John Horgan won the Rankin Brothers Cup at Cobh People's Regatta on Saturday (15 August), producing two second places in light airs to take the overall prize in the traditional Cork Harbour clinker-built fleet.
Horgan, sailing TR2, counted a pair of seconds for four points from the two-race series organised by Cove Sailing Club.
Dan O'Regan in R14 and Richard Marshall in R30 both finished on eight points, with O'Regan taking second overall after scoring fifth and third, while Marshall's third and fifth left him third.
Losty and Crosbie Take Race Wins
Race officer Dominic Losty got the opening Rankin race away at 11.11 am in a northerly breeze recorded at between one and eight knots.
Ewan Losty in R13 took the first gun, ahead of Horgan's TR2, with Marshall third in R30.
The breeze had moved into the north-west and was recorded at two to six knots when the second race started at 12.50 pm.
This time Sophie Crosbie in R10 took the victory, with Horgan again second and O'Regan third.
Horgan's consistency was enough to give him the Rankin Brothers Cup without a race win, while Losty finished fourth overall on nine points and Crosbie fifth on 11.
Clinker classic: A traditional Rankin crew at work during Saturday's Cobh People's Regatta racing in Cork Harbour. Photo: Robert Bateman
LeDonne Wins Class 1 Dinghies
Two races were also completed for the regatta's Class 1 Dinghies, with the first start at 11.03 am in the same light northerly conditions.
LeDonne, sailing 216579GLD, won the opening race on corrected time and followed with a second to win the class overall on three points.
George Radley recovered from fourth in the first race to win Race Two and finish second overall on five points.
Colm O'Driscoll took third overall on six points after scores of second and fourth. Cai Morgan also finished on six points, recording two third places, and was placed fourth overall.
Coole Edges O'Connor in Class 2
Class 2 Dinghies produced a particularly close overall contest between Harry Coole and Jenny O'Connor.
Harry O'Mahony won the opening race, with O'Connor second and Coole third.
Coole then won Race Two to finish on four points, tied with O'Connor, whose pair of second places also gave her four points. Coole took the overall class victory, with O'Connor second and O'Mahony third on seven points.
Harbour mix: Rankins and dinghies share the racecourse off Cobh during the People's Regatta, with a cruise ship providing the Cork Harbour backdrop. Photo: Robert Bateman
The two-race programme was completed despite the light and shifting conditions, with the breeze moving from north to north-west during the morning and early afternoon.
