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Royal Cork Yacht Club has shaken up the format of its 2018 Volvo Cork Week Regatta following an exit survey of competitors at the 2016 event.

A brand-new format for the regatta that runs from 9th – 14th July 2018 offers cruiser–racers the option to choose from the multi–series format of the new event.

The new event will feature 12 competitive classes in IRC and ECHO handicaps. There is racing for the Volvo Cork Week Cup, Club Regatta Day, Inshore Races, the Beaufort Cup, plus a new 'Offshore and Wrecks' series. 

rockabill Cork weekDublin Bay JPK10.80 Rockabill competing in 2016's Cork Week Harbour Race Photo: Bob Bateman

'We are always looking for new and exciting ways to make the regatta better for you the competitor. This year is no different, RCYC's Kieran O'Connell, the Cork Week Chairman, told Afloat.ie

'On receiving the results of the survey carried out after the regatta in 2016, one thing became very clear to us. Every individual competitor’s needs and wants are very different', O'Connell explained.

Using the survey as a guide, the Volvo Cork Week committee spent a lot of time looking at how best to offer a tailored experience to as many competitors as possible. We have always said that Volvo Cork Week is a regatta run by sailors for sailors, so we decided adhere to this mantra and create a regatta built by sailors.

O'Connell says some of the possibilities at the 2018 regatta are:

· If you as the competitor enjoy coming to Cork Week for 5 days of world class racing and great entertainment then that is on offer.
· If you as competitor enjoy coming to Cork Week but find it hard to get five days off, then we have a three-day series and that is on offer.
· If you enjoy just doing the longer offshore style racing both fully crewed or shorthanded, then that is also on offer.
· If you would like to hold your class championships finishing on the Saturday then, you said it, that is on offer too. 

Download the advance notice of race below

All Afloat.ie's Cork Week coverage in one handy link here

Published in Cork Week

The CH Marine Autumn Series at Royal Cork Yacht Club is rapidly approaching, one of the premier highlights of the sailing season on the south coast, that always attracts large numbers of sailors from a wide variety of clubs from around Ireland.

CH Marine have sponsored this event for a number of years and have enabled the club to stage the popular event which is continuing to grow year after year and comes straight after the end of RCYC's September series, report here.

2017 Logo

This year the CH Marine Autumn Series will commence on Sunday, October 1st with the first two races and will follow with two races each Sunday in October finishing on Sunday October 29th. Racing will commence each day at 1055hrs, and will be followed each day by food, music and daily prize giving.

Notice of Race and Entry forms are downloadable for the CH Marine Autumn Series below.

Over the last few years there has been a great 1720 fleet building for the CH Marine Autumn Series, with 13 boats competing last year.

This year is looking like the 1720 class will not disappoint with a large number of early entries.

On the final day of racing the CH Marine Autumn Series dinner and overall prize giving will be held at the club commencing at 19.30hrs. 

Subject to availability, complimentary berthing on swinging moorings or marina berths will be provided to yachts visiting.

For marina berthing arrangements contact Mark Ring at Royal Cork office +353(0)214831023.

Published in Royal Cork YC

Royal Cork Yacht Club's Fitzgerald Menswear sponsored August/September League finished last night in autumnal conditions with most boats finishing in the early darkness! The westerly breeze was up and down throughout the race, averaging 14knts. High tide allowed the fleet to use the full inner Cork harbour.

PRO Dave Coveney used course 70, sending the fleet on a beat up to Cage buoy from Cork Beg. The fleet then freed sheets to no7. Some of the fleet hoisted their spinnakers. Then it was fetch down to 13, back to 9 and then a final beat and finish at Cage.

 DSC4111Bad Company Photo: Bob Bateman

Alpaca led the fleet from the start and finished first on corrected time thus moving her to first overall for the IRC All In six race series. Bad Company finished second in the race to maintain her second overall for the series. Denis Byrne’s ‘Cracker’ finished 4th on corrected time and finished third overall in IRC.

