Paul Tingle's Alpaca and Ronan Downing's Miss Whiplash shared the Cork Harbour spoils of victory in the annual Cobh to Blackrock Race sponsored by Horgan's Quay yesterday writes Bob Bateman.

Alpaca, an X34, was declared the winner in Class 1 ECHO and IRC and the Half Tonner Miss Whiplash was the overall winner in Class 2 ECHO and IRC according to results published by organisers Cove Sailing Club here. 

The fleet included Stephen McCarthy's new X44 yacht, Nadie from Kinsale Yacht Club.

As Afloat reported earlier, this year's race, staged in the centenary year of CSC, attracted a new sponsor and a fine fleet of 45 cruisers for the race up the River Lee to the Port of Cork Marina.

See Bob Bateman's Photo Gallery from the race start below

Port of Cork Marina

Cove Sailing club’s Cobh to Blackrock Race takes place tomorrow with over 45 entries signed up for the annual Cork Harbour race.

As Afloat reported earlier, the weather forecast looks promising for the end of season fixture that takes place on the same date as RCYC's DinghyFest Regatta at Crosshaven.

As regular Afloat readers will know, CSC is celebrating 100 years in 2019 and are delighted to have new sponsor Horgan’s Quay on board for the cruiser event.

Cove Sailing Clubs Cobh to Blackrock Race was a huge success with the 45–boat fleet enjoying a fast and breezy race to Cork. While the forecast and conditions of 20 to 25 knots might have deterred some competitors form taking part, those that ventured out enjoyed a great sail with plenty of excitement along the way. 

The standard white sail class started at 14:00 followed by the main fleet at 14:30. The Cobh start line with a large visiting liner made for a spectacular start with the 40 boats lined up in front of Cobh for the Safetrx sponsored race.

The fleet was joined by the KYC fleet following on from the Mary P race that left from Kinsale on with a very fast sail up Saturday morning, the fleet taking a nice break in the Quays bar Cobh before getting ready for the sprint to Cork.

The short sprint to Monkstown saw Denis Murphy's Nieulargo powering up past Whitepoint and revelling in the breezy conditions with Altair (Dorgan and Losty) and Jelly Baby (Brian Jones) close behind.

Boats then quickly hoisted kites for the run down to Marino Point which made for a spectacular sight as the fleet passed up the narrow river. Altair managed to get ahead of Nieulargo and Jelly Baby to lead into Lough Mahon closely followed by Conor Doyle's Freya which powered by and stretched her legs up through Lough Mahon quickly reaching Blackrock castle.

Altair held off Nieulargo to cross the line in 2nd place with Jelly Baby close behind in third. The corrected times results in Class 1 for both IRC and Echo were the same with Altair (Dorgan and Losty) first, Nieulargo 2nd and Jelly Baby 3rd.

Class 2 saw George Radley's half tonner Cortegada flying home to take victory in both IRC and Echo with Cavatina, Ian Hickey and Artful Dodger Finbarr O'Regan finishing tied 2nd on IRC.

Class 3 saw Leonard Donnery No Gnomes retain the trophy again this year.

For the overall Moonduster Trophy George Radleys Cortegada was the winner taking a well-earned victory to lift the beautiful Mooonduster replica trophy.
The newly presented Safetrx trophy for the fastest boat from Cobh to Blackrock was won by Conor Doyles beautiful new XP50 with an Elapsed time of just 43 minutes.

White sail which had a very large entry saw John and Fiona Murphys Esme take first in IRC from Derry Goods Exhale with Batt O'Learys Sweet Dreams third. In Echo, Esme was again first with Sweet Dreams second and Exhale third.

White sail Standard class saw Rory Allen's Mystic take the win from Ian Scandrett's Kernow in 2nd with Donal O'Driscoll's Re Orga in third place.

