SAILING:AS WEATHER dictated the terms for sailing events at opposite ends of the country yesterday there were different outcomes at each major event venue.
And near gale force winds expected today could yet curtail plans to complete racing schedules at both Sligo and Kinsale.
On the south coast, it wasn’t just the lack of wind for day two of the Sovereigns Cup but which direction it might have been blowing from. As thick rain-clouds dumped their load at regular intervals, the breeze veered around in big shifts.
One sailor joked that the event enjoyed “windward to windward” courses.
Nevertheless, the cream of the various classes inevitably rose to the surface despite the conditions with Class Zero national champion Anthony O’Leary on Antix re-taking the lead of the class after the opening day fright that saw Neil White’s Independent Bear from the south coast of England take the first race win.
The visitor placed seventh and eighth in yesterday’s two supposed windward-leeward races.
Elsewhere amongst 101-entries, Tim Goodbody’s White Mischief won the coastal race to Courtmacsherry and back in Class Two under IRC handicap.
And amongst the Quarter-ton class, a battle is emerging that is giving Neil Kennefick on Tiger a tense series as Rob Gray’s British entry Aguila is tied with the Crosshaven boat on equal points for the lead while Eamonn Rohan’s Anchor Challenge is just onepoint behind.
“We tried everything today, commented Kennefick. “There were boats coming from every direction plus a big front came through that forced us south when we wanted to go west and suddenly five boats had gone by.” It was a day of snakes and ladders he reckoned.
For the veteran Crosshaven sailor, the race was about “keeping the powder dry in the downfalls of rain” and he settled for fifth place in the first race of the day, an almost unheard of result for a boat that normally wins places on the podium.
Today’s racing will hinge on whether the expected strong winds of up to gale force arrive from the west or south; if the former, the Old Head of Kinsale should provide sufficient shelter to give flat-water.
But if the south wind blows, few if any classes may be able for the open waters and the lee shore along the exposed coast.
