#kinsale – A final 20-minute postponement did little to deter the hardy crews who came out last Friday evening to do battle in the already twice postponed Kinsale Fastnet race, sponsored by CH Marine writes Peadar Murphy. In what is now deemed seasonably gusty and lumpy conditions, just three boats made it out to take on the challenge of this overnight offshore classic – but it was definitely a case of quality, not quantity his year. Long-time offshore rivals Tom Roche on Meridian and Tony O'Brien's White Tiger squared off against each other again, with Olaf Sorensen's Dianna keeping them both honest.
The three ships headed off to the renowned waypoint initially in the lee of the Old Head, but soon were experiencing the lumpy sees that would test the perseverance and sea legs of many in the race. With 12 aboard, White Tiger had plenty weight on the rail and was able to overhaul less populous Meridian on the long tack out past the Old Head, in conditions that would normally have been advantageous to Roche's Salona 45. About two miles south of the Old Head, Meridian tacked onto port and west into Courtmacsherry Bay, having been overhauled by O'Brien's Beneteau 44.7, which continued south for another three miles. Dianna also went for the offshore option hoping to stay out of the tide.
As darkness fell, Meridian and White Tiger crossed a number of times off the Seven Heads, the Galley and south of High Island off Glandore. Meridian initially regained her lead, but O'Brien's crew, featuring a number of seasoned Fastnet campaigners, gradually reeled her in again. On the tack south to clear the Stag Rocks' cardinal buoy, White Tiger pounced in the patchy wind that had been backing all night, as forecasted, and soon stretched out into a comfortable lead.
White Tiger called in her rounding of the Fastnet to Bantry Radio soon after 04:50. The long beat down in the sloppy seas and the leaden skies meant there were few requests for what would normally be the obligatory souvenir photos with the legendary lighthouse in the background. Meridian rounded less than 20 minutes later and both ships soon had kites flying, and crews appreciating the relative comfort that came with running with the swell. Dianna called in her rounding within an hour of Meridian – a remarkable achievement considering that she was crewed by just three hardy souls, some of whom were distinctly under the weather!
Meridian opted to go offshore as a way to sail a hotter angle and possibly pick up a flyer, but the White Tiger team, which in last year's race had given up a lead of almost an hour to Meridian at this stage of the race, were alert to the move, and changed up to their masthead runner. Some excellent sailing was experienced by all on the leg back to Kinsale, with White Tiger never quite managing to break the 11-knot barrier despite some determined efforts to get her to surf past that threshold. Not to be outdone, Dianna also flew a kite – a fine display of short-handed seamanship in the conditions.
Interestingly, both Meridian and White Tiger will be sending torn kites to the sailmakers this week, with various manoeuvres going awry. However, as she headed for the finish line off Charles Fort White Tiger was well clear of Meridian, crossing the finish line at 10:23 after 14 hours 8 minutes of racing, with Meridian coming home just over 17 minutes adrift. Less than two hours after that Dianna glided past the Bostoon Buoy in Kinsale to close out the race.
Nick Bendon of CH Marine was on hand Sunday evening at the prize-giving which were received with great bonhomie by the skippers and crews. In both IRC and ECHO the finishing places reflected on the water placings, with White Tiger claiming the magnificent Fastnet trophy for the winner in ECHO, along with the cup for fastest boat in IRC. Meridian took second place in both divisions, with the determined Sorensen team coming home in a very respectable third.
The annual Cork Cruise sponsored by the Glendinning family takes place this coming Saturday with first gun at 10:25.
