July's Half Ton Classics Cup due to be held a week before Cowes Week – at the same venue – has been cancelled.
The news will be disappointing but not unexpected in this COVID-19 hit season among the burgeoning Dublin fleet based largely at Howth.
Up to five Half Tonners have created a lively scene at Howth Yacht Club over the past few seasons with Dave Cullen's Checkmate XV, the Wright's Mata, Johnny Swan's Harmony, Dave Kelly's King One and Nigel Biggs Checkmate XVIII all very competitive campaigns. The Irish fleet is boosted by Cork Harbour's Miss Whiplash (Ronan Downing).
With no UK tour, the plan now is for the Irish Half Tonner fleet to focus instead on local regatta circuits as soon as all restrictive measures are lifted. Dave Cullen is planning to unite the local fleet for Howth's Wave Regatta this September that includes the ICRA National Championships.
In Belgium, the locaiton of another strong fleet, the Half Tonner calendar will concentrate around some local regattas in Nieuwpoort and the mid-September event in Ostend.
The next Half Ton Classics Cup will be in 2021 again at Cowes from 19-23 July.