Leaders have made perfect starts to the AIB sponsored Laser National Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club recording four straight wins in all three divisions.

99 boats are competing across the three fleets at Crosshaven in Cork Harbour with locals leading two divisions.

Due to the pandemic, no national championship event was sailed in 2020, with the last nationals being sailed in 2019 in Ballyholme in Northern Ireland.

Eleven Races under London Olympic Race Officer Jack Roy are scheduled. Races 4, 5 and 6 today (Friday) and Saturday Races 7, 8 and 9. Two final races are scheduled on Sunday 22. 

Southerly winds gusting to 30 knots are due later today (with a two-hour postponement already in place this Friday morning) with winds forecast to moderate for both Saturday and Sunday.

If conditions improve on Friday, the plan is to try and get two races in at White Bay just inside Roches Point.

Walsh leads Standard Rigs

Cork Harbour local Nick Walsh leads a 14-boat standard fleet. Royal St. George's Finn Walker from Dun Laoghaire is second on 13 points with another Cork Harbour sailor, Robert Howe in third place a point behind on 14. 

Nick Walsh in the lead in the standard rig Photo: Bob Bateman

Crosbie on form in Radial

The host club has a grip on the biggest fleet of the championships with RCYC youths filling the top three places in the Radial class. Michael Crosbie leads on four points from Jonathan O'Shaughnessy on 11 points. Third is Harry Pritchard on 16.

Michael Crosbie leads the Radials Photo: Bob Bateman

Wright at top of 4.7s

After some intense competition at Dun Laoghaire Harbour during last week's 4.7 Youth World Championships on Dublin Bay, a 35-boat fleet is back on the water again and led by Howth Yacht Club's Rocco Wright on 4 points from Royal Cork's Oisin Mac Sweeney on nine.  Wright's clubmate Luke Turvey is third on 11.0

Howth Yacht Club's Rocco Wright Photo: Bob Bateman

Racing continues at Royal Cork today

Overall results are here

RCYC Laser Nationals Day One Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman

ZeroDark, the big black high-speed RIB driven by Royal Cork member John Ryan, broke his own existing Cork Fastnet Cork speed record in a time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 7 seconds (Subject to ratification by UIM) yesterday.

The previous record of 2 hours 6 minutes and 47 seconds was set by Ryan when he was team principal of All Black Racing in 2018 as Afloat reported here.

This week, as regular Afloat readers will know, the boat had been turning heads on test runs with its impressive speed around Cork Harbour.

Speaking after the record run, John said “we were delighted to be able to break the existing record and while conditions proved challenging in the latter stages I am really pleased how the boat handled the conditions”. He also paid tribute to his navigator on the day, Ciaran Monks, no stranger to high-speed craft.

(Above and below) The Zerodark RIB team prepare for the record at RCYC marina

Fastnet Rock - the halfway point on a perfect evening for a high speed Rib run

Ryan told Afloat his top speed during the run was 83 knots, but that he lost navigation and all instruments due to an electrical issue after ten minutes from start so the run was by compass only with no trim or engine management. The average speed was 65 knots.

The record time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and 7 seconds is subject to ratification by UIM record keepers

Colin Morehead, Admiral of the Royal Cork who was assisting the record bid commented – It is great to see John, a member of our club achieving such results today. The yacht club has a strong motor history and it is wonderful to see John and his team perform so admirably today. It was my pleasure to provide him with a special five-gun salute on their victorious return to the yacht club marina this evening”

(above and below) Record breakers - celebrating at Royal Cork Yacht Club marina after the record time was set, John Ryan (right)and Colin Morehead (second from right) and the Zerodark team Photo: Bob Bateman

ZeroDark was built by Ophardt Maritim in Duisburg, Germany and she arrived by road earlier this week. Designed by Andrew Lee of Norson Design specifically for the German Special Forces as a craft to be utilized for high-speed covert operations.

She has an aluminium hull and is the fastest of its type in the world and can reach speeds in excess of 85 knots.

 Ryan says Zerodark will be attempting further records in near future.

