Defending Champion Ross McDonald of Howth Yacht Club is back on top at the 1720 European Championships being raced as part of the 2023 Simply Blue Sovereign's Cup off Kinsale.
After six races light air races sailed, the Atara crew drawn from Howth and Royal Cork in Crosshaven are on 12 points, one point ahead of Wednesday's overnight leader Julian Hughes of Waterford Harbour Sailing Club.
Eight points further back, in third place, is Baltimore Sailing Club's Fionn Lyden on 21.
Team Atara showed a return to their 2022 form as they notched up two bullets and a fifth place to seize the overall lead. The Waterford Harbour team on Root 1 are now a point behind Atara overall, but with a solitary second, their best result today and an OCS in Race 6 (that they were able to discard), they will be hoping for a return to their day one form tomorrow.
The scoring spreads a little from then on, but Baltimore’s Fionn Lyden on Spiced Beef has now moved into third place overall with a steady string of top six finishes (excluding their discard!) Slipping to fourth overall is After Headcase, who had a challenging day with a tenth, twelfth and an OCS that they fortunately were able to discard. Father and Son Anthony and Robert O’Leary lie in fifth and sixth overall respectively with Antix representing Royal Cork Yacht Club delivering a solid third, second and a fifth today after their dramas yesterday. Robert on Dutch Courage had an uncharacteristic 18th in Race 5, which he’ll be happy to have discarded.
Anthony O'Leary's Antix from Royal Cork is lying fifth at the 1720 Europeans at Kinsale Photo: Bob Bateman
Racing today was delayed by almost an hour as the forecast southerly breeze hadn’t filled in. The Race Management team held off until a steady breeze from 180 degrees had filled in and then got Race 4 of the series underway. The wind had veered to 210 degrees before the day's second race could get underway, necessitating a realignment of the start line and top marks. By the time Race 6 got underway, the breeze was topping 15 knots, and this may have contributed to three boats being scored OCS in Race 6. There was also some feisty jockeying for positions at the top mark on the first rounding, but thankfully no swimmers today.
Tomorrow, the forecast is for extensive cloud cover, some heavy showers and winds touching 20 knots, which may throw up some new results after what have been two light days of sun‑drenched racing so far. OD Ciarán McSweeney and his team are scheduled to get racing underway at 10:55 for another three races.
Julian Hughes of Waterford Harbour Sailing Club has lost his early overall lead but only by a single point and stays second in the 24-boat fleet Photo Bob Bateman
This is the 15th edition of the biennial regatta, which has attracted 90 entries across all divisions and runs from 21st to 24th June and this year incorporates the 1720 European sportsboat Championships.
1720 Euros - Day Two Photo Gallery from Kinsale by Bob Bateman
Results below
