Last week's Cork Week regatta incorporated the Irish Cruiser Racer National Championships for 2022 and produced a list of National Champions that reads like a who's who of the Irish cruiser-racer scene.
As previously reported, in IRC 2, the immaculate scoreline of John Maybury's Joker II from the Royal Irish Yacht Club was the week's top performance across the six IRC classes. It made the Dun Laoghaire yacht the overall ICRA champion for 2022.
Joker II's crew at Cork were: Bow: Adrian (Jack) Mulligan, Irene Sorohan, and Sarah O'Callaghan, Mast and Nav: Ronan Verling, Pit: Michelle Fitzgerald, Trim: Brian Phelan and Nick Kelly Main and Tactics: Stefano Cherin and Helm: John Maybury.
Joker II on her way to one of nine podium finishes at Cork Week 2022. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
Joker II's 2022 season started with a bucket list trip to the Caribbean, and it proved a good warm-up for the season with strong winds and fairly big seas every day.
Initially, Maybury didn't have enough crew available to do Wave Regatta in Howth in early June, but the last-minute availability of a good crew from another boat that had to withdraw made for a last-minute entry. Joker II took some early wins off Ireland's Eye to lead overall after day one, but a non-discardable DSQ in the Lambay Race put paid to any chance of a podium there.
J/109 Joker makes a neat job of the Cruiser One start on Howth Wave's opening day Photo: Afloat
Cork Week was on Maybury's agenda from the start of the season, and the week came together well for the Dublin Bay sailors. 16 IRC Two teams had windward-leeward and round the cans courses over the five days at Cork Week, and Joker II scored four race wins, and nine podium finishes in ten races.
ICRA Overall champions -The Joker II crew at Cork were Bow: Adrian (Jack) Mulligan, Irene Sorohan, and Sarah O'Callaghan, Mast and Nav: Ronan Verling, Pit: Michelle Fitzgerald, Trim: Brian Phelan and Nick Kelly Main and Tactics: Stefano Cherin and Helm: John Maybury Photo: Bob Bateman
The next big event for the Maybury crew is the defence of the J109 National Championship title in September; a crown Maybury has already won five times.
ICRA National Champions 2022 (at Cork Week)
ICRA National Championship Prizes laid out at Crosshaven Photo: Bob Bateman
ICRA Commodore Dave Cullen addresses the National Championship and Volvo Cork Week prizegiving Photo: Bob Bateman
The complete list of ICRA National Champions for 2022 are:
IRC:
- Class 0 Samatom
- Class 1 Journeymaker II
- Class 2 Joker II
- Class 3 Headcase
- Non Spinnaker 1 Prince of Tides
- Non Spinnaker 2 Shillelagh
Class 0 Samatom
Class 1 Journeymaker II
Class 2 Joker II (and overall winner)
Class 3 Headcase
Non Spinnaker 1 Prince of Tides
Non Spinnaker 2 Shillelagh
Echo divisions:
- Class 0 Alpaca
- Class 1 Jellybaby
- Class 2 Bateleur 88
- Class 3 Illegal
- NS1 Hansemer
- NS 2 Shillelagh
Class 0 Alpaca
Class 1 Jellybaby
Class 2 Bateleur 88
Class 3 Illegal
NS1 Hansemer
Next year's ICRA National Championships are in Howth from the 1-3rd September.