 DSC4111Cracker Photo: Bob Bateman

Denis won the ECHO handicap series overall with Richard Leonards ‘Bandit’ second and Ria Lyden's ‘Ellida’ third overall.

The White Sail IRC and Echo league was won by ‘Scribbler’ with the MacSweeney family crewing throughout the six race series. Second overall IRC went to Peter Webster’s ‘Thistle’. Peter and crew also finished third overall in Echo. Aramis (Pat Vaughan) came in third in IRC and Elegance (Paul O’Shea) finished second overall in Echo.

The Friday Night Whitesail Fitzgerald Menswear League concluded evening racing and was also won by Scribbler with Thistle second and Upstart (Barry Crockett) third.

Published in Royal Cork YC

The new offshore racing entity, 'Ireland Ocean Racing', that will put Royal Cork Yacht Club's Nicholas O'Leary (31) at the helm of the IMOCA 60 Hugo Boss on the 2020 Vendée Globe start line is sailing off Cork Harbour.

As Afloat.ie reported previously, the demo sails are part of the launch of the world–girdling project that will arrive into Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Wednesday or Thursday. O’Leary, son of Royal Cork's Anthony and Sally O'Leary, wants to be the first Irish sailor to complete the non–stop round the world challenge. He'll be following in the wake of plucky Enda O'Coineen's ill–fated Kilcullen that was dismasted in the last race off New Zealand in December.

Hugo Boss 3852(Above and below) The Ireland Ocean Racing Team onboard Hugo Boss. Photos: Bob Bateman

Hugo boss OLeary cork harbour1Hugo boss OLeary cork harbour1Hugo boss OLeary cork harbour1Hugo boss OLeary cork harbour1Hugo boss OLeary cork harbour1Hugo boss OLeary cork harbour1

O'Leary's team say he is expected into Dublin Bay on August 30. 

Read more in WM Nixon's blog: How Much in the Sponsorship Pot for all These Irish Offshore Sailing Superstar Hopefuls?

Published in Vendee Globe

Paul Gibbons launched his immaculately–prepared Quarter–Tonner Anchor Challenge in order to use the weekend's Royal Cork Yacht Club's 'At Home' Regatta as a training run for his Quarter Ton Cup challenge in Cowes in a fortnight's time. In the three–race regatta, Gibbons produced three wins with an average winning margin of over three minutes per race.

As Afloat.ie reported previously, Anchor Challenge also won the ICRA Nationals this year (Afloat.ie's June report here) and before that was crowned IRC Euro Champion as part of Cork Week 2016. 

At Home 17 3211Anchor Challenge (on port tack) won all three IRC races of the RCYC 'At Home' Regatta. Photo: Bob Bateman

The predominantly light airs 'At Home' regatta suited the swift 25–footer in the three in–Cork Harbour races with RCYC race officer Kieran O'Connell.

For more on the 'At Home' read Bob Bateman's report and photo gallery here

Sole Irish Entry for Quarter Ton Cup 

Anchor Challenge will be sailed at the Quarter Ton Cup by Paul Gibbons, Joe Bruen, Grattan Roberts and 2004 Star class Olympians, Mark Mansfield and Killian Collins, all of RCYC.

This is a pretty strong RCYC team but they will come up against teams in Cowes who will have three or even four professionals on board and who have been competing as a team in events all season.

The favourite for the event would be Sam Laidlaw's Aguila which has won most of his regattas this year. Last year's winner Bullet owned by Louise Morton should be well to the fore especially in stronger wind conditions.

Anchor Challenge has undergone some IRC modifications this year to improve her strong wind performance under the direction of Mark Mansfield but it will not be fully known how these will affect her until she does her first race at the Quarter Tons, the only Irish Cup entry this year.

Published in Quarter Ton

Light airs gave a gentle start to Royal Cork Yacht Club's first day of the 2017 'At Home' Regatta in Cork Harbour yesterday writes Bob Bateman. 

