Big breeze and lumpy seas created some mind-boggling action on day three of Cork Week. 15-18 Knots of breeze from the south with wind over tide, created a mogul-field of swell with waves nudging three metres at times.

IRC Super Zero
The carbon-fibre flyers were racing on the windward leeward course with the stunning backdrop of rocks near Roberts Cove. These boats light up in big conditions and the TP52s were an awesome sight surfing through the waves.

Gray and Laidlaw’s Solent based Farr 52, Bob, and Austin Fragomen’s American TP52, Interlodge, won a race each today putting pressure on Johnny Vincent’s TP52, Pace, who is still top of the class but Bob is now just two points behind them. Paprec Recyclage and Interlodge are tied for third place just behind the front two runners.

“That was tough going, especially the sea state; we got nailed a bit in the first race when the breeze died down for a stage of the race. The TP52s had made their time on us and in the fading breeze we couldn’t catch them up but we sailed well in the second race.”

“Bob got a great start and managed to hang onto the TP52s upwind and rounded pretty much with them. The big call of the day came on the second lap. We spotted a shift and took a different side of the course to the other boats, we got right back at them to take our first win and put us right in the mix.”

IRC Zero
David Dwyer’s Mills 39, Marinerscove.ie had another solid day, posting a first and a third, pouring pressure on the class leader. Bernard Lambilliotte’s Swan 45, Nemo of Cowes is still leading, but the margin has shrunk to just four points. Kieran Twomey’s Corby 38, Gloves Off with Irish Olympic sailor, Mark Mansfield at the helm, is third on tie-break with French Ker 39, Inis Mor owned by Bernard Gouy.

IRC One
It was all smiles on Robert Davies, Corby 36, Roxy 6. Two races and two bullets sneaked them into first place on the leader board by virtue of more first places than Conor Phelan’s Ker 37, Jump Juice. These two are both locked on nine points with Richard Fildes’s Corby 37, Impetuous, still very much in the hunt, on eleven points.

J/109 European Championship
Greg Burgess’ Blue Jay had a perfect day on the Olympic Course and now has a commanding lead in their quest to win the European crown. There were two bullets today for the Welsh team of young Cardiff Bay J 80 sailors led by Burgess. Brian Moreton’s Jukebox is having a consistent set of results and was rewarded by claiming second place overnight. Robert O’Leary’s Jeroboam did not have the best of days and drops down to third.

IRC Two
Donal O’Leary’s X 35, D-Tox had a sensational day on the water, winning both of today’s races and propelling them above Paul O’Higgins’ Corby 33, Rockabill V and Sailing Logic’s Reflex 38, Visit Malta Puma. The IRC Two Class was on the Olympic Course today with the fleet screaming down the reach in flat water and excellent breeze. The class looks set to go to the wire, with the top three boats only separated by a single point, after discard.

IRC Three
This morning, John Moorehead and Chris Ferres J 35, Bengal Magic had won every race but they were not as flash today on the Slalom Course. This allowed title contenders to close the gap; Ross McDonald’s X 332, Equinox revelled in the heavy weather in the second race, taking their first win at Cork Week. Dermot Cronin’s J 35, Mumbo is in third.

Today -the penultimate day of Cork Week 2010 – the forecast is for some mighty big weather in and around the shores of Cork Harbour. However, this week has been very unpredictable and highly volatile, so who knows.

For more information, and all results from day three, go to www.corkweek.ie