Five weeks of racing produced comprehensive winners in all four IRC divisions of Royal Cork Yacht Club's 2023 Autumn League sponsored by AIB, but points were tight for the rest of the podium, with second and third places in both IRC One and Two spinnaker divisions decided by tie breaks.

Downwind in Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

In an unusual edition, the traditionally breezy Cork Harbour series offered five weeks of only light winds to the extent that there was no final day's racing on October 29th due to a lack of breeze.

With five wins from six races, David Dwyer's Farr Half Tonner, Swuzzlebubble, won the IRC One Spinnaker Division by nine clear points in the nine-boat fleet. Annamarie and Denis Murphy's Grand Soliel 40 Nieulargo took second, and Brian Jones' J122 Jelly Baby was third, finishing on an equal 14 points.

Dave Dwyer's Half tonner Swuzzlebubble (leading the fleet to the green buoy) won the Spinnaker One Fleet of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League. Pictured (below) left to right are Pat Horgan of sponsors AIB, James Dwyer, Brian Heneghan, Dave Dwyer, Conor Horgan and (front row) Johnny McCann and Oisin MacSweeney and Vice Admiral of RCYC Annamarie Fegan Photos: Bob Bateman

With four wins from six races, Conor Phelan's Quarter-Tonner Anchor Challenge, in an eight-boat IRC Two Spinnaker division, had a ten-point win margin. Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star, who, despite counting two 'DNCs' for the first two races of the league, took second overall ahead of Stephen Lysaght's Elan 333 Reavra Too in third, both on 16 points.

The "Anchor Challenge " Quarter Ton crew (above and below) winners of IRC Spinnaker Two Division of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League Photo: Bob Bateman

In White Sails One IRC Dan Murphy's X-99 Anteex won by two points from Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet on ten points. Third place was taken by Ronan Twomey's First 40.7, Rosmarina

Dan Murphy's X-99 Anteex was the White Sails One IRC winner of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League Photo: Bob Bateman

In White Sails Two IRC, Alan Mulcahy's Albin Express Apache won by six points from Sean Hanley's HB 31 Luas on 11 points. The Impala Fast Buck was third. 

Alan Mulcahy, skipper of Apache and crew, with Pat Horgan AIB and Vice Admiral Annamarie Fegan, won the IRC Two White Sails Fleet of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League Photo: Bob Bateman

In a five-boat 1720 sportsboat fleet, national champion David Kenefick took four wins to win overall from Young Offenders (Walsh / Brownlow). Third was Padraig Byrne's Zing. 

Full results in all classes below.

David Kenefick's full Irish was the winner of the 1720s at Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League  Photo: Bob Bateman

Royal Cork Yacht Club's 2023 Autumn League Prizegiving Photo Gallery 

Anchor Challenge, Conor Phelan's Quarter-Tonner, won the first two races of the Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 in the 17-boat IRC Spinnaker division on Sunday.

The vintage yacht beat Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally, which secured second overall with a four and a two, while David Dwyer's Farr Half Tonner, Swuzzlebubble, is lying third.

Despite the previous week's bad weather, favourable 'summer' weather prevailed on October 1st for an auspicious start to the 2023 league off Cork Harbour.

Two wins from two is a good start to the Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League 2023 for Conor Phelan's Quarter-Tonner, Anchor Challenge Photo: Bob Bateman

David Dwyer's Farr Half Tonner, Swuzzlebubble (closest to camera) and Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally go downwind off Roches Point in the first day of racing of Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

Race Officers, Anthony and Sally O'Leary, managed the race course well to make the best of the variable light winds and an ebb tide that meant the first race was shortened to one round with a mark laid off the Dutchman Rocks off Fennells Bay.

Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League Race Officers, Anthony and Sally O'Leary Photo: Bob Bateman

The compact size of the 2023 fleet still has some notable visitors, including the J109, Tighey Boy skippered by Tony O'Brien from Schull in West Cork and Dunmore East regular, David Marchant in his Sigma 33, Flyover.

The courses for the first race of Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

A startline of the first races of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 off Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

The second race saw the weather mark positioned more to the east, with about 10 knots of wind.

