Kinsale Yacht Club’s Finbarr and Colm O’Regan strengthened their grip on IRC Spinnaker 1 with two wins from three races as the Royal Cork Yacht Club Autumn League completed its second Sunday of racing off Cork Harbour.
Three races were completed on Sunday (October 4), bringing the series total to five and introducing the first discard.
PRO Richard Leonard oversaw racing in grey conditions, with a south-westerly of 10 to 14 knots shifting more into the west during the opening race.
The three spinnaker divisions sailed windward-leeward courses, while the white-sail fleets were given an additional gybe to turn their course into a triangle.
Artful Dodger Extends IRC One Lead
Finbarr and Colm O’Regan’s KYC J109 Artful Dodger won the first two races of the day in IRC Spinnaker 1 before Simon Coveney’s RCYC Corby 34.7 Waterfront took the final race.
That leaves Artful Dodger leading on five nett points after discard, three clear of Waterfront on eight.
Tony O’Brien’s Schull Harbour Sailing Club J109 Tighey Boy is third on 14 points, tied with Mark Mansfield and Jon McClean’s RCYC FarEast 28R Resolute.
Resolute Charge: Mark Mansfield and Jon McClean’s RCYC FarEast 28R Resolute powers upwind during the second Sunday of the Autumn League. She lies fourth in IRC Spinnaker 1 after five races. Photo: Robert Bateman
The performance continues Artful Dodger’s strong 2026 form after her IRC Class One victory at Calves Week in Schull in August.
Under ECHO, Waterfront and Artful Dodger are tied on eight nett points, with Tighey Boy third on 11.
Five Straight Wins for McCann’s Etchells
Etchells Advantage: Michael McCann’s Don’t Dilly Dally (IRL 592) leads fellow RCYC Etchells Doris (IRL 1038), with Simon Coveney’s Corby 34.7 Waterfront under red spinnaker astern. McCann has five IRC Spinnaker 2 wins from five races. Photo: Robert Bateman
Michael McCann’s RCYC Etchells Don’t Dilly Dally produced the standout scoreline in IRC Spinnaker 2, adding another three victories to her opening-day double.
Five wins from five races leave Don’t Dilly Dally on four nett points after discard, seven clear of John and Ronan Downing’s RCYC Andrieu Half Tonner Miss Whiplash on 11.
Andrew Crosbie’s RCYC Etchells Knot on Call lies third on 17.
The Etchells are also racing for their Irish National Championship, where McCann holds the lead with the same perfect five-race scoreline. Knot on Call is second and Jay Bourke’s Doris third.
With the Etchells excluded from the separate ICRA cruiser classification, Miss Whiplash has an equally emphatic record, scoring five straight wins to lead IRC Spinnaker 2 ICRA.
Pat Tanner’s RCYC Castro Three-Quarter Tonner Bateleur 88 is second, with Gavin and Grace Lawlor’s KYC Elan 333 Genesis third.
Obsession Takes Over in IRC Three
New Obsession: Barry and Marina Rose’s RCYC Albin Express Obsession took over the IRC Spinnaker 3 lead after a strong three-race performance on Sunday. Photo: Robert Bateman
There was a change at the head of IRC Spinnaker 3, where Barry and Maria Rose’s RCYC Albin Express Obsession moved ahead of opening-day leader Illegal.
Obsession scored a first, shared first and another first in Sunday’s three races to lead on 4.5 nett points.
Coleman Garvey and Kieran Kellher’s RCYC Quarter Tonner Illegal is second on 6.5, with Paddy Good’s RCYC Laser 28 Summer Light third on 11.
Summer Light leads the ECHO standings on six nett points, ahead of Diarmuid Foley’s KYC Quarter Tonner Snoopy and Obsession, both on eight.
Big Mac and Holly Blue Hold Non-Spinnaker Leads
The McGrath family’s RCYC Dehler 34 Big Mac remains in front in IRC Non-Spinnaker 1 after adding a third and two race wins on Sunday.
Big Mac leads on five nett points, with Ria Lyden’s RCYC X-332 Ellida second on nine and Andy Jenkins’ S&S 34 Morning After third on 10.
Morning Shift: Andy Jenkins’ RCYC S&S 34 Morning After heels into Sunday’s south-westerly. She moved into third overall in IRC Non-Spinnaker 1 after five races. Photo: Robert Bateman
Alan Coleman’s RCYC Oyster 37 Blue Oyster leads ECHO Non-Spinnaker 1 on five points.
In IRC Non-Spinnaker 2, Dave Hennessy’s RCYC Red Admiral 36 Holly Blue continues to lead after adding a fourth, second and first to her two opening-day victories.
She has five nett points, ahead of Sean Hanley’s RCYC Sigma 33 Siamsa on 10.
Kieran Collins’ Folkboat IF, which did not race on the opening Sunday, made an immediate impact with a 3,1,2 score and has moved into third overall on 16 nett points.
Holly Blue also leads ECHO Non-Spinnaker 2, where Conor Hanlon’s Sun Odyssey 34.2 Lapwing is second and Mark Ring’s Yachting World Diamond Fire Diamond third.
The 41-boat RCYC Autumn League opened with two races in long rolling seas last Sunday.
A decade ago, the 2016 edition of Royal Cork’s autumn series attracted 49 boats across its racing divisions, compared with 41 boats entered this year. The 2016 fleet included nine 1720 sportsboats, while this year’s total includes three Etchells competing for their Irish National Championship.
Racing continues on Sundays through October, with the series scheduled to conclude on October 25.
