#calvesweek – Light conditions and poor visibility forced the temporary postponement of the first days racing at Cork Dry Gin Calves week today writes Claire Bateman. Race officer Neil Prendeville eventually managed to start all fleets on various courses taking in a windward mark in Long Island Bay and the Calves Islands.

The fickle south westerly wind proved a handful for all the competitors with the final boats taking almost five hours to complete the course.

In Class the the two largest boats Gloves Off and Jump Juice seemed to master the conditions and left the rest of the fleet trailing along way behind to take both IRC and ECHO in that order.

In Class Two the fleet was dominated by the Rohan/Travers "Per Elisa", that comfortably won both divisions, followed home by fellow quarter tonner Jason Losty's "Illes Piteuses".

In Class Three victory in both divisions went to Derek Dillon from Foynes Sailing Club with the Barrett/Conlon combination in Y-Knot filling second place.

Class four saw one of the closest finishes of the day with the first four boats crossing the line within fifteen seconds ofone another.Richard Hanley in "Saoirse" claimed the IRC trophy while local Schull boat "Witchcraft" sailed by Simon Nelson won ECHO.

The large White Sail classes had a tough day particularly on the downwind legs with Howth visitor "Sojourn" winning in both IRC and ECHO from Ciaran Geoghan's "Fizz" and Bryan Heffernan's, Aisling In White Sail Two Finbarr Butler's "Moonfleet"took the trophy from Jack Coggey's "Roaring Water.

Results here

#calves week – With over 40 confirmed entries at present, the 2012 Calves Week in Schull is again expected to top the 60 boat mark for the annual West Cork festival of sailing.

This year's event will incorporate a race in the Scora Offshore Series and will feature racing for six classes with the ever growing white sail class split into two fleets and with a cut-off point of approximately 34ft.

The traditional overnight Offshore Scora race starts from Crosshaven on Friday night, August 3rd, while on Sunday the Schull/Baltimore regatta feeder race will provide ample opportunity for skippers and crews to familiarise themselves with Roaring Water Bay where principal race officer for Calves Week, Neil Prendeville, has drawn up a new course card featuring over forty courses taking in the many islands and natural marks.

The opening reception and skippers briefing takes place at the Fastnet Marine Centre on Monday August 6th with the first "Round the islands" race starting at 12.30pm on Tuesday.

On Wednesday the fleet will sail two races on an Olympic type course in Long Island Bay, while Thursday will see the boats head for the Fastnet Rock .

The series will finish on Friday with racing in Roaring Water Bay followed by the overall presentation of prizes and closing ceremony on Schull Main Street.

#CALVES WEEK – Sailors from Kinsale Yacht Club, Royal Cork Yacht Club as well as West Cork clubs Baltimore and Crookhaven joined with Schull Harbour Sailing Club yesterday (SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PHOTOS) to toast Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2012 new compact format which will consist of a four day racing series, including a race around the Fastnet Rock.

Alan Dwyer, Commodore of SHSC raised a glass to the new sponsorship and among others invited to the Cork Gin reception at Blackrock Castle in Cork Harbour was ICRA's Michael Murphy, Gail McAllister of ISA and West Cork Sailing Centre, Alan Dwyer, Tom Kirby,  Bryan Cahill of Schull, Ritchie Hanley from Kinsale and Aidan Heffernan skipper of Indulgence from Royal Cork. Sailing writers Dermot Russell of the Irish Examiner and Claire Bateman of Afloat.ie also attended.

Speaking about Cork Dry Gin's sponsorship Alan Dwyer saays says "we are thrilled to have such a prestigious brand as Cork Dry Gin sponsoring this year's event, the new series will create a real buzz around Schull with a prize giving every night in the village"

The event will take place from Aug 7th - 10th to allow for visiting yachts to take part in the local regattas of Baltimore, Crookhaven and Schull.

#CALVES WEEK – The new compact format for Cork Dry Gin Calves Week 2012 will consist of a 4 day racing series, including a race around the Fastnet Rock. As previously reported on Afloat.ie the event will take place from Aug 7th - 10th to allow for visiting yachts to take part in the local regattas of Baltimore, Crookhaven and Schull.

Speaking about Cork Dry Gin's sponsorship Alan Dwyer, Commodore of Schull Harbour Sailing Club says "we are thrilled to have such a prestigious brand as Cork Dry Gin sponsoring this year's event, the new series will create a real buzz around Schull with a prize giving every night in the village".