The only setback for the 33-boat fleet was waiting for lower-rated whitesail boats to finish to get the second race underway for the spinnaker fleet.

(Above and below) Despite the light winds there was a good swell at the mouth of Cork Harbour for the first races of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

(Above and below) Despite the light winds there was a good swell at the mouth of Cork Harbour for the first races of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

Alan Mulcahy from Kinsale Yacht Club leads the 16-boat IRC White Sail division with two wins in the Albin Express Apache, while Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet is in second place, and Aidan Heffernan's Dufour 36, Indulgence, is in third place.

Alan Mulcahy from Kinsale Yacht Club leads the 16-boat IRC White Sail division with two wins in the Albin Express Apache in the first races of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet is in second place in the IRC White Sail division of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

Aidan Heffernan's Dufour 36, Indulgence, is in third place in the IRC White Sail division of Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

Results in all divisions below 

Royal Cork Yacht Club's Autumn League 2023 Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

Howth Yacht Club’s staple Autumn League series has been off to a rough start this year, with two of the first three race days — half of the six-week schedule — cancelled due to poor weather.

But week two was a chance for many of the 82 entrants to battle it out as Principal Race Officer David Lovegrove maximised everyone’s time on the water.

Southerly winds between 20 and 16 knots greeted Class 1, whose race was won in convincing style by Checkmate (Dave Cullen and Nigel Bigg). Class 2 saw a similarly confident performance by Mojo (Pat O’Neill).

A stronger breeze kept some of Class 3 from taking to the start, with only eight boats making start line, and it was a tighter contest for first with Insider (Stephen Mullaney) followed closely by Alliance II (Vincent Gaffney) and Gecko (Kevin Darmody).

The HYC website has much more on last Saturday’s racing from open events chair Jill Sommerville HERE.

The Royal Cork's Autumn League will start on Sunday, October 1 and continue for four further Sundays to the end of the month.

Eight races are planned over the five Sundays, varying between one and two on different days.

The Notice of Race has been published.

It is an Open event for all RCYC and visiting keelboats. An Entry form must be completed online before the first race through the club's website.

Division of Classes will be decided by the Race committee. Results will be in IRC and or ECHO.

The racing schedule is:

• Sunday, 1st October: two races with the first gun planned for 1125.
• 8th October: One race FG 1125
• 15th October: Two races 1125 FG
• 22nd October: One race 1125 FG
• Sunday 29th October: Two races 1125 FG

This schedule may change during the series.

A low-point scoring system will apply. One discard to apply if four or more races are completed.

With the forecast showing the makings of an Indian summer, Howth Yacht Club is looking forward to decent weather for the start of its Autumn League in just two weeks’ time on Saturday 16 September.

While Howth’s keelboats are understandably focusing their attention on next week’s ICRA Nationals, the club is encouraging boats to join Checkmate XX — recently the overall winner in the offshore fleet at the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta — and others in the Autumn League as soon as possible so the class bands can be sorted ahead of the first race.

Keelboat crews can read the Notice of Race and sign up on the HYC website HERE.

This year’s Autumn League runs over six Saturdays from 16 September to 21 October: six individual race days with first gun at 1400 (except for the final race on 21 October with first gun at 1300).

With the rugby on most Saturdays, there will be a lively après-sail scene at the clubhouse where the bar will have weekly drink specials.

And the opening weekend will be a something of a double header, with the rescheduled Gibney Classic, previously set for early August, confirmed for Sunday 17 September. Online registration, the Notice of Race and entry list are on the HYC website.

A final race win in Sunday's last races of the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club produced an overall IRC One Spinnaker division win for the Jones family in their J122 Jelly Baby.

In the end, the Brian Jones-led crew beat one-time league leader Eric and Wan Waterman's X37 Saxon Senator by a single point, with the Jones's concluding the seven-race, one discard series on 13 points.

It was a much happier conclusion to the league for the Jones family in their new J122 compared to the unfortunate end of the 2021 league.

