A single light air race on the Curlane Bank in Cork Harbour brought the curtain down on the Royal Cork Yacht Club's ILCA End of Season regatta on 27–28 September, with five races completed across the ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets.
In the ILCA 7 class, National Yacht Club’s Finn Lynch continued his strong season, taking the title with three race wins. Howth’s Ewan McMahon finished runner-up, while Fiachra McDonnell of Royal Irish secured third. Canadian entry James Juhasz placed fourth, and compatriot Liam Bruce took fifth.
Finn Lynch negotiates Sunday's light airs at the ILCA End of Season Regatta at Crosshaven Photo: Bob Bateman
In the ILCA 4 fleet, Malahide sailor Patrick Fegan emerged champion on 10 points, counting three top-two finishes. Síun Ní Choistealbha of Malahide YC placed second, while Royal St George’s Amy Shelley took third. Local sailor Blake Vaughan finished fourth, with Denmark’s Asta Pontoppidan Dolleris completing the top five.
The ILCA 6 fleet saw Howth Yacht Club’s Eve McMahon dominate with three race wins to secure first place on six points. Lucy Ives from Royal St George took second, followed closely by Howth’s Sienna Wright in third. Caoilinn McDonnell was fourth, while Bobby Driscoll rounded out the top five.
RCYC ILCA End of Season Regatta Prizegiving Photo Gallery by Bob Bateman
Royal Cork's Eddie Kingston adds: Conditions on day two, Sunday, were ideal for coffee, croissants and chat on the clubhouse patio with a flat calm harbour and not a lot of wind forecasted. A few zephyrs appeared with the gradual air temperature warming, and soon the flags fluttered, and AP came down just before noon with the fleet on the water quickly, sailing on the Curlane bank.
Sailing on the Curlane bank on day two of the RCYC ILCA End of Season regatta Photo: Bob Bateman
Race Officer John Corkery was able to set up a course quickly, but the fickle wind fluctuated throughout the two hours of racing. In the ILCA 7 class, Finn Lynch continued his late form from Saturday and led the fleet in a breeze that moved in from 5 to 8 knts briefly and with an ebbing tide that flowed in a couple of channels crossing the course. It was a hugely skilful sail followed by Ewan McMahon and Liam Bruce from Port Credit YC in Canada, who bookend his regatta with two third-place finishes.
Overall, as reported above, with full results below, placings were similar, with Finn leading Ewan, followed by Fiachra McDonnell in third, ahead of the two Canadian sailors.
In the ILCA 6 fleet again with a strong cross tide in places and a fickle breeze, Eve McMahon finished with her third win of the regatta with Harry Dunne and Conor Cronin in second and third behind. The final race result only managed to alter the placing of the ladies, though, and the top four sailors in this mixed fleet reminded us of the ILCA Nationals in Ballyholme, where three of the top five were female. The overall standings had Eve firmly in first with Lucy Ives after a strong fourth in the final race, moving past Sienna and Caoilinn to grab second, and Sienna and Caoilinn McDonnell finishing in third and fourth, respectively.
In the ILCA 4 fleet, Kate Spain came through in a very challenging race for the smaller sail, but it was Patrick Fegan who finished the weekend with a win ahead of Siun ni Coistealbha and Amy Shelley.
Although this marks the end of the season in Ireland for the ILCA Ireland series, an Irish team will compete in the inaugural ILCA 4 team racing championship in Athens in December. This sees a Cork Dublin combination heading out to represent Ireland, coached by champion team racer Liam Glynn. The team is Aiun ni Coistealbha( MYC), Zita Tempany (RstGYC), Eolann Miles (GHSC/RCYC), Conor Lynch (RCYC)
