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Instant success IRC European Championship
Incorporated into the well-established Volvo Cork Week, the IRC European Championships attracted a fleet of 45 boats from eight different nations. The Europeans were first run in 2003 and the event was rekindled by popular demand from IRC owners with the enthusiastic support of the Royal Cork Yacht Club. Racing was run over a variety of courses inside and outside Cork Harbour with weather typical of the region providing a full mix of conditions to test the fleet.
The top three boats each came from different IRC classes and the overall winner, fittingly a member of the Royal Cork YC, was Paul Gibbons racing the Quarter Tonner Anchor Challenge, receiv- ing an antique silver trophy, commissioned originally by the RORC, and the title of IRC European Champion. Another Royal Cork member, John Swan from Howth, sailed the Half Tonner Harmony to second overall winning the Royal Cork Perpetual Salver. Anthony O’Leary’s crew from the Royal Cork racing the Ker 40 Antixwon the big boat battle in IRC Zero by a single point from
Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup RORC’s flagship biennial event for amateur three-boat teams once again provided a proper test of teamwork with an emphasis on keeping out of trouble. Inshore the eight teams – 24 boats – had a mix of windward-leeward – or ‘banane’ – and round-the-cans races interspersed with a 160-offshore race and a superb 60nm around the Isle of Wight race in stunning weather conditions. France Blue, which included Eric de Turckheim’s A13 Teasing
Machine, the Prietz family’s Ker 39 Goaand yacht designer Daniel Andrieu on his Sun Fast 3200 Cifraline 4duly won the event 10 years on from the last time France had won under the leadership of offshore legend Géry Trentesaux.
The last two editions of the Commodores’ Cup had enjoyed beautiful sunny weather but also little wind; however, this year strong sea breezes plus a southwesterly gradient wind tested the teams in all aspects of boat handling and seamanship. With no fewer than 12 races in the week-long programme, some collective endurance was also required to maintain consistency across the wide ranges of courses and conditions. The surprise result was the second place of Flanders North Sea that com- prised Elke, Frans Rodenburg’s First 40, François Goubau’s Moanaand Benoit D’Halluin’s A35 Dunkerque – Les Dunes De Flandre.
‘We never expected this,’ enthused
Moanaskipper François Goubau, whose crew included sons Laurent and Mathieu. ‘It is our fourth Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup. Before this our best was fourth in 2012 with Team Benelux. ‘It was perfect this time with a good
Corinthian event… but a none too shabby start line-up in Class A at this year’s Commodores’ Cup – and barely any hand-flapping in sight. As has always been the case with big offshore team events, consistency while keeping out of trouble is the winning formula. France has dominated RORC racing for the past 2-3 years and showed their solid class yet again in July
Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator, helmed for the week by Bernard Langley with Eric de Turckheim’s Nivelt-designed Teasing Machine in third. Tony Ackland’s team from Swansea YC dominated IRC One in their Dubois 37 Dark Angeland also took third overall. It was close racing in IRC 2 with Paul O’Higgins from the Royal Irish YC winning the class in the JPK 10.80 Rockabill VIby four points from Robert McConnell’s A35 Fools Gold. A terrific battle for third was eventually won by Richard Goodbody’s Royal Irish team racing the J109 White Mischief, edging out RORC Commodore Michael Boyd’s JPK 10.80 Audrey. In IRC 3 John Swan’s Howth YC team, racing their much modified Humphreys Half Tonner Harmony, was the runaway winner, scoring five bullets, ahead of Patrick Farcy’s French JPK 9.60 Cavok. At the prizegiving RORC Commodore Michael Boyd announced that, given the strong enthusiasm for this event, the next edition will take place in Marseille in July 2017. And there are already plans for the 2018 event to be held in Cowes, 2019 in Holland and a return to Cork in 2020 to coincide with the Royal Cork YC’s tercentenary (sic) celebrations.
58 SEAHORSE
team of boats we know well. We come because this event has the best organ- isation of anywhere and you get to race at a high level, so you can improve.’ France White, Emmanuel le Men’s First 40.7 Pen Koent, Noel Racine’s JPK 10.10 Foggy Dewand Didier Gaudoux’s JND 39 Lann Ael 2finished third overall. They made their mark and led the regatta after winning the 160-mile off- shore race which went east to the Royal Sovereign lighthouse and back west, south of the Isle of Wight, to a finish in Christchurch Bay. In the southwest gra- dient this proved a fast 160-mile wind- ward-leeward sprint in 15-25kt of wind.
Israel were the surprise team: backed by Desperado owner Richard Loftus, they were the first to announce their participation and joined forces with three good British boats – Andrew Williams’ Ker 40 Keronimo, Peter Morton’s JND35 Salvoand David Frank’s JPK 10.10 Strait Dealer, campaigning with half local and half Israeli crews.
Omer Brand, manager of the Israel team, was happy with finishing fifth overall in their first Commodores’ Cup: ‘We did great. The sailors we brought from Israel learned a lot and they absolutely loved it – they are already looking at ways to come back here next time. We set out to have the first Israeli team in a big event and to try not to make fools of ourselves and I think we pulled it off!’ Closer to home… GBR fielded two teams this year but struggled to put in consistent results. RORC Admiral Andrew McIrvine in his First 40 La Réponsedid win the opening race but in Thursday’s inshore races managed three OCSs while his teammates, Alice, and James Chalmers’ small boat J35 Bengal Magic, scored two class wins in the day’s opener. More work required. Eddie Warden-Owen, CEO
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PAUL WYETH
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