#CORK WEEK–  In recent years, the Quarter Tonner Class has enjoyed a renaissance and as such a separate class looks likely for Cork Week writes Louay Habib. The retro class of sailing boats gave a shot in the arm to the two major south-coast regattas a year ago and 2012 looks like it will be no different. Although its heyday was 30 years ago, the revitalised Quarter Ton class in Britain and Ireland, is experiencing a new lease of life. The class competed at both the ICRA Nationals and the Sovereign's Cup.

Cork Week Racing Chairman, Anthony O'Leary says they are delighted to welcome quarter ton class to Crosshaven "Cork Week will be attracting a number of Quarter Tonners but we feel that as these yachts have been extensively optimised and other yachts racing in Class IRC 6 should be treated separately, hence there will be a prize for the best yacht in the class excluding them and another for the best Quarter Tonner."

Ian Travers from Kinsale has been very much part of the revival of the Quarter Ton Class in Ireland.

"I know of at least five other Irish Quarter Tonners that are going to be competing at Cork Week and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Especially as this year, I will be racing Per Una. Eamonn Rohan and I bought her and she has great pedigree, pity about the owners!" joked Ian.

"I would say the local favourite Tiger will be the one to beat but all the QTs in Ireland would dearly love to see some of the UK boats come over for the craic. I can assure you they would get a good battle on the water and some lively evening entertainment!"

The first Cork Week took place in 1978 and since then people from across the world return time after time to experience a truly unique regatta. There's the fantastic variety of courses, the picturesque setting and the legendary shore side entertainment but Cork Week has a sprinkle of magic that can only really be understood by those who come to Crosshaven and enjoy the full hospitality of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

With less than four months to go to the start of Ireland's most prestigious yachting regatta, competitors are relishing the thought of returning to Crosshaven for Cork Week.

The oldest yacht club in the world, the Royal Cork, is getting ready for the big event and the club is in great shape, as Cork Week Chairman, Pat Lyons explains. "The club and our marina are in excellent condition and this was confirmed in February by the award of a 5 Gold Anchor Marina by The Yacht Harbour Association in conjunction with the RYA. The Royal Cork is the first Yacht Club in Ireland to be awarded this prestigious title and it is a fine assessment of the fantastic efforts of all the staff. We are delighted to have been awarded this impressive title prior to Cork Week 2012, so as all our competitors can enjoy a top level of facilities and services this July."

Entries for Cork Week 2012 are gathering pace, besides a large contingent of Irish boats, many yachts travel from far and wide to come to Crosshaven for the regatta.

Sailing Logic's Reflex 38, Visit Malta Puma will be skippered by Tim Thubron, the Hamble based sailor had a great start to the year with a class winning performance in the RORC Caribbean 600.

"Well Cork Week is one of the biggest events in the yachting calendar and Visit Malta Puma had a huge amount of fun last time round. This will be my 6th Cork Week, it's an occasion I have always looked forward to." Enthused Thubron.

"The courses are challenging and have great variety including the Harbour Course, which always throws up a few surprises. It's nice to have a different and equally challenging course everyday, it just makes it a proper regatta really. I am sure we will have some very competitive racing, in 2010 we narrowly missed out on a big class win to Rockabill V and this year, we expect some exciting action not only with Irish boats but from other countries as well. After racing, the event village is full of old sailing friends and it's great to catch up and have a pint with those guys and chat about the day's racing.

Lots of regattas have tag lines but Cork Week really is – run by sailors for sailors - the hospitality from the Yacht Club, local pubs and restaurants is unmatched, Cork Week is a tribute to the whole community in Crosshaven."

The J/109 Class will be holding the Irish National Championships at Cork Week, Greg Burgess' Welsh J/109 Bluejay will be back to defend their dramatic last race win in 2010 and a large contingent from Dublin are also expected. Former Irish J/109 Class Captain, John Maybury and skipper of Joker has hopes for great occasion.

