There was a home success in a breezy conclusion to the 2023 Topper World Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club on Friday afternoon, when Ireland took gold and silver in the smaller 4.2 rig division, while the main rig title went to Great Britain.

Friday's three back-to-back races confirmed Britain's Alex Jones of Parkstone Yacht Club as the 2023 Topper 5.3 World Champion at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Jones had established a winning point cushion of 12 points over six races (with two race wins) and extended this on the final day to ten points with a last-race victory in Cork Harbour.

2023 Topper 5.3 World Champion Alex Jones of Parkstone Yacht Club (centre) with Ruoque Su of China second (left) and Rory Clow third. Photo: Bob Bateman

Jones's teammate Rory Clow of Island Barn Reservoir Sailing Club, who had moved up to second overall going into Friday's races, was overtaken by Ruoque Su of China for the silver medal. Clow took bronze after nine races sailed in the 98-boat fleet.

The best of the Irish in the 5.3 rig was consistent Luke Simpson of County Antrim Yacht Club, who finished sixth.

Ireland's Whyte is Topper 4.2 World Champion

In the smaller 4.2 rig fleet, Fifteen-year-old Rory Whyte from Waterford Harbour and Royal Cork Yacht Club recovered from an OCS in race one in a three-race final series to win the 4.2 World Championship Trophy. Second, was his clubmate Andrew O'Neill with Che Liu of China in Bronze.

Fifteen-year-old Rory Whyte from Waterford Harbour and Royal Cork Yacht Club is presented with the 4.2 World Championship Trophy by Cork County Mayor Frank O'Flynn. Second, was his clubmate Andrew O'Neill (left) with Che Liu of China in Bronze Photo: Bob Bateman

Topper World Championships 5.3 Gold Fleet Racing (Friday) and Prizegiving at Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

4.2 results below and 5.3 results here

After three qualification races sailed at the Topper World Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club, the top three slots in the 5.3 fleets are all filled by Irish sailors, with Craig O'Neill from the host club having the best of the day.

Caoimhe Corkery from Kinsale YC and Royal Cork YC holds second, and Conor Kelly lies third overall.

Near-perfect conditions greeted the fleets for the first day of racing in Cork Harbour. After the heavy showers of Sunday evening, the sun made a welcome return, accompanied by a northerly westerly breeze that varied from 5 – 12 knots throughout the day.

250 participants from the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Malta, the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Brazil are racing in the Topper world Championships at Royal Cork, with entrants aged between eight years old to their teens Photo: Bob Bateman

Race 1 for the Topper 5.3 fleet of 198 boats, split by flights into two starts, got away smoothly in 9-12 knots, which then dropped towards the windward mark for the yellow and blue flight race.

First to round coming out of the right-hand side of the beat was Cameron McDaid (GBR, Largs SC), with a 30m lead ahead of the bunch, from which Gemma Brady (IRL, National YC & LDYC) reached over the top of the group on the leg to Mark 2, and into second place. Cameron’s lead was worn down on the second upwind of the trapezoid course as Sam Brown (GBR, Burghfield SC) climbed to second, but Gemma Brady held on well to take 4th.

In the red/white flight race, Caoimhe Corkery (IRL, Royal Cork YC) used her local knowledge of the harbour to her advantage to take the win, as the tide built against the sailors upwind, making it slow going as the wind dropped at the windward mark to 5 knots.

In Race 2, the wind was back to 12 knots, Will Brown, (GBR, Island Barn SC) rounded first, ahead of IRL Conor Kelly and Ian Ma, (HKG), finishing in that order.

After three races, the top three slots in the 5.3 fleets are all filled by Irish sailors, with Craig O'Neill from the host club having the best of the day, with a very consistent 3,1,2 scoreline, ahead of Caoimhe Corkery on 19 points after she slipped to 17th in the third race, tied on points with Connor Kelly in 3rd.

Rory Whyte from Ballyholme nailed the day with an impressive 2,1,1, score in the 60-boat 4.2 division Photo: Bob Bateman

Topper World Championships Day One Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

Over on the Topper 4.2 course, Rory Whyte, (IRL) nailed the day with an impressive 2,1,1, score, leading the 60-boat fleet from Shirley Ma, (CHN, Vanhang Sailing) and Victor Montgomery (GBR)

Topper 5.3 results are below and 4.2 are here

A Sunday afternoon downpour might have delayed it, but the 2023 Topper Dinghy World Championships Opening Ceremony and Competitors Parade was a colourful sight (despite no pipe band rain due to the rain) as it passed through Crosshaven village in Cork Harbour.

