A ding dong sailing battle for line honours between an A35 design and an X362 made up for last night's poor turnout at Royal Cork's Short handed Wine Race sponsored by Karwig.
Frank Doyle's Endgame (A35) beat Derry Good's X362 Sport Exhale on IRC Handicap in a tightly raced affair over a Cork Harbour course.
With a blustery westerley and a biting wind for this time of year it was only the hardy took to the water. Those that did had a great night of racing and entertainment. With a start from the committee boat at the grassy competitors got off on a run heading for Corkbeg before rounding to beat back to No. 8.
As usual, this was a choice of going left or right with the flood tide and from Corkbeg a reach to No. 10 where your photographic scribe was waiting in eager anticipation of the colours that were going to spring at him. However, it was not to be and perhaps they made a wise choice.
From No. 9 they reached back to Corkbeg with a fetch to finish at the beautifully refurbished Adrielle with Rory Fitzpatrick doing the honours as Race Officer.
After an exhilirating race the prospect of the warm clubhouse awaiting the competitors was very enticing and paricularly so in view of the generous wine prizes which were presented to every competing boat.
Rear Admiral Ronan Enright presented the prizes and paid due tribute and thanks to the generous sponsorship of locally based Karwig Wine Suppliers.
Results below.
Royal Cork now turns its attention to the 1720 Sportsboat Nationals running this Thursday to Saturday. 15 boats are expected. On Sunday the Examiner newspaper sponsored Round Spike Island race is also being staged.
Action from last night's Shorthanded Wine Race. Photo: Bob Bateman. More photos below.
Shorthanded Wine Race:
Results IRC 1 Endgame 2, Magnet MG335 Kieran and Liz O'Brien 3, Wicket Sunfast 3 Mark Mendell.
Results Echo All In. 1 Silk Breeze Dehler 36 Ernie Dillon, 2 Exhale X362 Sport Derry Good, 3 Thistle Hustler 25.5 Peter Webster.