#CALVES WEEK – Schull has announced a major new sponsorship for the event with long standing sailing supporter Cork Dry Gin coming on board as the main sponsor writes Claire Bateman. The boost for the west cork event follows recent changes published regarding Calves Week and the important changes that will take place for the 2012 event

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, this year's Calves Week will be a four day series from Tuesday, August 7th to Friday, August 10th, 2012

The new format will facilitate those who wish to visit Schull for just one week (Saturday to Saturday), but of course for others the option of sailing in Baltimore, Crookhaven and Schull regattas as well is still available.

Schull Sailing Club commodore Alan Dwyer reports the Schull team is working closely with the local community to provide a Carnival atmosphere in the town during the event. There will be a presentation of prizes in the town after racing each day.

Entry to this year's event is limited the 2012 Cork Dry Gin Calves Week Series entry form is available for download below.

#CALVES WEEK – Calves week is to be cut down to a four day event this August in response to competitors requests for a shorter and less expensive event writes Claire Bateman. This year, as an alternative to the traditional event spanning a two week period, the Schull based sailing programme will consist of a four day Calves Week Championships, running from Tuesday 7th to Friday 10th of August, with the usual mix of courses taking in the Fastnet Rock and many of Carberys Hundred Isles, together with laid courses in Roaringwater Bay.

Daily prizegiving will take place on Main Street Schull where a nautical festival theme for the village is being organised by local businesses.

The traditional regattas on August Monday in Baltimore and the following Saturday and Sunday in Crookhaven and Schull will continue as stand alone events with their own courses and prizegivings being organised by the local sailing clubs.

The week will once again commence with the overnight Crosshaven/Schull race starting the activities on Friday August 3rd, while on Saturday morning August 4th the White Sail fleet will have an early start from Kinsale. Both of these races will form part of the new Scora Offshore Championships, together with the midweek Fastnet Race out of Schull.

The final two races of the 27th Calves Week in Schull were sailed in light, unpredictable winds writes Oonagh Buckley

Friday's traditional feeder race to Crookhaven, around the Fastnet Rock, is a highlight of the week, particularly for the crews of visiting boats. They can then say with honesty that they have been in a Fastnet Race and have the photographs to prove it. Over recent years, wind conditions have forced the fleet to be split, with only the larger boats rounding the Rock. This year however, race officer Neil Prendiville sent the full fleet of over 60 boats through the Calf Islands and around the iconic lighthouse. He reckoned however without the unpredictable winds which dropped as the boats passed the Bill of Cape Clear. Around a third of the boats retired and the course was shortened to finish at the Rock itself for Classes 3 and 4. Those that held on were rewarded with a 10 to 12 knot breeze in later afternoon for an evening finish in Crookhaven Harbour.

Anchor Challenge (E Rohan) in Class 3 was first to finish over the line, commensurate with his results all week. Kieran Twomey in Gloves Off was second and won Class 0/1 from ISOR (P. O'Donovan) and Coirín (F. Leyden). Growler (D. Dineen), one of the two of that name sailing in the fleet this year, won in Class 2, Tete a Tete (T&O Buckley) in Class 4, Fizz (C. Geoghegan) in Whitesail 1 and La Perle Noir (J&D Crowley) in Whitesail 2.

Saturday was a lay day for Calves Week, with some boats participating in Crookhaven Regatta.

Schull Regatta is the traditional Sunday finish to the week. Despite heavy winds and rain overnight, the race officer had to delay the start to the race by an hour, as the winds had dropped to one or two knots by midday. As the forecast was for the wind to pick up in mid afternoon, a short course around placed marks was set, with all classes rounding the course twice. The wind duly came up with a spinnaker finish in 10 to 12 knots over the line in Schull Harbour.

Aidan Heffernan on Indulgence took final honours in Class 0/1, ahead of Donal O'Leary on D-Tox and Brian Siggins on Arís Maria. Growler (D. Dineen) again took honours in Class 2, Outrigger (J. Nyhan) in Class 3, Chinook (A Bradley) in Class 4, Becca (D. Madden) in Whitesail 1, and Zeezwan (D. Buckley) in Whitesail 2.

A correction to the previous results is that Samba won in Whitesails 1 (including IRC) in Tuesday's Offshore Race.

The trophy for overall IRC Helmsman was Eamonn Rohan in Anchor Challenge. Overall Echo Helmsman was Diarmuid Dineen in Growler. The 'Best Local Boat' Trophy was won for the first time by Ted and Oonagh Buckley on Tête a Tête.