Scroll down for photo gallery below

Toppers, RS Fevas, Optimists, National 18s, Mirrors, RS 200s, Mangos, Topaz dinghies and a single 29er skiff plus a mix of cruiser–racers made up a good turnout for craft took part in the first day of racing in the “At Home’ sponsored – for the second year – by The Maher Private Hospital Cork.

Over twenty cruisers got a start outside White Bay and for the first race had a course of E2, no.7 P, No3P, No.7P Finish at No.3. In the All–in IRC cruiser division, the quarter–tonner Anchor Challenge is currently leading the scoring with two wins. Racing continues today. 

The National 18’s were sailing for the South Coast Championship and seven of the Ultra boats were vying for honours in this class.

Two other courses were laid on the Curlane Bank, a thirty strong fleet of Optimists were sailing closer to the shore off Luk Beach.

Another Course was set for Lasers, Toppers and mixed dinghies including Mirror,Fevas, RS 200. Mango, Topaz and 29ER. 

Results are HERE

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Published in Royal Cork YC

As the Irish Laser Championships started so did it end with consistent sailing rewarding day one leaders with overall victory at Royal Cork Yacht Club this afternoon.

Scroll down for Bob Bateman's prizegiving gallery.

A mix of mist and downpours brought the championships to a close at Crosshaven, where the prizegiving marked the special contribution of Belfast's Ron Hutchieson who retired as Class Secretary after forty years service to the class. 

Two final races were sailed outside Cork harbour today. However, the Radial fleet's second race was abandoned as the wind died. It was expected to fill in again but did so from a different direction thereby bringing backmarkers up to the leaders and so it was abandoned.

The National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch put Tokyo 2020 rival Liam Glynn, the former Topper World Champion, to the sword in the standard division with a string of wins. Third was Ronan Walsh of the host club. See the standard rig results here

Royal Cork's Luke McGrath stayed top of the Radials and he had 22–point margin over Sean Craig, a recent Radial rig convert, who took second place. The Royal St. George multi–champion was seven points clear of Dingle Sailing Club's Cunnane. Read the Radial results here.

In the 4.7 fleet, Jack Fahy also maintained his overall lead with a five point cushion and in a show of strength for the Royal St. George Yacht Club, another George helmsman, Tom Higgins, was second overall. Third was Michael Carroll from Kinsale YC. 4.7 results are here.

Laser Nats 17 PG 6072(Above and below) Bowing out – Ron Hutchieson (right) bids farewell to the Irish Laser class after forty years serviceLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Laser Nats 17 PG 6072A Laser Championships raffle prize was presented by Conor Mowlds of the National Maritime College to winner Cathal O'Regan

Laser Nats 17 PG 6072Second youth in the Standard Rig Johnny Durcan (above) shares a lighter moment (below) after his serious capsize incident in California this monthLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Laser Nats 17 PG 6072Molly Murphy, third Lady Radial Laser Nats 17 PG 6072Ella Hemeryck, second lady in the RadialsLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Frances Fox, first lady and fifth overall in the Radial fleetLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Royal Cork's Chris Bateman - sixth in the RadialLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Laser Nats 17 PG 6072Dingle's Paddy Cunnane third in Radial and second youthLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Royal St. George's Sean Craig was second in the RadialLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Royal Cork's Luke McGrath was Radial winner and first Youth too
Laser Nats 17 PG 6072Eddie Rice was the Standard Fleet Master winnerLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Royal Cork's Nick Walsh was second in the Master divisionLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Ronan Walsh was the standard youth winner and third overall Laser Nats 17 PG 6072Ballyholme's Liam Glynn Standard was runner up in the Standard RigLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Royal St. George's Tom Higgins was second in the 4.7 FleetLaser Nats 17 PG 6072Kinsale's Michael Carroll was third in the 4.7 fleetLaser Nats 17 PG 6072The National Yacht Club's Clare Gorman was the 4.7 Lady winner and fourth overall

