J/109 designs continue to dominate the 16-strong IRC Two Class on Day Two of Cork Week.

John Maybury’s J/109 Joker 2 from the Royal Irish YC won today’s race by under a minute on time correction from Finbarr O'Regan’s J/109 Artful Dodjer from the Kinsale YC.

Barry Cunningham’s Royal Irish YC team racing Chimaera was third.

After three races, Joker 2 has a three-point lead.

Pat Kelly’s J/109 Storm is second but only on countback from Chimaera.

Recent Bangor Town Regatta winner J109 Storm (Pat Kelly) is lying second in Cork Week IRC 2 Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Louise Makin & Chris Jones’ J/111 Journeymaker II from the Royal Southern YC in the UK won both of today’s light air races to lead Cork Week IRC One by four points.

Team Knight Build racing J/112 Happy Daize from the RORC have retained second place after three races.

J/112 Happy Daize Photo Rick Tomlinson

Nick Burn’s Royal Hong Kong YC had a great day on Mills 39 Zero II to snatch third, just one point ahead of Andrew McIrvine’s Ker 39 La Reponse and Jonathan Anderson’s J/122 El Gran Senor.

Andrew McIrvine’s Ker 39 La Reponse Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Classic racing is back at Volvo Cork Week and Royal Cork Yacht Club's Harold Cudmore was on the helm of the Cork Harbour One Design Jap for a victory on the first day.

1968 French entry Bilou-Belle Tina from the Atlantic Yacht Club is second with Dafydd Hughes Bendigedig in third place in the eight-boat fleet.

Simon O'Keeffe's 1902 restored Gaff Cutter Lady Min is racing in Cork Week's Classic division Photo Rick Tomlinson

Last October, Jap skippered by Harold Cudmore and with a crew that counted former club Admiral Colin Morehead among its number won Le Voile Saint Tropez Classic Regatta in the South of France.

Jap, built in Carrigaloe in 1897 and fully restored and sailing again as part of RCYC's 300th celebrations, took an unassailable lead in her class at the important classic regatta.

Cork Week Classics after one race sailed

1st Jap Cork Harbour One Design CHODMF CHODMF C4 Royal Cork YC
2nd Bilou-Belle Tina 1968 JJ Ollu FRA 4335 Atlantic YC
3rd Bendigedig S&S 34 Dafydd Hughes GBR 8383L Aberaeron

Peter Dunlop's former ISORA champion J109 Mojito leads Volvo Cork Week's 21-boat IRC coastal class after the first race of the series. 

Second is Paul & Deirdre Tingle's X-yacht Alpaca.

Round Ireland race rivalries from June are renewed for third and fourth places with the Howth Yacht Club Grand Soleil 40 Samatom of Robert Rendell leading Michael O'Donnell's J121 Darkwood. 

Cork Week coastal class after one race sailed

1 Mojito Peter Dunlop GBR 9047R PSC 
2 Alpaca Paul & Deirdre Tingle IRL 36502 Royal Cork YC 
3 Darkwood Michael O'Donnell 

Results below

Bruce Huber's JND39 Xanaboo from the Royal Yacht Squadron is competing in the IRC Coastal class Photo: Rick Tomlinson

 12/7/22 - This article was modifed to reflect an update in the official results from Cork Week organisers

Sam Laidlaw’s Quarter Tonner BLT from the Royal Yacht Squadron dominated IRC Three of Volvo Cork Week Regatta today, scoring three straight bullets.

Marcus Ryan’s Irish youth team racing J/24 HeadCase (that won overall in the UK at the weekend) scored three podium race results to end the day in second place in the 22 boat class.

Dorgan, Marshall & Losty’s Quarter Tonner Illegal from Cove Sailing Club finished Day One in third.

“We haven’t sailed Cork Week since we did it on Farr 52 Bob 12 years ago,” commented BLT’s helm Sam Laidlaw. “We have come back because it’s such a great place and with 300 years of history, everybody should be here. Today was a bit light for us, we would prefer more wind, but we will see.”

Class 3 IRC Class after three sailed

1st BLT Fauroux Quarter Ton Sam Laidlaw FRA 8051 Royal Yacht Squadron
2nd HeadCase J24 Marcus Ryan 4247 HYC/MSC/LRYC/BYC
3rd Illegal Quater Ton Farr Dorgan/Marshall/Losty IRL1751

Results here

16 teams in Cork Week IRC Two raced on a laid course in Ringabella Bay, three J/109s swapped the lead during the three races on Day One.

Barry Cunningham’s Royal Irish YC team racing Chimaera won a hotly contested first race by just nine seconds.

Pat Kelly’s Storm with a team from Howth YC/Rush SC rose to the challenge winning Race Two.

