The weather could have been straight from a Failte Ireland advert or a even regatta organiser’s wish-list. Either or, the constant south-east breeze blowing at up to 18 knots brought happy faces ashore to Crosshaven yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon.

Racing was close in all classes but with consistent lead boats fighting out for podium places ahead of the final day on Friday. In Class Super Zero, Ger O’Rourke’s Cookson 50 swung into action with two wins on the Olympic-type course and now trails Benny Kelly’s TP52 by three points in second place.

Three second places cost Ian Southworth his overall lead of the SB3 class as Christina Summerhayes proved more able and consistent in this ten boats class. Elsewhere, Colin Galavan’s Lemon produced a similar hat-trick of first places to take the lead from Peter O’Leary’s Antix 2 in the 1720 Sportsboats.

Meanwhile, the weather also brought smiles to RCYC volunteer race organisers’ faces. “We’ve received overwhelming feedback from our competitors today,” commented Ian Venner, Cork Week Chairman. “Small changes and improvements such as investing in new eight and ten foot marks have worked out very well.”

Today (Wednesday) sees the biggest boats of Classes Super Zero, Zero and IRM sail the Harbour Course Race that leads from the start off Roche’s Point Lighthouse into the harbour and around the turning mark of the town of Cobh.

The picturesque setting of Cobh and St. Colman’s Cathedral has been one of the hallmark images of Cork Week while the town also offers one of the best vantage points for spectators wishing to view some of the biggest racing yachts including the 100 foot New Zealand entry Maximus.

Results

IRC Super 0

1 Panthera Benny Kelly 5
2 Chieftain Ger O Rourke 8
3 Formidable 3 P.W. Vroon 9

IRC0

1 Magic Glove Colm Barrington 3
2 CODIAM ENSP dh NICOLEAU/LODAY 9
3 Tiamat Tim Costello 10

IRM

1 Farrfalina Robert Goddard 7
2 Exabyte 4 Shaun Frohlich 7.5
3 Werewolf Jerry Otter 11.5

IRC1

1 Jump Juice Conor & Denise Phelan 6
2 Marinerscove.ie David Dwyer 9
3 Jump Stewart Hawthorn 12

IRC2

1 Yeomantix Robin Aisher 7
2 Kiss David Pinner 11
3 Checkmate Mike McCarthy 11

IRC3

1 X-Perience Peter Evans 8
2 Raptor Hewitt/Mc’Carthy 9
3 Bengal Magic John Moorehead & Chris Ferres 10

IRC4

1 Respect Tom Brennan 4
2 Fixation Nick Fullagar 4
3 Blue Berret Pi E. Connellan/T. Madigan 6

IRC5

1 CUL8R Team CUL8R 6
2 Zoom Baby Chris Horrigan 8
3 Dick Dastardly Kinnear/Cusack/O Neill 9

IRC6

1 Throbber Stephen Rees 5
2 Fawkes John C Twomey 8
3 Bluff Alex Ballot 8

Corporate Class

1 Joopster Impression Sailing 5
2 Aberlady Ann Ryan & Nick Hodshon 6
3 Fandango Mark Brown 14

Gentlemans Class

1 Crystal Light Michael Powell 6.5
2 Red Rhum Jonathon Nicholson 8.5
3 Aras Tim McNamara 11

J/109

1 No Naked Flames Andrew Allen/Colm Monahan 3
2 King Louie Fiona & Malcolm Thorpe 4
3 Beth of Hamble Guy Knight/Five Star Sailing 7

X332

1 Brightwork Bob and Jon Baker 2
2 Dexterity Team Foynes 8
3 Ellida Ria Lyden 11

Sigma 38

1 The Project Andy Budgen / Freddie Schwin 3
2 Arbitrator Peter Hopps and Hilary Cook 6
3 Errislannan Patrick Kirwan 7

Sunsail Sunfast 37

1 Sunsail 76 Sunsail 5
2 National Grid Sunsail 6
3 Agave Avengers Sunsail 7

Mixed Sports Boats

1 Jenga & Marie-Claude & Paul Heys 5
2 No Limit Ray Cook 5
3 Elf Christine Leiper & Robin Murray 9

SB3

1 Team Maclaren Christina Summerhayes 5
2 SMALL BUT STEAMY IAN SOUTHWORTH 7
3 Charlie Fish-Team Steam Team Steam 15

Hunter 707

1 Swallow Gordon Craigen 1
2 Darkness Patrick Miles 2
3 Sparkle Paul Curtis 3

1720

1 Lemon Colin Galavan & Others 10
2 Antix 2 Peter O Leary 13
3 Wet n Black Nicholas O Leary 15

Beneteau 31.7

1 Flying Machine Barry Cunningham 2
2 Levante Brian Leyden/Michael Leahy 4
3 Attitude D Owens, J Sugars et all 8

Prima 38

1 Another Nods Richard & Helen Booth 5
2 Mighty Max 3 Andy Williams 5
3 Longbow P Anderson 8