Robert O'Leary will be going for a hat-trick of 2020 1720 sportsboats victories later this month but not as originally scheduled, as the 1720 National Championships moves venue from Baltimore Sailing Club in West Cork to Monkstown Bay Sailing Club in Cork Harbour.
O'Leary won the 2020 Baltimore Cup a month ago and in the last weekend of August he won the Southern Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club, so he and his Dutch Gold crew will quite rightly see the defence of the 1720 title as a crowning glory of the 2020 season.
However, he won't have it all his own way with a potent Ross McDonald crew of Howth biting at his heels. McDonald lost on countback at the Cup and was tied on points overnight after day one of the Southerns.
In a notice to competitors issued this month, Baltimore's Committee told competitors that 'after reviewing the current government guidelines and seeking guidance from the local businesses in Baltimore, we as a committee feel that we cannot provide the same level of racing and entertainment as experienced in the Baltimore Cup this year'.
1720s return to Cork Harbour on September 25th Photo: Bob Bateman
The West Cork club hopes to welcome the fleet back to Baltimore in 2021.
After discussions with Monkstown Bay Sailing Club, the 1720s have agreed to run the event in Cork Harbour on the same dates - 25th, 26th, 27th September 2020.
It will be a combined effort between the two clubs as both are of the opinion that the event should not be cancelled this year provided it can run it in line with the Covid-19 government guidelines.
It is the intention to launch, berth and recover boats in the Crosshaven River, with the primary race area being South East of the Harbour.
