#CORKWEEK – In six weeks time, there will be eight different classes racing at Cork Week. The vast majority of the yachts will be racing under IRC and ECHO handicap systems but Cork Week also boasts two one design classes, which will be bristling with talent. These are not closed events, far from it. Sailors from overseas are always given a very warm welcome to Cork Week and the one design J/109 and 1720 classes are sure to provide exhilarating racing.

The J/109 Irish National Championships will be part of Cork Week and it is an open event. This month, Royal Cork Yacht Club's Ian Nagle's racing J/109 Jelly Baby scored a fine win in the BMW Irish ICRA National Championship at Howth Yacht Club. In a very competitive division Jelly Baby won a tense last race to defeat the defending champion; Pat Kelly's J/109 Storm II from Rush Sailing Club. Jelly Baby will be racing in the J/109 Irish National Championship at Cork Week and Nagle is relishing the prospect.

Ian Nagle's J109 is the boat to beat at Cork Week in July

"I honestly believe this year has the makings of the best Cork Week for ages. It looks like we will have a similar number of boats as last year and I am absolutely delighted. In my opinion, the commercialisation that comes with a huge regatta means that it detracts from the sailing. The slimming down of Cork Week means it will be an event for sailors rather than a mass audience. Like-minded people out to have some great racing and a few pints afterwards that is what Cork Week should be all about. In 2010, we had a fleet of 18 with some fantastic close racing in the J/109s. Close spirited racing in heavenly surroundings, sailing up past Cobh up the harbour with boats all around you is just brilliant but there are so many wonderful courses, in Cork we are absolutely spoilt for choice.

After sailing, as soon as you walk off the boat there is a great atmosphere with everybody having a ball. I don't think you get that at too many places these days. It will be a great buzz in Crosshaven this year and the Irish J/109 Nationals will be a great event, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The 1720 Sportsboat class first raced at Cork Week in 1996 and the class quickly established itself as an affordable competitive keelboat with 68 yachts on the start line in 1998. The 1720 Class has attracted world-class sailors, including Ben Ainslie and Dean Barker (who both failed to make the podium in 1998!). As an exciting fast planing keelboat, the 1720 experience is difficult to match. In recent years the 1720 Class has been undergoing something of a renaissance in Ireland with 25 pocket rockets based in County Cork alone.

From 8-10th June, the Royal Cork will host the 1720 National Championship with Mark Mansfield and Terry English looking to retain their title. Anthony O'Leary was runner up in 2011 and O'Leary will most definitely be looking to go one better in the National Championships but not during Cork Week, as he will be at the helm of his Ker 39, Antix for the regatta.

Antix, the Irish IRC champion will be back in action again in Cork week.

"I expect there could be as many as fifteen 1720s at the Nationals, which bodes well for Cork Week," suggested Anthony O'Leary. "However, I know of at least three excellent 1720s available for charter for Cork Week. The 1720 is quite literally made for Cork Week, it is a fantastic opportunity for sportsboats enthusiasts. Great racing, good company and serious bang for your buck. A well-sorted 1720 will charter for about 1500 Euros for Cork Week, split five-ways that is extremely good value."

Besides the two one design classes, there will be six different handicap divisions and a separate prize for Quarter Tonners. From custom built yachts to cruising yachts racing under white sails only, Cork Week provides a sublime sailing environment for a wide variety of sailors, young and old.

#CORK WEEK – Cork Harbour's international sailing event known as Cork Week which takes place every two years at Royal Cork Yacht Club, has always provided a wealth of shore side activity and this year's event, which takes place in Crosshaven from July 7th to 13th looks like being the most family friendly ever!

An exciting programme of events has been put together including the Under The Sea Marquee, which will host The Whale Workshop on its first ever visit to Cork. Now in his 20th year of operation, Andy Starbuck introduces children to the amazing marine wildlife around our coast. Featuring life size, and lifelike replicas The Whale Workshop explains the spectacular lives of some of our biggest sea creatures and reveals the secretive habits of some of the smaller and lesser-known species.

Our friends at the Oceanworld Aquarium in Dingle will be bringing some of their smallest residents to meet the visitors to All Aboard. With their expertise in sealife, Oceanworld will be using touch pools to give a "hand on" experience.

For those with a competitive streak, Meitheal Mara, the Cork City based Maritime Cultural Organisation will be bringing their Dragon Boats and will give the more adventurous visitors a chance to race these on the river!

There will also be shore based sea-faring challenges, boat building demonstrations and lots of things designed to get the whole family involved.

Also on site will be a host of delicious culinary choices for everyone in the Cork Week 2012 food court.

Be sure you don't miss out on this free admission event taking place in the Royal Cork Yacht Club from 11am – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday the 7th & 8th of July.

As always racing will start Monday the 9th of July and will consist of 5 days of exhilarating competitive racing.