John Maybury’s Joker 2 from the Royal Irish won Race Three by just 17 seconds. Joker 2’s consistent results (3,2,1) were rewarded with first in class after three races. Chimaera is second and Storm in third.

IRC Two after three races sailed

1st Joker 2 J109 John Maybury IRL1206 RIYC
2nd  Chimaera J109 Barry Cunningham IRL 2160 Royal Irish Yacht Club
3rd  IRC Storm J109 Pat Kelly IRL 1141 Howth YC/Rush SC

Results here

Louise Makin & Chris Jones’ J/111 Journeymaker 11 from the Royal Southern YC won today’s first Volvo Cork Week race in IRC One by just under a minute from Team Knight Build racing J/112 Happy Daize from the RORC.

Jonathan Anderson’s J/122 El Gran Senor from the Clyde Cruising Club made it a full J Boats podium finishing third in the 16-boat fleet.

This is Journeymaker’s first-ever Cork Week, and the 2021 J/111 UK National Champion, loved racing on the Cork Harbour Course today.

“I would say it was a very good first day in unfamiliar waters,” commented Journeymaker’s navigator, Louise Makin. “We made some really good decisions; the crew work was excellent and the atmosphere on the boat was terrific. The harbour is a fabulous place to race, and we have been blessed with great weather. We have a top Irish sailor on board; Laura Dillon and we worked really well together today.”

Cork Week Top Three IRC One after one race: 

1st JourneyMaker 11 J111 Louise Makin GBR 7751R Royal Southern YC 1.094 1.0 1.0 1.0
2nd Happy Daize J112E Knight Build Ltd GBR 748R RORC 1.051 2.0 2.0 2.0
3rd El Gran Senor J 122 E Jonathan Anderson GBR 4822R CCC 1.090 3.0

Results here

Current 1720 European champions Robbie English, Aoife & Ross McDonald from Royal Cork YC / Howth YC lead after the firsthree races sailed at Volvo Cork Week.

Despite the balmy air temperature, RCYC's own sportsboat class’s return was marked by dense fog on the windward-leeward course about a mile outside Cork Harbour.

The mist soon cleared, revealing 44 1720s going at it, guns and blazes.

44 1720s are racing at Volvo Cork Week Photo: Rick Tomlinson

There were three highly contested windward-leeward races between Roches Point and Ringabella Bay. An outstanding performance from Rope Dock Atara gives the team from Royal Cork and Howth a whopping 11-point lead after three races. Padraig Byrne & Donny Wilson’s Zing from the Royal Cork is second and Tom, Neil & Paul Hegarty’s efolioaccounts from Baltimore won the first race but finished in third at the end of Day one.

Ross McDonald, Robbie & Aoife English, and Killian Collins racing 1720 Rope Dock Atara. Photo: Rick Tomlinson

“We are delighted with a 2-1-1 today, “commented Rope Dock Atara’s helm Ross McDonald. “Our aim was to keep the race results in single digits, as I believe this will be a high-scoring regatta, so to get off to a flyer is fantastic. We got one good start, one okay, and also one that we had to get out of jail. In this fleet, especially in light air, it is all about getting the fresh air and the wheels on.”

efolioaccounts.com Tom, Neil and Paul Hegarty from Baltimore SC lies third overall Photo: Rick Tomlonson

1720 Top three after three races 

1st Rope Dock Atara Robbie English, Aoife & Ross McDonald Royal Cork YC / Howth YC
2nd 1720 ZING Padraig Byrne & Donny Wilson 1792 Royal Cork YC
3rd 1720 efolioaccounts.com Tom, Neil and Paul Hegarty 1724 Baltimore SC

Results here

The first race of Cork Week 2022 got underway this morning (Monday, July 11) in light airs and slack water from the Naval base at Haulbowline in Cork Harbour.

Royal Cork Race Officer Clem McElligott positioned at the base's Signal Turret briefed Beaufort Cup competitors by VHF radio on their course to the Fastnet Rock and back in some decidedly light air conditions. 

The Beaufort Cup fleet prepare to start the Fastnet Rock Race Photo: Bob Bateman

The US Marines team on the First 40.7 Escapado get the media treatment Photo: Bob Bateman

The Beaufort Cup is the International Inter-Service Sailing Regatta, being hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club and supported by the Irish Defence Forces.

Ross Deasy and Clem McElligott get the Beaufort Cup fleet started Photo: Bob Bateman

A specially commissioned Perpetual Trophy in honour of Sir Francis Beaufort, creator of the Beaufort Scale, will be presented to the overall winner at the end of this week's series of races.

(Above and below) Beaufort Cup Starting flags are hoisted Photos: Bob Bateman

The fleet crossed a start line between Haulbowline and the Whitepoint shoreline at Cobh. 

The competition has seven entries from the British army (x2), Irish defence forces (x2), a Royal Navy team, an RNLI crew and a team of US Marines.

