Fuente info Scuttlebutt europe
Cork Week: The Final Chapter
You could feel the tension on the dock, with virtually all the classes still to be decided, as the yachts motored out to the combat zone along the narrow confines of Cork River. The conditions had eased from the previous maelstrom, but this was a day were smart sailing put boats in winning positions.
Watery sunshine, 15 knots from the northwest were to provide some tricky conditions for all classes. Cork Harbour and the surrounding area have huge land effects on the wind, especially today, the gradient made for constant changes.
IRC Super Zero
Johnny Vincent's TP52, Pace came out on top after five days of thrills and spills in the big boat class. Austin Fragomen's TP52, Interlodge was second but only on count back from Gray and Laidlaw's Farr 52, Bob.
Tied on points, Fragomen's TP52, shipped over form the USA to compete at Cork Week beat the Isle of Wight based Farr 52, by the virtue of winning one more race in the eight race series.
IRC Zero
Dave Dwyer's Mills 39 Marinerscove.ie had a bad start to the regatta but showed great tenacity to come back with a vengeance to win the highly competitive class on the last race.
Bernard Lambilliotte's Swan 45, Nemo of Cowes haS been the boat to beat in Class Zero, all week and will obviously be disappointed to lose out on the last day. Anthony O'Leary's Ker 39, Antix was third but finished the regatta in good shape.
J 109 European Championship
The crew on Greg Burgess's J 109, Bluejay punched the air with delight, after taking the gun in the first race of the day.
Brian Moreton's Juke Box was second overall and Ian Nagle and Paul O'Malley's Jelly Baby, snatched third place on the last day from Robert O'Leary's Jeroboam.
IRC One
There was an incredibly close finish in the last race, as the top three boats were separated by 26 seconds, on corrected time. Conor & Denise Phelan's Ker 37, Jump Juice snatched the class title by a single point from Robert Davies' Welsh team on Corby 36, Roxy 6. British Corby 37, Impetuous were third.
IRC Two
Paul O'Higgins' Corby 33, Rockabill V started the regatta in fine form but faltered half way, it was only on the last race that they came back, to clinch the class title from Sailing Logic's Reflex 38, Visit Malta Puma with Rob Mc Connell's A 35, Fool's Gold, finishing strongly to take third.
IRC Three
John Moorehead & Chris Ferres J 35, Bengal Magic have had a cracking week and finished in style by taking a fifth win in the last race of the series but only be 15 seconds from Richard Calveley's Elan 37, Va Va Voom. Ross McDonald's X 332, Equinox will have enjoyed the fresh conditions at Cork Week and claimed second, by some distance from Martin Breen's Harley 33, That's Life!
IRC Four
Paul Kirwan's Sigma 38, Errislannan were assured of both the class title and European Championship and did not compete in the last race. Leaving Paul & Deirdre Tingle's First 31.7, Alpaca and Conor Ronan's Corby 26, Ruthless to battle it out for third. Alpaca beat Ruthless in the last race of the series to take the runner-up spot for the class with Ruthless third overall.
IRC Five
Vincent O'Shea's Corby 25, YANKS $ FFRANCS have had a great Cork Week and won the class by an eight point margin.
IRC Six
O'Brian, Kenefick and Kenefick's Quarter Tonner, Tiger is a real head turning boat and was the only yacht to post straight bullets for the regatta.
Flor O'Driscoll's J 24, Hard on Port was second and Jason Losty's Thomas 25, Woody sailed a very consistent regatta to take third place.
It was decided that the Boat of the Week for Cork Week 2010 should jointly awarded.
Joint Boat of the Week
Dave Dwyer's Mills 39, Marinerscove.ie
Paul Kirwan's Sigma 38, Errislannan
The Prix d'Elegance Trophy
Philip Scully's Custom Oyster 82, Starry Night of the Caribbean
The Sisk Trophy for best Corinthian yacht
Neil Martin's J 133, Jammy Dodger
Full results of all classes at http://www.corkweek.ie/
Digby Fox's final video from Cork here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpm2Yx5UXrY