Keep up to date with Irish Laser Racing News in one handy link here

Published in Laser

The scoreline's impressive but it belies the fact that on the water the National Yacht Club's Finn Lynch is not getting things all his own way at Royal Cork Yacht Club's Laser National Championships. A string of wins came to an end in race six this morning when Tokyo 2020 rival Liam Glynn, the former Topper World Champion, took the gun but it was business as usual in races seven and eight as Lynch built a six–point advantage over the Ballyholme YC man. Royal Cork's own Nick Walsh is third but some 17–points off Glynn.

Although Johnny Durcan made the tough decision to sit out the Laser Radial Worlds in Medemblik, Holland after day two (he was lying thirteenth after the first day) the Cork helmsman, who is recovering from injury after a capsize in California, was in fact back in action at the Nationals today, on the third day of competition in the full rig division, and counted a 3,4,2 to be right up there with Olympic trialists, Lynch and Glynn. See the standard rig results here

Race officer Peter Crowley sailed the combined fleets in a westerly breeze outside Cork Harbour today.

Laser Nats 17 2923Sean Craig moves up to second overall in the 32-boat Radial fleet after eight races sailed Photo: Bob Bateman

Royal Cork's Luke McGrath stays top of the Radials and he has 20–point margin over Sean Craig, a recent Radial rig convert, who has moved into seconf place. The Royal St. George multi–champion is now four points clear of club mate Patrick Cahill on 36 points. Read the Radial results here.

In the 4.7 fleet, Jack Fahy also maintains his overall lead with a seven point cushion and in a show of strength for the Royal St. George Yacht Club, another George helmsman is second with Tom higgins counting 18–points. Third is Michael Carroll from Kinsale YC. 4.7 results are here.

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Published in Laser

As announced at the recent National 18 Championships, the Cork N18 class are hosting a big party in the Royal Cork Yacht Club on Saturday, 9th September in recognition of Dom Long's 35 years of service to the class.

This will be run in conjunction with the Sutton Book event with guests from Sutton Dinghy Club racing N18's for the day.

There will be plenty of on the water action both sail and power along with a function in the club on Sat evening.

Published in National 18

Royal Cork's top youth sailor Johnny Durcan has been involved in a serious incident competing at the 29er world championships where he was trapped under his skiff dinghy during a capsize. The top Laser sailor is recovering in hospital in Los Angeles after he ended up 'getting stuck beneath the water'. 

Durcan has described the 'hectic end' to the championships on social media and relates how, after his '[trapeze] harness was caught, it led to 'drowning and total respiratory failure i.e. 'I stopped breathing and passed out'.

The Cork Harbour ace was one of two Irish 29ers competing at Long Beach, California, the other boat sailed by his twin brother Harry and Harry Whitaker, also of Royal Cork Yacht Club.

Durcan admits 'things were looking quite bad because I was under the water, unconscious for a while but thanks to the many sailors on the course who jumped out to help, I'm still here and kicking'.

It is understood, his 11–year–old helm Lola Kohl, from Christiansted, St Croix in the USA, raised the alarm and fellow competitors and coaches rushed to Durcan's assistance.

CPR was performed on the Irish youth champion. He was rushed ashore from the race course and an ambulance brought him to hospital immediately.

'My fellow competitors helped save me. And that's something that makes sailing the sport it is.' the Cork youth declared on Facebook, posting this photograph below from his hospital bed.

Parent's Yvonne and Tom Durcan were one of the first to post a comment online in response: 'One seriously relieved Mom and Dad xxxxxx'

29er USA Durcan hospitalJohnny Durcan surrounded by well–wishers is recovering in an LA Hospital after a serious capsize incident at the 29er Worlds at Long Beach, California Photo: Facebook

We wish Johnny a speedy recovery and the Irish 29er team a safe trip home – Ed.

Published in 29er
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