Zerodark Cork-Fastnet-Cork Record Run Photo Gallery

A strong fleet of over 100 boats is expected to contest the 2021 Laser National championships which start on Thursday, 19th August at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

The ILCA 6 (Radial) fleet has attracted over 50 registrations, with 35 signed up in the ILCA 4 fleet and around 20 in the ILCA 7 (standard) fleet.

The Cork Harbour event immediately follows the Laser 4.7 (ILCA 4) Youth World Championships on Dublin Bay last week. 

Due to the pandemic, no national championship event was sailed in 2020, with the last nationals being sailed in 2019 in Ballyholme in Northern Ireland.

Michael Crosbie, who won in the ILCA 4 fleet in 2019 has moved up to the ILCA 6 fleet and will be looking to make his mark this year. Recent experience at international events will stand him in good stead.

In 2019, Ellie Cunnane placed 2nd female in the ILCA 6 fleet and after two years of intensive training and international racing, her eyes are on the podium this week.

Event registration will be on Wednesday 18th August between 15:00 and 18:00 and Thursday 19th between 09:00 and 10:30.

The sailors briefing will be done virtually via zoom, with the link available on the RCYC website. The first race is scheduled for Thursday 19th August at midday, with start times one hour earlier at 11:00 am on the subsequent three days.

1720 sportsboat champion Robert O'Leary and the Dutch Gold crew from West Cork successfully defended their national title today with a domination of the 20-boat sportsboat fleet in Cork Harbour.

O'Leary took five wins from six starts and did not need to sail the final race this afternoon at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Baltimore Sailing Club clubmate Fionn Lyden sailing Spiced Beef finished second overall on 25 points, some 13 points behind O'Leary.

Howth's Dan O'Grady took third place on 30 points sailing Wet & Black.

The impressive sportsboat fleet was made up largely of south cost boats; five from Baltimore, five from Waterford Harbour, eight from Royal Cork and two from the east coast at Howth. 

The event serves as a useful warm-up for the fleet's Europeans Championships on 23rd September at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club.

Howth's Dan O'Grady took third place on 30 points sailing Wet & Black Photo: Bob Bateman

For a 1720 day one photo gallery click here. See the day three gallery below.

Results are here

Day 3 1720 National Championships Photo Gallery By Bateman below

Jerry Dowling's SB20 from the Royal Irish Yacht Club leads a nine-boat class Southern Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club from Aidan McSweeney's host club entry, Gold Digger. 

Four of the sportsboats have travelled from Dun Laoghaire Harbour (the venue for the 2022 World Championships) and two from Lough Ree for the weekend event in Cork Harbour, but the top boat Ted skippered by Michael O'Connor is not competing.

In third place is Dowling's clubmates, Colin Galavan and Richard Hayes in Carpe Diem.

Racing continues today.

Results are here

Defending 1720 sportsboat champion Robert O'Leary and the Dutch Gold crew from West Cork are stamping their authority on a 20-boat National Championship fleet after five races sailed at Royal Cork Yacht Club.

After one discard, O'Leary has built on his day one lead and sits on four nett points, 11 points clear of Baltimore Sailing Club clubmate Fionn Lyden sailing Spiced Beef on 15 points.

Howth's Ross McDonald in RopeDoc Atara is on the same points in third place. 

The impressive sportsboat fleet is made up largely of south cost boats; five from Baltimore, five from Waterford Harbour, eight from Royal Cork and two from the east coast at Howth. 

Racing continues in Cork Harbour today. For a 1720 Day One photo gallery click here

Results are here

Two race wins put Robert O'Leary top of the 20-boat 1720 National Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club after two races sailed in Cork Harbour.

Westerly winds of 18 to 20 knots got the championships off to a great start even though it took three attempts to get the fleet started on the first race.

Racing was held on the Harbour's eastern bank, the ebb tide from East Ferry pushing the fleet up to the startline.

Lying second overall is the recent winner of the East coast Championships, Ross McDonald's Atara from Howth Yacht Club who counts a 3 and a 5.

Third is Baltimore Sailing Club entry Livewire on nine points.