Results:

OverallClass 0/ Echo: D-Tox (D O'Leary)
Class 0/1 IRC: D-tox (D O'Leary)
Class 2 Echo: Growler (D Dineen)
Class 2 IRC: Allure (B Goggin)
Class 3 Echo: Chameleon (P O'Donovan)
Class 3 IRC: Anchor Challenge (E Rohan)
Class 4 Echo: Tête a Tête (T&O Buckley)
Class 4 IRC: Saoirse (R Hanley)
Whitesail 1 IRC: Samba (J Downing)
Whitesail 1: Samba (J Downing)
Whitesail 2: Wild Dreams (N Groom)

Saab Schull to Crookhaven
Class 0/1 IRC 1 Gloves Off (K. Twomey) 2. D-Tox (D. O'Leary) 3 ISOR (P. O'Donovan)
Class 0/1 Echo 1 Gloves Off (K. Twomey) 2 ISOR (P. O'Donovan)3 Coilín (F. Leyden)
Class 2 IRC 1 Sandrine (Conboy/Kelly) 2 Allure (B. Goggin) 3 Catalpa (D. Nash)
Class 2 Echo 1 Growler (D. Dineen) 2 Sandrine (Conboy/Kelly) 3. Polly (J. Pollard)
Class 3 IRC 1 Anchor Challenge (E Rohan) 2. Whyte Knight (F. Coughlan) 3 Outrigger (J. Nyhan)
Class 3 Echo 1 Anchor Challenge (E Rohan) 2 Whyte Knight (F. Coughlan) 3. Outrigger (J. Nyhan)
Class 4 Echo 1 Tete a Tete (T and O Buckley) 2. Barossa (E. Krugel)
Whitesail 1 IRC 1 Samba (J Downing) 2 VSOP (D. McCarthy) 3 Just Jasmin (P Smith)
Whitesail 1: Fizz (C Geoghegan) 2. Samba (J Downing) 3 VSOP (D McCarthy)
Whitesail 2: 1 La Perle Noire (J &D Crowley) 2 Brazen Huzie (T O'Dwyer) 3 Chinook (F O'Hara)

Schull Regatta
Class 0/1 IRC: 1 D-Tox (D O'Leary) 2 Black Velvet (L. Parnell) 3. Gloves Off (K Twomey)
Class 0/1 Echo: 1 Indulgence (A Heffernan) 2. D-Tox (D O'Leary) 3 Arís Maria (B Siggins)
Class 2 IRC: 1 Allure (B Goggin) 2 Cochise (B Appelbe) 3 Val Kriss (Dann/Murphy/Hennessey)
Class 2 Echo: 1 Growler (D Dineen) 2 Val Kriss (Dann/Murphy/Hennessey) 3 Allure (B Goggin)
Class 3 IRC: 1 Seconds Count (D O'Donovan) 2 Outrigger (J Nyhan) 3 Full Pelt (P Murray)
Class 3 Echo 1 Outrigger (J Nyhan) 2 Chameleon (P O'Donovan) 3 Fult Pelt (P Murray)
Class 4 IRC 1 Saoirse (R Hanley) 2 Shelly D (M Murphy)
Class 4 Echo 1 Chinook (A Bradley) 2 Barossa (E Krugel) 3 Witchcraft (S Nelson)
Whitesail 1 IRC 1 VSOP (D McCarthy) 2 Just Jasmine (P Smith) 3 Aisling (B Heffernan)
Whitesail 1 Becca (D Madden) 2 Just Jasmine (P Smith) 3 Windborne (N Palmer-Sheehan)
Whitesail 2 1 Zeezwan (D Buckley) 2 Kileena (J Molloy) 3 La Perle Noir (D & J Crowley)

Over 60 boats signed up for the 27th Calves Week in Schull this week writes Oonagh Buckley. The first few days of the week long racing event benefited from a late burst of summer conditions with light winds and blue skies. The  organisers were pleased that the numbers coming to Schull held up well, despite the poor summer so far.

Many boats of course return year after year, to join the local fleet from Schull Harbour Sailing Club. This may reflect the unique experience offered in Calves Week where the islands in Roaringwater Bay are used as additional marks for the races. One innovation this year was offering an IRC series for Whitesail 1, with Samba (J. Downing) taking winning honours on all 3 races to date.

The feeder races from Cork and Kinsale battled against light winds to make it down. Only one whitesail boat (Aisling, B. Heffernan) sailed overnight from Kinsale. Five boats set off from Cork with Indulgence (A. Heffernan) winning by less than 8 minutes on corrected time from Exhale (D. Good).