"Cork Week was chosen for our National Championship because it is the regatta with the highest profile in our calendar and we hope for a big turn out" Commented John Maybury. "It is important to stress that the event is open to all nationalities, not just the Irish fleet. In 2010 there were 18 J/109s at Cork Week and it would be fantastic to see a similar number this year. We have 15 J/109s that race on a regular basis in Ireland and we hope to have visitors from overseas to swell that number. The racing will be extremely competitive and once ashore, there are a huge variety of facilities. The Royal Cork Yacht Club, the race village, the restaurants and the pubs provide everything from simple fayre to gourmet cuisine, it is going to be an event not to be missed - Great racing with a fantastic atmosphere."

On something of a 'busman's holiday', Gael Pawson, Editor of Yachts & Yachting magazine, will be racing at Cork Week on Neil Thomas' Prima 38, Mighty Max 2, which will be sailing over to Cork from Liverpool.

"Cork Week is a fabulous event and I've always really enjoyed it but for some reason for the last few years I have been quite busy and I just haven't managed to fit it in." Commented Gael.

"This year I just thought I needed to make an extra effort because it's just been too long without racing in Ireland. In the past I have raced in one design and sportsboats at Cork, so I have never raced on the harbour course. I can't wait to get back to Crosshaven and finally get the grand tour of Cork Harbour.

What I really like about Cork Week is that there is serious racing with high level people as well as sailors there just for the fun of it. But everybody ashore takes a bit of time to have a giggle, the regatta is a good blend of laughter and serious sailing. One of the strengths of Cork Week is the range of music in the evenings, you can move around and really enjoy the night, not just standing around drinking but you can have a bit of a dance as well, I like that mixture."

#royalcork – Outgoing Admiral Paddy McGlade took Royal Cork Yacht Club through a packed agm last Monday as Peter Deasy was elected Admiral to the oldest yacht club in the world writes Claire Bateman. Pat Lyons will serve as Vice Admiral at the Crosshaven club and Pat Harte will fill the role of Hon. Secretary/Treasurer. Ronan Enright remains as Rear Admiral Keelboats, with John Roche becoming Rear Admiral Cruising and Darren O'Keeffe Rear Admiral Dinghies. Yvonne Durkan will chair the Bar House and Catering Committee and Cathal Conlon wll chair the Marina and Facilities Committee.

Peter Deasy previously chaired the 2010 Cork week regatta committee.

The new Royal Cork Yacht Club Executive pictured L. to R. Front: Vice Admiral Pat Lyons, Admiral Peter Deasy, Hon Sec/Treasurer Pat Harte. Back Row L. to R. Rear Admiral Keelboats, Ronan Enright, Chair Marina and Facilities, Cathal Conlon, Chair Bar House and Catering, Yvonne Durkan, Rear Admiral Dinghies, Darren O'Keeffe and Rear Admiral Cruising, John Roche. Picture Robert Bateman

#ISA – The Irish Sailing Association (ISA) is convening an extraordinary general meeting to propose a revised membership fee structure next month.

The introduction of the 'joint membership scheme' in 1993 fundamentally changed the representative base of the Association and now the ISA say that because clubs have changed over the past 20 years there is 'a need to introduce a single fee formula that is proportionate to a club's membership subscription income'.

The brainchild of former president Roger Bannon, the original scheme underpinned the financial viability of the ISA by making every member of a sailing club also a member of the ISA.

The current ISA subscription rate is 10% of a member's club subscription subject to a minimum of €24 and maximum of €36. For most of the bigger clubs such as Dun Laoghaire's waterfront clubs, the Royal Cork, Kinsale and Howth the rate is €36.

The ISA takes subscriptions from 73 sailing and powerboat clubs in the country ranging in size from the smallest clubs with only a dozen members to the largest in Dun Laoghaire, the Royal St. George Yacht Club with 1,858 members according to the ISA CEO Harry Hermon.

The total number of club members affiliated to the ISA is estimated at over 21,000.

In 2010 income from club member subscriptions generated €320,843 for the ISA but in 2011 this had dropped to 286,087.

The EGM is scheduled for February 11th at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire.