Racing continues tomorrow when the 1720s will be joined by the SB20s who race for southern championship honours.

Results are here

Day One 1720 National Championships Photo Gallery 

The Royal Cork Yacht Club will hold its deferred Tricentenary Regatta on the last weekend of this month – Saturday and Sunday, August 28 and 29.

It will start with a parade of sail and motor off Haulbowline Island on Saturday, which was the first location of the Waterboys Club of Cork in 1720, from which the present RCYC evolved to become the oldest yacht club in the world.

Original Tricentenary plans had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic. Special trophies have been commissioned for the Regatta. "As always, the At Home' is open to members of visiting clubs," says the RCYC.

Sailing programme:

Saturday
11.00 hrs – Tricentenary At Home Regatta Parade of Motor & Sail at Haulbowline
12:15– Keelboat FG at Haulbowline
12.55 – Dinghies FG. Including National 18's, Oppies, Toppers, Lasers and mixed dinghies

Sunday
10.55 – Keelboats & Dinghies
15.30hrs – Parents' Optimist Race

Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven

Onshore and social events include Crab fishing for young children, a Tug-o-War, the traditional Admirals' Boules and a barbecue.

"Our Keelboats & Keelboat sailors have been doing a wonderful job representing the club both nationally and abroad in August. It is great to see so many boats and RCYC members competing at the top end of fleets in many competitions," said Rear Admiral Keelboats Daragh Connolly in a message to club members.

There is a hectic weekend ahead in Cork Harbour with four events scheduled.

Cobh People's Regatta, the 1720 National Championships, the SB20 Southerns and the National 18's Lowflo Trophy are to be sailed.

Cobh People's Regatta will be held at Cove Sailing Club with racing for cruisers and dinghies. The packed schedule includes a commemorative event for the revived Rankin dinghy fleet on Saturday, for which the First Gun is at 1245.

Cruisers racing for the Titanic Trophy on Friday night are the first regatta event, with First Gun at 7 p.m. The Rankin dinghies will begin the racing on Saturday with their commemorative event for the Rankin Brothers Cup.

This will be followed by the Optimist Spit Bank Challenge starting at 1300 and followed by the Fast Dinghies fleet racing at 1330 and the Lower Handicap Dinghies at 1400. Cruiser Racing involving other harbour clubs will be on Sunday, with First Gun at 1330.

National 18's are racing for the Lowflo Trophy at Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

As Afloat reported previously, the 1720 National Championships, organised by the RCYC and the Sportsboat Class Association, start this Friday afternoon with two races. Four are scheduled for Saturday and three on Sunday.

The SB20s, also to be raced out of the Crosshaven club, have three races planned for Saturday and the same number on Sunday.

Colin Galavan and Richard Hayes from the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire are sailing their SB20 Carpe Diem in the Southern class Championships at Royal Cork

Fiona Young and crew, sailing the Albin Express North Star, won the Thursday evening July league at the Royal Cork in both spinnaker divisions – IRC and ECHO in Cork Harbour.

Kieran O'Brien's Magnet MG 335 won white sails in IRC and Prince of Tides, the Grand Soleil of Frank Caul and John Molloy won ECHO.

Second in spinnakers, IRC was the J109 Jelly Baby (Jones Family), and third Don't Dilly Dally (Michael McCann).

In ECHO Spin division, Richard Leonard's Bolero, Bandit, was second and Cara (Frank Doyle) third. Prince of Tides was second in IRC white sails and Tom McNiece's Minx third. Esme (John and Fiona Murphy) was second in ECHO white sails and Paul O'Shea's Elegance third.

Don't Dilly Dally (Michael McCann) was third in IRC in July's Royal Cork League in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman

The Friday night club IHS July league was won by Peter Webster's Thistle with Kieran O'Brien second in Magnet and Celine McGrath's Big Mc third.

North Star also won the RCYC Sunday morning July league in IRC Spin and ECHO. Scribbler (Tom and Cormac MacSweeney) won both in white sails.

J109 Jelly Baby (Jones Family) Photo: Bob Bateman

Kieran O'Brien's Magnet Photo: Bob Bateman