The wind picked up over Sunday to a force 3/4, which allowed the Racing Officer (Neil Prendiville) to send the full fleet around Clear Island on the feeder race to Baltimore. Black Velvet (L.Parnell) won Class 0/1, with Val Kriss (Dann/Murphy/Hennessey) ahead of Cochise in Class 2, Chameleon (P O'Donovan) in Class 3 and local boat Tete á Tete (T and O Buckley) winning Class 4. Megalopolis (P. Allman) in Whitesail 1 and Wild Dreams (N. Groom) in Whitesail 2 headed the large Whitesail fleet.

Baltimore regatta was sailed in glorious sunshine. Light and gusty winds, particularly in Baltimore Habour caused trouble for some boats trying for a spinnaker finish for the crowds. Exhale (D.Good) took honours in the Class 0/1 contest, Sandrine (Conboy/Kelly) in Class 2, Chameleon (P O'Donovan) in Class 3 and Tete á Tete (T and O Buckley) winning Class 4. Megalopolis (P. Allman) again won Whitesail 1, Zeezwan (D. Buckley) in Whitesail 2

Despite light winds, the winning boats maintained a remarkably consistent approach in the A&L Castor Offshore Race on Tuesday, around the cans with the honours changing only in Class 4 won by Barossa (E. Krugel), Whitesail 1 by Outrigger (J. Nyhan) and Whitesail 2 by Brazen Huzie (T. Dwyer). After a rest day on Wednesday, enlivened by a treasure hunt around the islands, Thursday saw fresher winds and an Atlantic swell for the Coastal Trophy Race with Derry Good on Exhale losing the mast in a severe gust.

Friday's race from Schull – Fastnet – Crookhaven and Schull Regatta on Sunday will complete the series for 2011.

Results (Provisional):

Schull-Baltimore (30th July)
Class 0/1 IRC 1. D-Tox (D. O'Leary) 2. Black Velvet (L.Parnell) 3. Gloves Off (K.Twomey)
Class 0/1 Echo 1. Black Velvet (L.Parnell) 2. Indulgence (A. Heffernan) 3. D-Tox (D. O'Leary)
Class 2 IRC 1. Allure (B. Goggin) 2. Cochise (B. Applebe) 3. Val Kriss (Dann/Murphy/Hennessey)
Class 2 Echo 1 Val Kriss (Dann/Murphy/Hennessey) 2 Cochise (B. Applebe) 3. Sandrine (Conboy/Kelly)
Class 3 IRC 1. Anchor Challenge (E Rohan) 2. Outrigger (J. Nyhan) 3. Seconds Count (D. O'Donovan)
Class 3 Echo 1 Chameleon (P. O'Donovan) 2 Full Pelt (P. Murray) 3 Outrigger (J. Nyhan)
Class 4 IRC 1 Saoirse (R. Hanley) 2 Shelly D (M. Murphy)
Class 4 Echo 1. Tete a Tete (T and O Buckley) 2. Saoirse (R. Hanley) 3. Josephine (R. Doorley)
Whitesail 1 IRC 1 Samba (J Downing) 2 Megalopolis (P. Allman) 3. VSOP (D. McCarthy)
Whitesail 1 1 Megalopolis (P.Allman) 2. Samba (J Downing) 3. VSOP (D. McCarthy)
Whitesail 2 1 Wild Dreams (N. Groom) 2. An Cuileann (Dolan/Taylor) 3 Chatterbox (N. Lane)

Baltimore Regatta (31st July)2
Class 0/1 IRC 1. Exhale (D.Good) 2. Black Velvet (L. Parnell) 3. D-Tox (D. O'Leary)
Class 0/1 Echo 1. Exhale (D. Good) 2. Coirin (F. Leyden) 3. Black Velvet (L. Parnell)
Class 2 IRC 1. Allure (B. Goggin) 2. Cochise (B. Applebe) 3. Catalpa (D. Nash)
Class 2 Echo 1 Sandrine (Conboy/Kelly) 2. Growler (D.Dineen) 3 Polly (J. Pollard)
Class 3 IRC 1. Anchor Challenge (Eamonn Rohan) 2. Seconds Count (D. O'Donovan) 3. Chameleon (P. O'Donovan)
Class 3 Echo 1 Chameleon (P. O'Donovan) 2 Whyte Knight (F. Coughlan) 3. Seconds Count (D.O'Donovan)
Class 4 IRC 1. Saoirse (R. Hanley)
Class 4 Echo 1 Tete a Tete (T and O Buckley) 2. Chinook (A. Bradley) 3 Saoirse (R. Hanley)
Whitesail 1 IRC 1 Samba (J. Downing) 2. Megalopolis (P. Allman) 3 VSOP (D. McCarthy)
Whitesail: 1. Megalopolis (P. Allman) 2. Aisling (B. Heffernan) 3 Samba (J. Downing)
Whitesail 2: 1 Zeezwan (D. Buckley) 2. An Cuileann (Dolan/Taylor) 3 Wild Dreams (N. Groom)