• Indulgence, Dehler 36, Aidan Heffernan, IRL 2805, Defence Forces Ireland
• Bayonet, Beneteau First 36.7, Darren Szymanski, GBR 1975L, British Army
• Trojan, J109, Helen Stamp, GBR 7005R, British Army
• Jolly Jak Tar, J109, David Warwick, GBR 8541R, Royal Navy
• Nieulargo, Grand Soleil 40 B+C, Denis & Annamarie Murphy, IRL 2129, Crosshaven RNLI
• Escapado, First 40.7, Germaine Williams, GBR 1321L, US Marines
• Meridian, Salona 45, Tom Roche, IRL 4076, Defence Forces Ireland

Denis & Annamarie Murphy's Nieulargo, a Grand Soleil 40 B+C is racing with a Crosshaven RNLI crew Photo: Bob Bateman

Tom Roche's Meridian a Salona 45 is sailing with a Defence Forces Ireland crew Photo: Afloat

The fleet will leave the rock to port and return to Cork Harbour via Daunt Rock. 

Lt Commander Grace Fanning , Captain of LE Roisin escorted the six-boat fleet to the Cork harbour mouth at Roches Point.

Above and below: The Navy vessel LE Roisin escorted the Beaufort Cup fleet out of Cork Harbour on the race to the Fastnet Rock and back Photo: Bob Bateman

Cork Week's Ross Deasy with Beaufort Cup Race Officer Wendy McElligott, Captain Ken Minehane and Race Officer Clem McElligott at the Naval Base's signal turret for the first race of the Beaufort Cup to the Fastnet Rock Photo: Bob Bateman

Volvo Cork Week kicked off with a fun-filled Family Day on Sunday that was preceded by an official opening by Royal Cork Yacht Club Admiral Kieran O'Connell and Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney TD.

The regatta takes place in Crosshaven from 11-15 July.

According to Afloat's WM Nixon, one of the reasons people are coming from far and wide - in addition to many ports nearer the venue - is because the international sailing community was very impressed by the dignified, exemplary and innovative way in which the Royal Cork Yacht Club under Admiral Colin Morehead dealt with the seemingly total setback of not being able to stage their long-planned Tricentenary in 2020

After a four-year hiatus, guests eventually gather for Cork Week 2022 and RCYC's tricentenary celebrations Photo: Bob Bateman

There was fun and adventure for families across the whole village of Crosshaven, from the Royal Cork Yacht Club to Camden Fort Meagher and everywhere in between, including the famous Pipers Fun Fair and boat trips from Hugh Coveney Pier on the Cailin Or.

Cork Week enjoys events both on and off the water events, as they celebrate the tricentenary of the oldest yacht club in the world after events were cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic Photo: Bob Bateman

This year's emphasis is on sustainability with coastal walks, competitions, games, and a new coastal market in the Marquee at the Yacht Club. A children's workshop with Marine Scientist and Volvo Car Ireland Brand Ambassador Finn van der Aar also took place, and RedFM will broadcast live from the event.

The biennial Cork Week regatta draws spectators from far and near, and the atmosphere in Crosshaven, home of the Royal Cork Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman

As Afloat previously reported, the fleet is in. This morning (Monday, July 11th), the action on the water gets underway for the event that incorporates three championship events - the 1720 European Championships, which will include 47 1720 boats that were designed in Cork, the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) National Championships and the Dragons South Coast Championships – in addition to the renowned Beaufort Cup for international uniformed service personnel, which encompasses a race around the Fastnet Rock and back to Cork.

Royal Cork Yacht Club will host a Classic Yacht Regatta for the first time this year as part of Cork Week. It promises to be a fantastic viewing spectacle with some famous classic racing yachts on display  Photo: Bob Bateman

Classics at Crosshaven: Cork Harbour one designs Jap and Elsie alongside the just restored Lady Min, and coming up river is the 1919 Erin Photo: Bob Bateman

The 37-foot classic yacht French yacht Persephone on her berth at Crosshaven Photo: Bob Bateman

At least one competing boat only arrived at the Crosshaven venue this morning, having had success in the UK at the weekend.

There will be a Ladies' Day charity lunch in aid of the Crosshaven RNLI on Wednesday, July 13th, with Volvo brand ambassadors Amy Huberman and Brendan Courtney, which is a total sell-out.

Anna-Marie Fagan, Vice-Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Co-Chair of Volvo Cork Week and David Thomas, Managing director of Volvo Car Ireland

Anna-Marie Fagan, Vice-Admiral of the Royal Cork Yacht Club and Co-Chair of Volvo Cork Week, said, "I'm looking forward to welcoming sailors from around the world back to the stunning Cork Harbour. It will be an exceptional week of sailing, and we have a fantastic family day planned for everyone in Cork to enjoy. We have a packed schedule on and off the water".