The Jones family J122 Jelly Baby crew in winning form in the final race of the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Third, on 18.5 points, was Annamarie and Denis Murphy's Grand Soliel 40 Nieulargo in the nine-boat fleet.

The Jones family J122 Jelly Baby crew are presented with the Rose Trophy by Eoin Dunne of sponsors AIB Bank for their overall IRC One Spinnaker win in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Yesterday's final two races on Cork Harbour had everything from thunderstorms, showers, rainbows, a medical emergency and several protests.

The 1720 RCYC Race officer team headed up Barry Rose (left) for the final day's racing of the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Yet again, a determined Race Officer could get two races off in a southwesterly breeze against a  four-metre tide. This was done by bringing the start closer to the no. 14 buoy and laying a mark on the eastern bank.

A Cork Harbour rainbow embraces the fleet in the final day's racing of the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Class Two win for Etchell's Don't Dilly Dally

Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally races downwind to an overall win in IRC Two Spinnaker division in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

In Class Two IRC Spinnaker division, Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally continued to move closer to overall leader Dave and James Dwyer Swuzzelbubble and overtook the Half Tonner with a 1,2 on the final day and clinch the vintage Half Ton Cup 1976 Trophy for Class two honours by three points. Third in IRC Two was Kieran Collins's Olson 30 Coracle IV in a seven-boat fleet.

Michael McCann (right), skipper of the Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally with the vintage Half Ton Cup 1976 Trophy for his win IRC Two Spinnaker win in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman 

Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge takes Class Three

Conor Phelan's Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge in the final day of racing at the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

On 24 nett points, Conor Phelan's Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge won the IRC Three Spinnaker division by four points from Fiona Young's Albin Express, North Star. The Garvey/Kelleher partnership's Quarter Tonner Diamond on 30 points, was in third place.

Skipper Conor Phelan (holding trophy) and the victorious Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge crew with the Kermese Cup for their overall IRC Three Spinnaker division win in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Indulgence Overhauls Magnet in White Sails One 

Aidan Heffernan's Dufour 36 Indulgence was the White Sails One IRC Division winner in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Series leader Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet was deposed on the final day of racing in White Sails One IRC Division by Aidan Heffernan's Dufour 36 Indulgence. Heffernan took the O'Donovan Trophy by two points, winning both of the final day's races. RCYC clubmates Frank Caul and John Molloy's Grand Soliel 37B Prince of Tides were third.

Big Mc Makes her move in White Sails Two

McGrath Family's Dehler 34 Big Mc in the final day of racing at the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

There was a change too, in the White Sails Two division when the McGrath Family's Dehler 34 Big Mc overtook Alan Mulcahy's Albin Express Apache from Kinsale to win overall by a single point. Pat Vaughan's Contessa 33 Aramis was third. Ten competed.

The McGrath Family were presented with the Corn Ui Miathhuna Cup for their White Sails Two IRC division win in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

T-Bone Takes 1720 Class win

1720 sportsboats race downwind in the final day of racing in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

On 22 points, Tom Durcan/Clive O'Shea were the winners of the eight-boat 1720 fleet in T-Bone by four points. The second was Gary Rhodes in Heroes & Villans on 26. The third was Padraig Byrne in Zing on 28.

Alex Barry (left) and Clive O'Shea (right), winners of the 1720 sportsboat division in the AIB Autumn League at the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

Full results in all classes are below along with photo galleries from the RCYC race course and prizegiving

RCYC Autumn League 2022 Final Day Racing Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman

RCYC Autumn League 2022 Prizegiving Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman

Wind against the tide for the first part of Sunday's Royal Cork Yacht Club AIB Autumn League meant that when combined with the lumpy sea conditions left over from Saturday's gale, there was difficult light to medium conditions for the RCYC fleets in Cork Harbour over yesterday's two races with at least one well-known local boat going aground.

After five league races now sailed and one discard applied, there is a new leader in IRC Spinnaker Division One according to the results that are still provisional, given reports of a number of boats are to be disqualified for premature starting.