A&L Castors Coastal Race (1st August)
Class 0/1 IRC 1 D-Tox (D. O'Leary) 2 Black Velvet (L. Parnell) 3. Gloves Off (K. Twomey)
Class 0/1 Echo 1 Exhale (D. Good) 2 D-Tox (D. O'Leary) 3 Black Velvet (L. Parnell)
Class 2 IRC 1 Allure (B. Goggin) 2 Cochise (B. Appelbe) 3 Val Kriss (Dann/Murphy/Hennessey)
Class 2 Echo 1 Val Kriss (Dann/Murphy/Hennessey) 2 Cochise (B. Appelbe) 3. Allure (B. Goggin)
Class 3 IRC 1 Anchor Challenge (E Rohan) 2. Outrigger (J. Nyhan) 3 Whyte Knight (F. Coughlan)
Class 3 Echo 1 Chameleon (P. O'Donovan) 2 Whyte Knight(F. Coughlan) 3. Outrigger (J. Nyhan)
Class 4 IRC 1 Shelley D (M Murphy) 2 Saoirse (R. Hanley)
Class 4 Echo 1 Barossa (E. Krugel) 2 Shelly D (M. Murphy) 3 Tete a Tete (T and O Buckley)
Whitesail 1 IRC 1 Outrigger (J. Nyhan) 2 VSOP (D. McCarthy) 3 Megalopolis (P. Allman)
Whitesail 1: 1 Outrigger (J. Nyhan) 2 Megalopolis (P. Allman) 3 Aisling (B Heffernan)
Whitesail 2: 1 Brazen Huzie (T. Dwyer) 2 Wild Dreams (N. Groom) 3 Chatterbox (M. Lane)

Schull Harbour Sailing Club has announced the programme for Calves Week 2011 and as well as full programme of coastal, offshore and overnight races, the top sailing event in West Cork has also announced Heineken Lager has come on board as title sponsor writes Claire Bateman. Calves Week runs from Friday 29th July to Sunday 7th August.

With the high powered excitement of the ICRA National Championships and the Sovereign’s Cup behind them, the eyes of the sailors are now turning westward with the first of the visiting boats already arriving in Schull Harbour to enjoy leisurely cruising prior to joining the racing action on the August weekend.

Principal Race Officer, Neill Prendeville of Kinsale YC, will take charge of the on the water events and has promised a mixture of laid and natural courses using the many islands of Roaring Water Bay, while Denis Kiely of SCORA, will oversee the handicaps and results.

The opening SCORA overnight race will start from Crosshaven on Friday 29th July and will round the Fastnet before finishing in Schull Harbour, while the Whitesail Fleet will have an early start in Kinsale on Saturday morning, July 30th.

The opening and closing receptions will take place in the Fastnet Marine Centre that is currently undergoing major refurbishing prior to staging the World Team Racing championships at the end of August, and the Thursday prizegiving ceremony will take place in the historic Grove House on the Colla road.

With confirmed entries now approaching the fifty mark, it is hoped that the many hundreds of sailors and friends that will crowd into Schull for the week of exciting racing and onshore festivities will provide a major tourist lift for the area .

Calves Week Schedule of races

Fri 29th July.  Crosshaven-Fastnet –Schull  (Overnight SCORA Offshore Series)

Sat 30th July. Kinsale –Schull  ( WhiteSail Offshore day race)

Sun 31st July. Schull - Baltimore (Coastal Race)

Mon 1st August  Baltimore Regatta.

Tue 2nd August  Offshore Trophy Race

Thr 4th August  Coastal Trophy Race

Fri 5th August  Schull-Fastnet-Crookhaven

Sun 7th August Schull Regatta.

Nice to see Calves Week organisers are leaving nothing to chance next year. They've already published the entry form and notice of race for the 2011 West Cork regatta from July 30th to August 7th. The regatta is organised jointly by Baltimore Sailing Club, Crookhaven Regatta and Schull Harbour Sailing Club.