#Wine–Royal Cork Yacht Club has taken delivery of its own "Royal Cork Private Reserve" wine. It's described as 'a fine quality Bordeaux red wine with an exclusive "Royal Cork" label'. To celebrate its launch, diners at tomorrow's Goose dinner will receive a complimentary glass with their meal. Members can buy gift boxed bottles of the new wine from next week.

The new Royal Cork wine label

Royal Cork Yacht Club has announced a special deal for competitors trailing boats to next month's Irish Cruiser Racer (ICRA) National Championships of €100 Euro per boat to cover lift in and out for the regatta. Mast stepping in and out is also inlcuded, if required.

The hoist facility will enable a number of 25-30 footers planning to travel from Dun Laoghaire, Howth and Sligo to come by road. 'This facility is a great boost and will encourage more boats to travel' said ICRA Commodore Barry Rose.

ICRA and the Royal Cork have also agreed to extend the discounted entry fee of Euro 125 to the end of month. The racing body, that recently lifted the club of the year award, has also agreed special discounts at a local hotel.

On the water, Principal Race officers Peter Crowley, Richard Leonard and Douglas Deane are progressing plans for the national championships programme that runs from June 17-19.

Latest ICRA News and Updates HERE.

The Royal Cork YC aims to host the largest ever gathering of National 18's this summer. The 2011 class championship, better known locally as the Cock O' The North, will take place at RCYC in Crosshaven from Sunday 24th to Friday 29th July. In excess of 50 boats are expected to participate. Latest Royal Cork News here.

The class has roots all over Ireland and the United Kingdom. Traditionally the event sees entries from Scotland, London, Cork and Isle of Man. While strong numbers will travel as always from those centres, a feature of this year's event is the addition of entries from Lymington, Gloucester, Swansea, Lough Derg, Lough Neagh, Waterford, Schull, Ballydehob and Baltimore.

The event will cater for all National 18s whether old or new. The fleet will have three distinct divisions at this year's championships. The modern fleet will be known as Ultimate's, with the older fibreglass boats going into the Penultimate division while the original wooden clinker boats will race in the Classic division.

At the front of the ultimate fleet the competition will be intense with Anthony Ellis and crew from the Isle of Man doing their best to retain the crown that they won on home waters last season. However they will face a huge challenge with the likes of Colin Chapman, Nick Walsh and Tom Crosbie from the host club as well as the Barry brothers, Colin and Ewen from Monkstown Bay.

In the penultimate's class the fleet is seeing many older fibreglass boats being refurbished and brought out for the event. Expect to see Willie Healy on 'Break Even' and Grattan Roberts on 'Manniken P' feature strongly.

While the intention among the classics is that racing will not be as intense this division expects to see approximately ten boats from both home and abroad. Wolfgang Felder is travelling from Germany to participate alongside well known Cork sailors like Dick Gibson, Dan Cross and Tom Kirby. An interesting piece of history is that John Murphy of Baltimore SC will race in 'Tornado' which was the first winner of the Cock O'The North back in 1952.

Many former 18 sailors are making their way back to the class in recent times. The likes of John Crotty, Patsy O'Mahony and Bobby Kerr are expected to make it to the start line for this season to add a further element of experience to the fleet.

Among the many trophies to be raced for will be two trophies originally won by the late Richard Lane in Doldrum at the 1961 Championships sailed at Mumbles. The Lane family has kindly donated the trophies to the class and they will be raced for 50 years after Doldrum swept the board at the Welsh venue. While there has been no 18 activity at Mumbles in recent years it is expected that a crew from the club will race this year after the launch of a new pilot project by the class to stimulate 18 sailing in Wales.

Another interesting note to this event is the recent approval of carbon fibre masts and with up to 20% of the fleet already having switched over, eyes will be focused on any improved performance.

Like any good sailing event as much effort has been put into the social aspect. A full week's social programme has been planned ranging from a Christmas party to the Class Dinner. The Class Dinner will also serve as a reunion for former 18 sailors and it is expected that 300 people will attend what will be an historic occasion. All this sailing and socialising is thirsty work and so the class has commissioned a special beer for the week to be known as 'Cock a Doodle Brew' to mark the event.

For more information on the event go to www.national18.com.