Royal Cork Yacht Club hosts 250 participants from the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Malta, the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Switzerland and Brazil for this year's competition this week, with entrants aged eight years to their teens.

Taking place at 6 pm on Sunday, the competitors – at the biggest ever championships – meandered their way with national flags along the road from Royal Cork Yacht Club to Crosshaven House, where the Opening Ceremony was held.

Competitors were officially welcomed for five full days of racing from Monday morning, with the prize-giving ceremony taking place this Friday evening, July 28th.

Speaking at the opening ceremony were Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Kieran O'Connell, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney and Cork County Councillor Audrey Buckley, along with Topper International representatives.

Royal Cork Hosted Topper Worlds Opening Ceremony Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

For the second week in succession, severe weather caused the cancellation of Friday night whitesail racing at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Thursday’s racing went ahead. North Star (Fiona Young) won Spinnaker IRC.

Bad Company (Desmond/Ivers/Keane) won in ECHO.

Magnet (Kieran O’Brien) won Whitesail in both divisions.

Southwest winds up to 20 knots will get today's Quarter Ton Cup off to a swift start at the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Cork Harbour.

Four UK visitors are led by the 2021 winner and last week's Dun Laoghaire Regatta 'Volvo Boat of the Week winner', Protis, skippered by Ian Southworth of Hamble River Sailing Club.

The eight-race, three-day Cork competition will be the first time the Cup has been sailed in the modern era outside Cowes. Admittedly, only 11 are competing, but it's still a quality fleet with some top sailors seeking victory.

Southworth made swift work of Dun Laoghaire's IRC Three class last Sunday on the east coast, winning seven races on the trot, so he can be considered warmed up and ready to go.

Irish entries, including Conor Phelan's Anchor Challenge, who won Class Three at June's Sovereign's Cup in style, is racing with Ireland's four-time Olympic keelboat helmsman Mark Mansfield aboard.

Kieran Dorgan's Illegal (second last week in Dun Laoghaire Regatta's Class Three) and Martin Mahon's Snoopy (third) will likely be the main Irish threats to Protis.

Conor Phelan's Anchor Challenge from Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Another interesting addition to the local foray, however, will be Panic, with both 2004 Olympian Killian Collins and Ireland's top 505 ace Alex Barry aboard.

The event comes to the Irish south coast from the Solent for the first time since the Cup was resurrected 18 years ago.

Martin Mahon's Snoopy from Courtown Sailing Club Photo: Bob Bateman

The Quarter Ton Cup is awarded to the World Quarter Ton class championships winners between 1968 and 1997 and for the Quarter Ton Classic Revival from 2005 to the present. The fleet’s main centre is on the Solent.

Kieran Dorgan's Illegal competing at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta Photo: Bob Bateman

Cork Harbour's Class Three continues to strengthen with the arrival of several Quarter Tonners in the last two seasons.

Overall, the fleet includes some authentic classic designs, including an Albin Express, various Quarter Tonners, a Bolero, vintage J24s, an HB31 and a Trapper 250. 

Quarter Tonner Panic arrived from Northern Ireland, Illegal came from Cowes, as Afloat reported previously, and Anchor Challenge, a championship-winning boat (that has had three previous Cork owners) returned to the harbour in 2022. 

Michael McCann’s Etchells ‘Don’t Dilly Dally’ topped the RCYC cruisers Thursday evening June league in Spinnaker IRC Division on a total of six points, having had a first, second and third placing in three of the four races. Padraig Byrne’s 1720, ‘Zing’, placed second on eight points, and Frank Doyle’s J112,’ Cara’, was third on twelve.

Under ECHO handicap, ‘Cara’ topped the June racing with 5 points, Ria Lyden’s X332 ‘Ellida’ and Padraig Byrne tied in second on ten points. In Whitesails IRC racing, the McJenkins Family topped the league in their S&S 34.’Morning After,’ on six points.

Pat Vaughan’s ‘Aramis,’ a Contessa 33, was second on nine and Kieran O’Brien’s MG335, ‘Magnet,’ third on ten.

Batt O’Leary’s Jeanneau 36i, ‘Sweet Dreams,’ was first in Whitesail ECHO handicap on six points, with Paul O’Shea’s ‘Elegance,’ a Sun Odyssey 36i, second on seven and Aramis third on eight. The Friday evening whitesail league had five races, which were sailed under the club’s own handicap system. Two yachts finished at the top on 14 points – ‘22’ (Danny Rock) and ‘Phaeton’ (Clive Doherty). ‘22’ had one first, so was placed first. Ronan Twomey’s Rosmarina was third on 16 points.