Proudly supported by Cork's 96FM and the Irish Examiner, Cork Week 2012 takes place at the Royal Cork Yacht Club, from July 7th to 13th.

#ROYAL CORK – In spite of the cold the sun was shining brightly and there was a buzz around Royal Cork Yacht club today writes Claire Bateman. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS by Bob Bateman.

The young stay at home Oppies were out, the Multihulls were competing in their Southern Championships and last but not least, the cruisers were emerging from their winter hibernation for the second day of the O'Leary Insurance Group April White Sail League.

While short in numbers today, not surprisingly with the 12/15kt N/NE skinning breeze, there was no lack of enthusiasm in the League as was evidenced by the pre start manoeuvering on the line at the Grassy start under Race Officer Mark Ring. The course was 66 and Conor O'Donovan in X-tension made the best of the start coming off the line. He was followed by Kieran and Liz O'Brien's Magnet with Ria Lyden of Ellida hitching a ride today, Pat Vaughan in Aramis was next followed by last weeks winner Simon Brewitt in Callisto.

Meanwhile the Optimists who were too young to travel to the Irish Youth Nationals in Dublin were sailing on the Curlane Bank and not too far away was the colourful sight of the sails from the Southern Championships of the Irish Multihull Association. This event attracted entries from Ballyholme, Blessington, four members from the Galway DART 16 fleet and the home club RCYC all scorching up and down the windward/leeward courses.

To literally add to the buzz three helicopters brought great interest to the area where they were flying throughout the afternoon. One was from the Air Corps and there were two Sikorskys from Search and Rescue. It was a great thrill for the competitors to note that one of these was none other than the magnificent new Sikorsky recently added to the service.

Racing continues tomorrow in the Multihull Southern Championships and next Saturday for the O'Leary Insurance Group White Sails April League.

Royal Cork Admiral Paddy McGlade is staging the club's annual member's 'open forum' on Monday 5th December at the Club House in Crosshaven.

The meeting will cover a review of club activities and an update on the club's ten year development plan.

 

#ROYAL CORK YACHT CLUB – A leading Munster sailing figure has been deservedly recognised for his contribution to sailing.

Ted Crosbie with his Neils Jeppesen-designed X-yacht 'No Excuse' was awarded the Royal Cork Yacht Club's 'Boat of the Year' trophy at the recent Crosshaven prizegiving.

Former Club Admiral Ted Crosbie lifts RCYC's Boat of the Year Award for 2011. Photo: Bob Bateman

 

#LASER – Royal Cork Sailor Cian Byrne won the UK's Laser Inland Championships held in Grafham Water Sailing Club last weekend. The event was shortened due to lack of wind. Cian, the only Irish sailor to compete in this class, scored two first places and a fifth to take the title.

In the Radial Class, Séafra Guilfoyle was fourth in a fleet of 120 boats and the winner of the Under 16 section. Dermot Lyden finished 74th in his first international event in this class.

At the National Yacht Club on Dublin Bay, another Royal Cork helm Patrick Crosbie won the National 4.7 Squad Trials in a fleet of over 20 boats. Following Patrick were Ross O'Sullivan and Sorcha Ní Shuilleabháin from Kinsale Yacht Club making it 1-2-3 for the Munster club.

#ROYALCORK – With a brisk south easterly breeze blowing the CH Marine winter sailing fleet at Royal Cork Yacht Club was combined into an all in start using course 93 which was shortened after two rounds making for an eight mile course writes Claire Bateman. Photos By Bob Bateman Below. This consisted of a beat to No. 3 back to cage then to No. 12, a beat back to Corkbeg and a reach back to cage.

For the second round they had a run to No. 8, a beat out to No. 3, a run to No. 5 and a finish at cage. There were many thrills and spills during the day with a number of retirements. First out of the block and first to arrive at No. 3 was Anthony O'Leary's 1720 . For what was possibly the first time the four O' Learys, Anthony, Peter, Nin and Robert were sailing together competitively in the same boat with the fifth crew member being Ed Callanan, a grandson of Joe Fitzgerald.

While it was a grey November day nevertheless it was very pleasant because it was very mild for the time of year and racing such as this shortens the winter for the crews. Luckily for the sailors the tides did not affect them very much until towards the end of the race when the spring tides began to exert their force. Silk Breeze, Outrigger, Aramis and Running Wild all retired for one reason or another with a Chinese gybe in one case but all in all the day provided plenty of exhilarating racing with satisfied sailors coming ashore with many exciting experiences to recount.

There may be a forecast for torrential rain and the first October frosts for the coming days but today, with the wonderful sailing conditions in Crosshaven, all that may have applied to another world but certainly not to Cork harbour writes Claire Bateman.