Royal Cork Yacht Club sailors have lifted two national titles at the 2011 Mitsubishi National Youth Sailing Championships this afternoon in a series cut short today by gale force winds on Dublin Bay. SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S PRIZEGIVING PHOTOS.

Local knowledge offered no advantage as Dun Laoghaire co-hosts the Royal St. George YC, the National Yacht Club and the Royal Irish YC won none of the five national titles inspite of strong turnouts fielded by each of the waterfront clubs.

With winds gusting up to 25-30 knots and easterly winds causing a big swell, sailing for the final day of the ISA Mitsubishi National Championships was cancelled leaving the 300 sailors ashore. However all classes had completed sufficient races to complete the series.

The event was an important test event for Dun Laoghaire organisers of the Youth Worlds which will be held in the same venue from 12 -21 July 2012.

In a show of strength from the regions the three other titles went to other east coast clubs at Howth, Ballyholme and Courtown.

Immediately after the prizegiving, (photos below) Olympic Team Manager James O'Callaghan named the Irish team for the 2011 ISAF Youth World Championships in Croatia in July based on the weekend results. Listen to the podcast with the team manager, talking about the stand out performances of the weekend,  the current strength of youth sailing in Ireland and the prospect of a top finish in Croatia.

Royal Cork YC achieved two national titles with Laser 4.7 event favourite Seafra Guilfoyle winning the title having previously dominated the Optimist fleet in previous years.

Brother and sister team Patrick & Chloe Crosbie also from Royal Cork won the 420 National title and Patrick was awarded the Training Grant for the most promising sailor at the event.

This event was the national trials for the Optimist class which was won by Tralee Bay sailor Sophie Browne who will travel to New Zealand in December to compete in the Optimist World Championships.

Irish optimist sailors are performing well internationally at the moment finishing fourth and fifth at the Braassemermeer Easter regatta. Other events during 2011 where there will be Irish representation include the European Championships in Portugal and the National Championships in Germany and the UK.

Top three results below. Click the links for full results class by class.

Laser Radial - full results here
National Champion: Philip Doran (Courtown Sailing Club)
2nd  Robbie Gilmore (Strangford Lough YC)
3rd Eoin Keller (Lough Derg YC)
1st Girl Sophie Murphy Quoile Yacht Club

Laser 4.7 - full results here
National Champion: Seafra Guilfoyle (Royal Cork YC)
2nd Darragh O'Sullivan (Kinsale YC)
3rd Finn Lynch (NYC/Blessington SC)
1st Girl: Sian Kneafsey (National YC)

420 - full results here
National Champions:  Patrick Crosbie & Chloe Crosbie (Royal Cork YC)
2nd Aodh Kennedy & Daniel Browne (Kinsale YC & Tralee Bay SC)
3rd Emma Geary & Niamh Connolly (Royal Cork YC & Baltimore SC)

Feva - full results here

National Champions: D Johnston & L Flynn Byrne (Howth YC)

2nd C Totterdell & S Craig (National YC/Royal St. George YC)

3rd  C Mollard & J Harris (Howth YC)

Topper - full results here
National Champion:  T Brow (Ballyholme YC)
2nd Laura Gilmore (Strangford Lough YC)
3rd  Andrew Penney (East Antrim BC)

Optimist (Championship fleet)
1st Ben Walsh (Skerries SC)
2nd Ross Quirke (National YC)
3rd Colin O'Sullivan (Malahide YC)

Optimist National Trials
Sophie Browne (Tralee Bay SC) won the trials and took the option of travelling to New Zealand in December 2011 to represent Ireland at the Optimist World Championships.

The following sailors were selected by the trial process to represent Ireland at the European Championship which will be held in Portugal in July 2011: Sean Donnelly, HYC, Peter McCann RCYC, Harry Whitaker RCYC, Eoin Lyden RCYC, Jil McGinley RCYC  Cliodhna Ni Shuilleabhain KYC and Megan Parker SSC

The team selected to travel to the German National Championships include Robert Dickson HYC , Daire Cournane KYC, Sean Waddilove Skerries SC,  Richard Hogan HYC, Adam Hyland RSGYC, Ronan Cournane KYC, Sean Gambier Ross KYC and Fergus Flood HYC, Aoife Hopkins and Alacoque Daly Tralee Bay SC.