The Royal Cork Yacht Club cancelled its regular Thursday night league racing this week and called members to a meeting instead to discuss an incident between some boats in the racing fleet on the previous week’s Thursday and a tanker entering the harbour.

The Admiral of the RCYC at Crosshaven, Kieran O’Connell, said the action decided upon by the Executive Committee of the club was taken to ensure that the message of safety in racing was clearly understood by all involved and that Skippers of yachts must realise that they are ultimately responsible for their decisions during racing.

Admiral of the RCYC at Crosshaven, Kieran O’Connell Photo: Bob Bateman

There was a big turn-out at the meeting which heard from Cork Harbour Master, Capt. Paul O’Regan and Cork Pilot Tony Mulcahy, who was on the tanker, how tugs accompanying the vessel were used to assist it in reducing speed after several warning sounds made by the tanker when it neared the fleet, which was spread across the shipping channel were not responded to.

A photo from a social media post dated May 19th showing yachts, a ship and an accompanying tug in Cork Harbour Photo: via Facebook

A new system for race control is being agreed by the club with the Port of Cork.

Admiral of the RCYC, Kieran O’Connell, is my Podcast guest this week discussing the incident and the lessons to be learned from it for racing crews and skippers.

Listen to the Podcast below.

The Cruiser Friday Evening May League racing winners at the Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) under (IHS) the club’s In House Handicap series were: 1 – Big Mc, Celine McGrath; 2 – Kerensa, Eugene O’:Loughlin; 3 – Orion, Liam O’Keeffe.

RCYC Offshore Coastal Series

The first Offshore Coastal Series for cruisers at the RCYC raced on Sunday, was won in Spinnaker Class, under both IRC and ECHO handicaps, by Jelly Baby, Jones family; 2 – Alpaca, Paul and Deirdre Tingle; 3, Luas, Sean Hanley. White Sails IRC and ECHO winner, Ellida – Ria Lyden; 2, Magnet, Kieran O’Brien; 3, LabousGwen, Darren O’Keeffe.

This Saturday (June 3), the annual Coolmore Race for Junior Crews of the Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) will provide a great sight down the riverside from Carrigaline to Crosshaven.

The Coolmore Cup is an annual event which attracts a lot of support and will begin with a race briefing for crews at the club’s dinghy centre in Crosshaven at 1545.

This year’s race is being organised by Jim Hughes, who says he wants as many boats on the water as possible. ”If it floats, get it out! The club runs this fun race for its junior and youth sailors, but we would love to see families and friends together on the water. We want to see Mums and Dads (as crews), and we want to encourage the youths to take the helm. It is not all about who comes first; there will be a mix of prizes, from the best turned-out boat, the best-dressed crew, to the youngest helm to mention a few.”

High Tide will be at 1745 hours, and First Gun will be timed accordingly.

Club Admiral Kieran O’Connell and Rear Admiral of Dinghies Maurice Collins will start this year’s race in “an innovative way” - to be outlined at the pre-race briefing!

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney gave the Government's input on the 'Future of Sailing and the Blue Economy' at Royal Cork Yacht Club's annual corporate lunch last Friday.

Working on the theme 'Working together to make it sustainable for all', Coveney addressed a sellout audience at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour.

The Royal Cork Corporate Lunch was a sell-out in Crosshaven Photo: Bob Bateman

The lunch was the first since the inaugural event in 2019 of the oldest yacht club in the world due to the Covid pandemic.

Flag Officers and guests at Royal Cork's Corporate lunch Photo: Bob Bateman 

Royal Cork Admiral, Kieran O’Connell, said, “It was a fantastic opportunity for our corporate partners and members to connect with each other". 

Eoin Gunn of AIB with Daragh Connolly of RCYC and SCORA and Denis Byrne, Chair of RCYC's Marina and Facilities Committee Photo: Bob Bateman

Pat Horgan of AIB and James Fegan of John Paul Construction Photo: Bob Bateman

Guests included local Councillors Audrey Buckley and Paul Murtagh. The Chief Commercial Officer of the Port of Cork, Conor Mowlds, was also part of the speaker panel, along with Royal Cork's Cian O'Brien and south coast sailing club representatives and members of the Irish Sailing Association.

Cllr Audrey Buckley and Annamarie Fegan, the Vice Admiral of Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Guests at the Royal Cork AIB Corporate lunch Photo: Bob Bateman

In a busy year for the Munster Club, RCYC looks forward to a busy season staging both the Topper World Championships and the Quarter Ton Cup in July.