murphy's Nieulargo.
The thirteen winners were - six from the RCYC, five from Kinsale Yacht Club and two from Schull Harbour Sailing Club.
RCYC – Swuzzlebubble, Dave Dwyer; Nieulargo, Denis and Annamarie Murphy; Diamond, Colman Garvey and Kieran Kelleher; Prince of Tides, Frank Caul and John McIlroy; Fast Buck, John O'Connor; and Jelly Baby, Jones Family, which was given the Claire Bateman award.
SCORA 2024 prizewinners – Nieulargo Denis Murphy, Annamarie Fegan with SCORA officials Michael Murphy Hon Sec, Michele Kenelly Vice Commodore and Daragh Conolly Commodore Photo: Bob Bateman
Diamond's Colman Garvey and Kieran Kelleher receive their SCORA prize Photo: Bob Bateman
Frank Caul and John Molloy from Prince Of Tides receive their SCORA prize Photo: Bob Bateman
Swuzzlebubble's James Dwyer with Michael Murphy, Michele Kennelly and Daragh Conolly Photo: Bob Bateman
Cian Jones receives The Claire Bateman Award on behalf of the Jones Family J122 Jelly Baby Photo: Bob Bateman
KINSALE YC – Apache, Alan Mulcahy; Reavra Too, Stephen Lysaght; Saoirse, Richard Hanley; An Fanai, Patrick Sparrow; and a Special Achievement Award to the Kinsailors Under 25 team, who were also presented with the last remaining sextant of the original prize set from the start of SCORA, with the purpose of them presenting it to other young sailors to develop and increase participation in the sport.
Apache's Alan Mulcahy and crew with Michele Kennelly, Daragh Conolly and Michael Murphy Photo: Bob Bateman
Stephen Lysaght of Reavra Too Photo: Bob Bateman
Michelle Murphy receives a SCORA prize on behalf of Richard Hanley's Saoirse Photo: Bob Bateman
Nigel Dann of Val Kriss receives a SCORA prize Photo: Bob Bateman
Michelle Kennelly receives the SCORA prize on behalf of Pat Sparrow from "an Fanai" Photo: Bob Bateman
Mikey Carroll representing the KYC under 25 team with Michele Kenelly and Daragh Connolly Photo: Bob Bateman
SCHULL HARBOUR YC – Slighty Steamy, Tony O'Brien; Sittlelle, Tom Newman.
Tony O'Brien from Slightly Steamy Photo: Bob Bateman
Tom Newman Sittelle of Schull Harbour SC Photo: Bob Bateman
There was a good turn-out for the meeting, with a notably strong presence of young sailors, who were all welcomed to the meeting by the Admiral of the Royal Cork, Annamarie Murphy.
Getting a Higher Profile for SCORA
The Commodore of SCORA, Daragh Connolly, who is also a member of the Committee of ICRA, the Irish Cruiser Racing Association, said the main aim for the 2025 season would be get "a bit more visibility, to get more boats racing, to raise interest in racing.
In a wide-ranging Podcast interview, (below) we discussed SCORA's plans for the season ahead. He noted particularly the increase of interest in white-sail racing and said there would be more encouragement given to encouraging sailors who had not participated previously in coastal racing, to enter into this part of the sport. He spoke of how busy the sailing calendar now is, the importance of safety and said the goal of SCORA was to support sailing, not just running events.
"We want to encourage more people into coastal racing."
He spoke strongly in support of the Under 25 programme by Kinsale Yacht Club.
"We need more younger people into the sport, the age pattern has increased, so we need to get and encourage more young people into the sport. These are challenging times for younger people, for their future and we want sailing to be part of that."
Listen to the Podcast below.