In addition 10 sailors were chosen for the Irish under 12 squad who will compete in the Optimist UK National Championships.

All our youth sailing news aggregated here

Prizegiving photos by Gareth Craig below. For daily on the water action: Day one photos here. Day two photos here. Day three photos here.

The National Yacht Club hosted the 420 dinghy Leinster Sailing Championships over the Easter Weekend, attracting twelve boats and visiting crews travelling from Crosshaven, Kinsale, Malahide, Spiddal, Tralee and Wexford.

Emma Geary and Niamh Connolly from Royal Cork YC counted four wins and a second place in the six-race series to win the event convincingly. The girls will be aiming to repeat their success next weekend at the ISA Mitsubishi Youth Nationals in Dun Laoghaire in order to secure a nomination to the 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds, which will be held in Croatia.

Fiona and Patrick Daly of Tralee Bay SC finished second overall with a very consistent four 2^nds and two 3^rds Aodh Kennedy/Daniel Browne (Kinsale YC) who were third overall and Richard D’Esterre/Peter Stokes (CYS/Royal Munster) also recorded race wins.

Alanna Lyttle and Cian Guifoyle (Royal St.George YC) narrowly defeated fellow newcomers Emily Jones and Liadh Conway (Wexford Harbour BC) for the Silver Fleet Trophy.

PRO Larry Power and his mark laying teams provided excellent racing in sometimes challenging wind conditions while Sandra Moore ran the race office throughout the weekend.

Full results available here.

There were mid fleet performances from Irish boats at RORC's Easter Sailing Challenge on the Solent where competitors not only head home wiser after three days of coaching, but also with suntans...so the July-like conditions continued for Easter Sunday, the final day of competition.

Royal Cork's Anthony O'Leary was fifth from ten starters in IRC one and Niall Dowling's new J111 Arabella finished the same in IRC 2. Both boats moved up from sixth overall in yesterday's final day of racing.

Racing got underway in the morning with just enough northwesterly gradient coming out of Southampton Water for the race committee to set courses to the north of Ryde Sands. The first race was held in 5-10 knots while in the second, the breeze dropped off after the second start.

Despite a protest over their start in today's second race that might have cost them the top spot, Rob Gray and Sam Laidlaw's Farr 52, Bob, won IRC 1 by a comfortable four points, the biggest boat in the RORC Easter Challenge fleet benefitting from clear air in the light winds.

Mike Bartholomew's King 40, Tokoloshe, had a disappointing day posting two fourths, dropping them to second. "It was thoroughly enjoyable, a great regatta, although it was a pity the wind got a bit fickle at times," said the South African skipper. "I think it was quite funny that we are one of the lowest rating boats in our class and we ended up second while the top rating boat won. There has been a lot of criticism of the IRC, so maybe it works! And the weather was beautiful. I don't live here all the time, but I have never seen England so good."

Mark Devereux's Club Swan 42, Brevity, slipped into third today after the British Keelboat Academy's Farr 45, Kolga, was OCS in today's second race. Kolga has British Keelboat Academy crew with RYA Youth Match Racing National Champion Mark Lees, 19, steering.

"For us it was a case of our making sure that all the fundamentals we've been working on in the manoeuvres and the communications on board were all clicking," commented British Keelboat Academy Head Coach, Luke McCarthy. "In the first race today it all came together and it was nice to get second on corrected in a pretty competitive IRC fleet."

In IRC 2, RORC Commodore Andrew McIrvine was in his stride, scoring two wins aboard his First 40, La Rèponse. This left him tied in first with Andrew Williams' Prima 38, Max 'Ed Out! which won having one more bullet.
The scorers also had to resort to countback in IRC3 where Chris and Hannah Neve's First 35, No Chance, was pipped at the post by Louise Morton's MAT 1010, which had two wins today to gain the all-female crew (apart from Volvo Ocean Race winner navigator Jules Salter) the overall prize on countback.