The wind dropped in Cork Harbour to the extent there was difficulty in trying to get the second race going at Royal Cork Yacht Club 2022 Autumn League Photo: Bob Bateman

Watermans take Class IRC One lead

Eric and Wan Waterman's X37 Saxon Senator took a win in the fourth race of the Royal Cork Yacht Club 2022 Autumn League in Cork Harbour to become overall leaders Photo: Bob Bateman

Scoring a 1,4, Eric and Wan Waterman's X37 Saxon Senator of the host club have overhauled one-time leader Kinsale visitor Finbarr O'Regan in his J/109 Artful Dodger to top Class One. The Waterman brothers are on eight points, with the Jones Family J122 JellyBaby now in second on ten. O'Regan has dropped to third on 11.5 points in the nine-boat fleet.

The Jones Family J122 JellyBaby is now second overall at the Royal Cork Yacht Club 2022 Autumn League in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Tony O'Brien's J109 Tighey Boy from Schull Harbour Sailing Club took a third in the fourth race of the Royal Cork Yacht Club 2022 Autumn League in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman 

Half-Tonner Swuzzelbubble Top in Class Two

Quarter Tonner Illegal (Dorgan Losty Marshall from Cove Sailing Club and Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally negotiate a mark in race four of the Royal Cork Yacht Club 2022 Autumn League in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Although Swuzzelbubble (Dave and James Dwyer) continues to lead overall in IRC Spinnaker Two division. The Half Tonner scored fourth in the opening race, which means Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally is moving closer to Swuzzelbubble overall. The Dwyers count six points so far, with McCann on seven in second, enough to overtake Conor Phelan's Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge in third on ten in the 12-boat fleet.

Magnet in Front of IRC WS 1 Division

Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet continues to lead IRC WS 1 Division at Royal Cork Yacht Club 2022 Autumn League in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

There is no change at the top of IRC One White Sails division, Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet scored a one and a two to be on five points, to lead Aidan Heffernan's Dufour 36 Indulgence on seven. RCYC clubmates Frank Caul and John Molloy's Grand Soliel 37B Prince of Tides are now third on nine points.

Albin Express Apache is IRC WS 2 Division Leader

Alan Mulcahy's Albin Express Apache from Kinsale leads IRC WS 2 of the Royal Cork Yacht Club 2022 Autumn League in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

Alan Mulcahy's Albin Express Apache from Kinsale leads on six points in IRC WS 2 Division from the McGrath Family's Dehler 34 Big Mc. Pat Vaughan's Contessa 33 Aramis is third. Ten are competing.

Scroll down for (provisional) overall results. 

Racing continues next Sunday.

Bob Bateman's Photo Gallery of the third race of the AIB Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League in Cork Harbour

The Autumn League will start at the Royal Cork Yacht Club on Sunday, continuing until the month's end.

Racing is for Spinnaker, WhiteSail and 1720 classes in Cork Harbour. The event is sponsored by AIB this year.

The club says, "following Skipper requests, the racing will mix windward/leeward laid courses with some longer coastal races.” 

This will mean two races on three Sundays, October 2,16 and 30, with one scheduled on October 9 and 23.

First Gun on all days at 11.25 a.m. It is an open event.

1720 sportsboats in Cork Harbour Autumn League racing mode Photo: Bob Bateman

After a dramatic conclusion to the final day of Royal Cork's AIB Autumn League where racing in all classes was abandoned and one yacht went aground in Cork Harbour, prizes were presented at the Crosshaven clubhouse based on overall results after six races sailed.

In the three boat IRC SPIN 0 Division, Conor Phelan's, Ker 37 Jump Juice won overall but shared the same seven points as Annamarie and Denis Murphy's Grand Soliel 40 Nieulargo.

Jump Juice were winners in both IRC and Club Echo Class 0. The prize is collected by long time Jump crewman John Sisk. Barry Rose (left) presents the Rose Trophy for the best IRC performance Photo: Bob Bateman

Molly Murphy collects the prize for Nieulargo (Denis Murphy and Annamarie Fegan) IRC spin 0 winner and second in Club Echo Photo: Bob Bateman

In the seven boat IRC SPIN 1 division, Kieran Collins Olson 30 Coracle IV emerged with a one-point margin after six races sailed over the Jones Family J.109 Jelly Baby that went aground and was successfully recovered. Third was the Kinsale sistership Artful Dodjer skippered by Finbarr O'Regan.

