The AIB RCYC Tricentenary At Home Regatta was held at the weekend in fantastic sunshine and followed the Taoiseach's salute to 300 years of sailing in Cork Harbour at the Tricentenary Maritime Parade on Saturday, as Afloat reported here.
A programme of events both on and off the water was held with two great day's of racing, an AIX Rosé reception and a picnic on Sunday for members and guests.
The tricentenary events were originally scheduled to take place in 2020 as part of a phenomenal Cork300 celebration across Cork Harbour to celebrate the sailing club’s 300th anniversary and heritage as the oldest club globally. However, they had to be postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic and many of the larger high profile international events, such as The Great Gathering, the Powerboat Festival, and Volvo Cork Week, which were set to attract thousands of sailors and competitors from around the globe, could not be rescheduled.
Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Chairman of Cork300 Colin Morehead said, “The Royal Cork is delighted to be in a position to put on a weekend of celebratory events to mark the club’s tricentenary one year on. We are, of course, disappointed not to be joined by our international comrades and thousands of spectators as originally planned, but we hope we have left them with a desire to visit Cork when life returns to normal.”
RCYC Admiral and Lady Admiral Colin and Irene Morehead cut the 300th birthday cake at Crosshaven Photo: Bob Bateman
As always, ‘the At Home’ was open to Royal Cork members and visiting clubs.
Former Admiral Hugh Mockler tries his hands at boules on the club lawn
A Parents Oppie Race, Youth Table Tennis Event, Face Painting and Admirals’ Boules were just some of the shoreside events at Crosshaven.
There was intense competition in the crab catching contest at the club pontoon Photo: Bob Bateman
At Home Regatta Shoreside & Racing Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman
After a short postponement on the water to wait until the wind had settled, the Race Officer gave the cruiser-racer fleets two good long races in the promising weather.
Sportsboat class racing in the 'At Home' Regatta Photo: Bob Bateman
So tight was the competition that, in one case, four boats ended up on 11 points.
Internationally famous Cork yacht racing skipper and match racer Harold Cudmore took the helm of the Cork Harbour One Design Jap for the celebrations Photo: Bob Bateman
The National 18s had a good turn and sailed four short races.
National 18 dinghy racing Photo: Bob Bateman
Kieran Collins Olson 30 Coracle IV was the winner of the 15 boat IRC cruisers division. ECHO Handicap was won by the Sunfast 32 Bad Company (Desmond/Ivers/Keane)
Kieran O'Brien's MG335 Magnet was the IRC White Sail winner.
Michael McCann's Etchells Don't Dilly Dally was top in an eight boat Sportsboat division beating a raft of the club's own 1720 designs.
The full results are here.
The prizegiving was carried out in the club's car park (due to COVID requirements) and was split into Junior and National 18 and the cruiser-racers later on. Mr Eoin Gunn presented the prizes on behalf of sponsors AIB.