No Chance's tactician Phil Lawrence, grumbling that his match racer daughter Charlotte aboard MAT 1010 had beaten him, said that in the second race their chances were scuppered when they got gassed by the J/109, Toe in the Water, led by round the world sailing legend, Brian Thompson. "There was much less breeze and we are not so quick in that and Toe In the Water, which has been sailed really well, got past us and dropped us back into the pack. We could just never catch them."

The regatta's only run-away leader was Grant Gordon's J/97 Fever. She finished 16 points ahead of Robert Baker's X-332, Brightwork, despite losing today's final race to Alistair Evans' immaculate Swan 37, Alvine XV, winner of the Prix d'Elegance (as chosen by the ladies on the committee boat).

Following on from Gordon's Swan 45 of the same name, the J/97 is being sailed by a new team that has been together since last Cowes Week.

"It has been very well organised by the RORC," continued Gordon. "They have done a good job and it is great to get feedback from the coaches. We got some good input on trimming the sails from Eddie Warden Owen, and being so light, the starts were quite challenging. It is a great way to start the season and it is much better to do it when there is a heat wave. Last year, we were sweeping snow off the deck!"

An exciting addition to the 2011 Nationals is the visit of up to 12 top boats from the UK Quarter Ton fleet. This is a class based in Cowes, consisting of 1970-1980s old IOR rule boats lovingly restored to within an inch of their lives and sailed by their owners many of whom are as vintage as their boats - la creme de la creme! They have begun to make an annual pilgrimage to southern Irish waters in recent years attracted by the quality of Cork Week and Sovereign's Cup and ICRA are delighted to welcome them to the Irish Nationals.

Unbelievably one of these old quarter tonners, the beautiful Davidson designed Black Fun, is presently on a container ship on her way from Wellington New Zealand to these shores to take to take her chances against the local opposition. Black Fun is one of the early entries to the ICRA nationals.

These visiting boats will provide stiff competition to local boats such as Neil Kennefick and Joxer O Brien's Tiger, Eamon Rohan's new Farr designed Anchor Challenge, Jimmy Nyhan's Outrigger and Ian Traver's Bandit.

ICRA has responded to this development by providing new Open Quarter Ton Trophies to cater for this fleet and its professional participation. The visitors will race in division 3 for the new trophies alongside the regular fleet sailing under standard ICRA regulations.

Division Zero is shaping up very well with entries from such leading boats as Anthony O Leary's Antix and Robert Davies Roxy V1 of Rolex Commodore's Cup winning fame as well as the beautiful Mills 36 Crazy Horse, of Nobby Reilly and Alan Chambers, the Conor Phelan's Royal Cork Ker 37 Jump and the still potent Corby 39 Gloves Off of Kieran Twomey. Division 1 will see loyal supporters like the Mills 30, Raptor and and the Corby 33 Rockabill do battle with local boats such as Jelly Baby and True Pennance.

Division 2 promises top Class competition with the former Colwell and Murphy owned national champion, the Corby 25 Kinetic, now Azure and sailing under the burgee of Kinsale YC and helmed by Brian Goggin competing with a number of sister boats including Vinny O Shea's Yanks $ Ffranks, Denis Coleman's Thunderbird, Conor Ronan's Ruthless from Sligo YC as well as many others such as Dux, Slack Alice, Zoom, Indigo, Sunburn, Xebec and Kodachi.

There is a Division 4 introduced for the first time this year with SCORA putting up the trophies.This is in response to a strong local Cork Harbour fleet in this Band.

The ICRA Corinthian Cup for Non-Spinnaker Boats comes to the South Coast also for the first time and a second Cup has been added to cater for both IRC and ECHO divisions.

This is a real opportunity for non spinnaker boats to compete in a Regatta of this calibre and a big fleet is expected.

Entry fees for boats entered by 29th April are reduced from €175 to €125 so get those entries in during April to take advantage of this incredible value. Reduced lift in and out fees and a great accomodation package are in place with Carrigaline Court Hotel.

All the latest Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) News