Kieran Collins sailing Coracle, was first in IRC Spi 1 and third in Echo Spi 1 Photo: Bob Bateman

Artful Dodjer was third in IRC spin 1 and second in Club Echo. The prize was received by Nieulargo skipper Denis Murphy for Finbarr O'Regan Photo: Bob Bateman

Dave Lane's J24 YaGottaWanna won overall on ten points in the nine boat SPIN 2 IRC division from Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star on 13 points. The Tony Donworth Quarter Tonner SuperNova is third on 14 points. Lane's performance gave him the overall win of the  AIB Series.

J/24 Ya Gotta Wanna (Dave Lane) was the overall winner of the AIB Autumn Series and won both IRC Spin 2 and Club Echo divisions Photo: Bob Bateman

Tony Donworth's Supernova was second in IRC Two and Echo Two Photo: Bob Bateman

Ritchie Leonard was third in IRC Spin 2 division Photo: Bob Bateman

Chris Bateman (centre) pictured the J/24 Under 25 team Photo: Bob Bateman

Michael McCann's Etchells 22 Don't Dilly Dally of the Sportsboats class Photo: Bob Bateman

Frank Caul and John Molloy sailing Prince of Tides were Echo WS1 division winners Photo: Bob Bateman

Roy Hanan, Pat Barrett sailing Plumbat were Echo WS2 division winners Photo: Bob Bateman

Kieran O'Brien's Magnet was the IRC WS2 winner Photo: Bob Bateman

Competitors in today's AIB Autumn Series in the Royal Cork Yacht Club enjoyed light northerly breezes and summer-like conditions.

All fleets sailed coastal courses off Cork Harbour under the watchful eye of race officer Ross Deasy. 

Kieran Collins Coracle IV of the host club continues to lead the IRC Spinnaker 1 Division. 

Class 0, 1 and Sports boats headed all the way south to Cork Buoy for their first mark, followed by Harp, Ringabella and beat to finish off White Bay. 

Race officer Ross Deasy

The Olson 30 made the most of the light winds to stay ahead of Brian Jones' J/109 Jelly Baby after four races sailed. 

Third in the seven boat fleet overall is Kinsale visitor, Finbarr O'Regan's J109 Artful Dodjer.

Conor Phelan's Ker 37 Jump Juice

In a three boat IRC Zero division, the Grand Soleil 40, Nieulargo (Denis and Annamarie Murphy) leads on five points from Conor Phelan's Ker 37 Jump Juice on seven. Eric & Wan Waterman's X37 Saxon Senator is third.

Class 2, 3 and non-spinnaker started their coastal race at Cage and sailed to Harp, Ringabella, No.14 off the refinery, back to Roches Point, and finished at White Bay.

Dave Lane's J/24 YaGottaWanna

There's only a point between the top three in nine boat IRC 2 Spinnaker division. Dave Lane's J/24 YaGottaWanna leads on six points from today's race winner Fiona Young's Albin Express North Star on seven. Tony Donworth's Quarter Tonner SuperNova is third on eight points.

In the dayboat IRC division, the race winning 1720 Heroes & Villans leads from Michael McCann's Etchell Don't Dilly Dally but the pair are drawn on four points each. Third is Billy Campion's 1720 Wight Hare.

Michael McCann's Etchell Don't Dilly Dally

In the biggest division of the league, the White Sails ECHO Division 2, with 12 entries, Conor Hanlon's Sun Odyssey Lapwing leads from John O'Connor's Impala Fast Buck. Third is Mike Rider's Dehler 37 Freya.

The RCYC Autumn League White Sails division

Sailors were met by a live band and food in the club on arrival ashore at Crosshaven.

Racing continues next Sunday with the penultimate races.

Results are here

Day Three AIB Autumn League RCYC Photo Gallery By Bob Bateman