The Prize Giving took place in the Sextant bar where the huge crowd enjoyed a great barbeque with some well-earned refreshments. Prizes were presented by John Wallace from Union Chandlery and also Paul Ryan from Safetrx.

Many of the fleet stayed overnight at the Port of Cork pontoon before the return trips to Crosshaven, Kinsale and East Ferry yesterday.

Bob Bateman photographed a breezy edition of Cove Sailing Club's Saturday's Cobh to Blackrock race in Cork Harbour.

View his photo gallery below

Kieran Dorgan's Atari (winner class 1) and Miss Whiplash (Ronan and John Downing)

Frank Doyle sailing the J122 "Cara"

Denis Murphy's Nieulargo on starboard with Atari on port

Above and below Brian Jones in the J109 Jellybaby

Overall winner – George Radley's Cortegada

Freya Conor Doyle ahead of Carroll Bros Chancer

Freya leads Frank Doyle sailing Cara

John and Fiona Murphy in the Elan 295 "Esme"

Anthony Mulcahy's Nicholson passes the finish line

Cove Sailing Club's Cobh to Blackrock yacht race takes place in Cork Habour this Saturday (8th September) with a large fleet of 50 boats expected to take part.

As Afloat.ie previously reported, a competitive fleet is already entered with competition for the overall IRC Moonduster trophy expected to be keenly contested.

Conor Doyle's new XP50 Freya from Kinsale Yacht Club will be joined by Denis Murphy's Nieulargo and Brian Jones's Jelly Baby in a competitive Class 1 fleet with 12 boats already entered.

Miss Whiplash Photo: Bob Bateman

As is always the case with the annual trip up the river anything can happen and the overall trophy will come down to any number of factors. If the breeze is on the bigger boats should have the edge but if its Lighter the competitive half tonners Cortegada and Miss Whiplash could well be the ones to beat.

Half tonner Cortegada skippered by George Radley Photo: Bob Bateman

Artful Dodger (Finbarr O'Regan) Photo: Bob Bateman

Last year's winner Alpaca Paul Tingle will be back along with Altair (Dorgan and Losty), Artful Dodger Finbarr O' Regan's, a class 2 IRC national champion and past winner and regular competitor Bad Company (Desmond, Deasy, Ivers) any of which could be in the prizes.

Bad Company (Desmond, Deasy, Ivers) Photo: Bob Bateman

There is a very large White Sail entry with over 15 boats already entered again with keen competition expected right through the fleet. The race is open to all boats with a separate 'standard' fleet open to boats that do not have a current echo or IRC cert.

Altair First 36.7 (Dorgan and Losty) Photo: Bob Bateman

The race is sponsored by Safetrx and Union Chandlery and competitors will berth in the Port of Cork Pontoon before heading to The Sextant bar for refreshments and the prize giving with many boats enjoying the free overnight berthing in the pontoon.

Entries are still open until to tomorrow Friday with all competitors asked to enter before the entry deadline of 16:00 Friday 7th September.

Entries and Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions here

69 yachts have entered for the Cobh-to-Blackrock Race tomorrow writes Tom MacSweeney. This is the annual sailing race from Cobh to Blackrock which once marked the end of the sailing season in Cork Harbour. It no longer is that end-of-season fixture, because the sport has expanded its horizons into December for cruisers and year-round now for some types of dinghies. But the ‘Cobh/Blackrock Race’ as it is known is still a big attraction for all sailors, even those who would not normally be of the ‘racing fraternity.’ The race caters for all types of sailing boats, from dinghies to cruiser/racers. It is the day when a flotilla of boats of all shapes and sizes assembles off Cobh and sails to the city.

Some boats choose to take part as a cruise, but must carefully watch and avoid the racers for whom it is also part of the SCORA (South Coast Offshore Racing Association) League.