Whitesail 1 and Whitesail 2 together with Classes 3 and 4 were sailing in the harbour today and after a somewhat quiet start the wind built from the south south west during the day and remained steady throughout racing in the O'Flynn Exhams sponsored league. With the enthusiasm there is now for whitesail 1 and whitesail 2 and the consistent increasing of numbers in these classes it is obvious they are going to have a major part to play in future events. In Class 4 it was interesting to see Michael Murphy's Shelly D taking first in IRC on the day as it is something he always maintained couldn't be done. In Class 3 the rivalry between the Dorgan family's No Half Measures and Ian Travers' Bandit was renewed, Bandit getting the better of the Dorgans on the day.

Although Afloat's photographer Bob Bateman was not on the rsce course today he flew over it on a separate assignment in the area and managed a brief bird's eye view of the racing.

Outside the harbour midway between the Harp Mark and Roche's Point Pascal Healy's committee boat was on station with Race Officer Richard Leonard and they were half way through the sequence when the wind shifted and there was a postponement while they altered the course. Here the wind was building during the day to between 18 to 20 knots causing some of the yachts to change to number 2 headsails.

At the time of prize giving Yanks $ fFrancs and No Excuse were in the protest room so that result has been held over until next week.

It has been confirmed that last week John Downing's Samba lost portion of her rudder and it appears likely she will miss the remainder of the series. That's tough at this stage but, as miracles do sometime happen, perhaps he may be lucky and get back in time. All will be known tomorrow when she will be lifted out for inspection.

In IRC 0 Jump Juice with Conor Phelan on helm got the better of Kieran and Brian Twomey's Gloves Off while the in the 1720 extremely competitive class Brian Hassett's Dark Side got the better of Denis Murphy's Aquatack and in IRC 1 David Scott's unstoppable EOS got the better of Martin Darrer's True Penance.

The only hat-trick winner of the Irish Sailing Association's (ISA) All Ireland Sailing Championships, Royal Cork's Nicholas O'Leary will not be defending the title when the 2011 event is sailed in two weeks time. Names of the 16 invitees, drawn from dinghy and keelboat classes, were published today. Among those attending is O'Leary's father Anthony representing Cruiser Class Zero and his Crosshaven club mate, the 2011 1720 National Champion Mark Mansfield, a past winner of the event.

Nicholas O'Leary is one of 12 invitees – either national champions or top ranked sailors – who are unavailable to attend. Only 16 of 28 invitees had accepted the invitation by last week's entry deadline.

The Waterways Ireland sponsored event takes place at Lough Derg Yacht Club which was originally scheduled for three days but is now running on the 8th and 9th of October only. The event is raced in J80's.

The 16 invitees are as follows:

Name	Club	Class
Adrian Allen	Ballyholme Yacht Club	Multihull
Roger Bannon	National Yacht Club	Mermaid
Noel Butler	ISA	Fireball
Alan Claffey	Royal St. George Yacht Club	Ruffian
Ben Duncan	Howth Yacht Club	Laser SB3
Brian Goggin	Kinsale Yacht Club	ICRA '2'
David Gorman	National Yacht Club	Flying  Fifteen
Alan Henry	Sutton Dinghy Club	IDRA 14
George Kenefick	Royal Cork Yacht Club	ICRA '3'
Mark Mansfield	Royal Cork Yacht Club	1720
John McGuinness	Moville Sailing Club	GP14
Flor O'Driscoll	Howth Yacht Club	J24
Anthony O'Leary	Royal Cork Yacht Club	ICRA '0'
Pat O'Neill	Clontarf Yacht & Boat Club	E-Boat
Gordon Patterson	Royal North Yacht Club	Squib
Ryan Seaton	Ballyholme Yacht Club	Olympic 49er

Although not a 'Long Eireannach', the yacht Creidne is nevertheless a proud member of the Naval fleet. She looked very much the part, with her gleaming blue topsides, during manouvers in Cork Harbour for Royal Cork Yacht Club's annual Naval race last Sunday. PHOTOS BELOW BY BOB BATEMAN.

Creidne underwent an extensive refit in Haulbowline in 2009 and one of her proposed uses is as a stopgap measure, pending the acquisition of a permanent replacement for Ireland's Tall Ship Asgard II.

Creidne under Sail. Photo: Bob Bateman. More photos below

Creidne previously acted as a stand in Sail Training Vessel between the retirement of the original Asgard, and the construction of Asgard II. She was the national sail-training vessel from 1975 to 1980.

She was built in Norway in 1967 and is a 48 ft bermudan ketch, originally named Galcador.

Creidne is one of two yachts owned by the Naval Service, the other being Tailte. (Also pictured below). A third yacht Nancy Bet, also used by the Navy, was sold a few years ago.

A limited cruise programme (mainly in Irish waters) is planned, she has a capacity for about 8 trainees compared to 20 on Asgard II.