Fifty years after France's legendary Eric Tabarly was winning "just about everything" with his 60ft alloy ketch Pen Duick VI, his daughter Marie is "99% certain" to race the boat in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race 2022 from Wicklow on June 18th.

Ireland meant a lot to Eric Tabarly. Forty-eight years ago, in 1974, he campaigned Pen Duick VI in the RORC Cowes-Cork Race. Started in a near-gale from the southwest, it was a windward slugging festival for most of the way, and though the breeze eased towards te end, by that time Pen Duick VI was in Crosshaven, line honours winner and soon overall winner as well.

With time in hand, Tabarly was able to make a personal pilgrimage in Cork Harbour, up to Carrigaloe. There, in 1898, the first Pen Duick, a 43ft Fife-designed cutter and his favourite boat of all, was built alongside boats of the new Cork Harbour One Design Class.

The first Pen Duick - a 43ft Fife cutter built in Cork Harbour in 1898 - was Eric Tabarly's favourite boat