The history of the race goes back to before the time of Haulbowline Bridge being built when it started off Ringaskiddy where boats from Cobh, where the RCYC was then based and the Royal Muster YC in Crosshaven met. This was because the Crosshaven boats had access there via the ‘back channel’ past Spike Island. The building of the bridge to Haulbowline Island in the mid-60ds ended that and the race was then started from Cobh. Cork Boat Club once had a sailing section in Blackrock which raced in Lough Mahon and around Blackrock and had a ‘Home Regatta’ every year.

The ‘Cobh/Blackrock Race’ as it is known is still a big attraction for all sailors, even those who would not normally be of the ‘racing fraternity.’ Photo: Bob Bateman

Until recent years the finish line of the race was off Blackrock Village which, depending upon the weather conditions, could be a struggle to reach having rounded Blackrock Castle! Afterwards boats moored against the Marina wall off Blackrock and the village was a colourful place as sailors gathered while the results were computed by Cove SC.

When Cork Port built its marina at the Custom House Quay and offered berthing after the race, the boats headed there after passing the finishing line set off Blackrock Castle.

That didn’t please the publicans in Blackrock, needless to say.

The race start will be off the Cobh Promenade. Cove Sailing Club are the organiser Mixed Dinghies and Dayboats will get their start gun first, at 1400 (2pm), followed by White Sail and then Class 1/2/3 cruisers and Sports Boats. The race is sponsored by Cork Port, Union Chandlery and the Sextant Bar.

The course is upriver from the start line at Cobh to the finish line at Blackrock Castle. “Competitors are advised to familiarise themselves with the navigation marks and depending upon weather conditions an extra leg may be included for specified Classes.”

The race time is chosen to suit the tide helping to carry boats towards Blackrock. But it has been known for some to go aground on mudbanks! From Lough Mahon there is the sight of Blackrock Castle, the delight of passing over the road traffic as it descends into the tunnel while the River Lee transports boats to the finish line.

The 2010 Cobh to Blackrock Race on Saturday was an outstanding success and no bigger compliment could be paid than to say it was reminiscent of the event some twenty years ago as it had approximately 100 boats on the water writes Claire Bateman. The day was a scorcher with cloudless blue skies and while the wind may have been a little flukey, nonetheless the flotilla of mixed classes of all descriptions with happy families on board were determined to make the best of the wonderful day on the water. The flotilla was accompanied by many RIBS and practically any other sort of craft one could think of.

The racing was started from the beautiful Ketch Soubrette from the Naval Service Yacht Squadron Cove S.C. First off were the slow dinghies and the white sail and classic yachts and these presented no problem to the Race Officer. However, when it came to the turn of the cruisers, with a strong flood tide they charged the line, and a general recall ensued. The Race Officer then proceeded to start the J80s before having another attempt at the cruisers Zero to Class Four. This time a Z flag was flown and anyone over the line in the final minute would have a 20% penalty applied. Happily, all went well on this occasion with a clean start and although the breeze was light and flukey all boats managed to make the finish at Blackrock Castle before the time limit. The finishing boat was a former Aran Class Lifeboat, the Samuel J and the first boat to reach the line was Jim Sheerin of Royal Cork Yacht Club in his Catamaran, narrowly beating Eddie English in the Holy Grounder from Sail Cork. In days gone by Eddie used always be first to the finish line in his yellow Hobie. Happy memories!

The event played a big part in the Port of Cork Open Day and for the first time the race had the benefit of the Port of Cork City Marina. When the boats had completed the race at Blackrock Castle they proceeded right up to the city for the prize giving and other festivities planned. All the local towns and villages in and around Cork had events planned for the Open Day and what a difference to last year when the event was completely washed out.

What a coup for Cove Sailing Club with the wonderful reinvigoration of this much loved event. One of the nice things about this is that young children were to be seen sailing with their parents and being given the opportunity to helm all types of craft from Catamarans to Cruisers. It was that kind of event and a wonderful way to get youngsters interested in sailing and fostering a love of the sport.

Photos of the event on the Afloat Gallery HERE