Fleet assembles

All the players in town for Sovereign's Cup and Irish Cruiser Nationals

The 2005 Sovereign’s Cup and Irish Cruiser National Championships begin in Kinsale this morning after Regatta Director Pat Pyne last night officially welcomed the 1,000 participants to the town.

150 yachts from Ireland, England and Wales have been gathering in the popular south coast tourist venue since last weekend, adding a festive flavour to Kinsale’s nautical heritage. The yachts have been divided into 6 fleets - Class 0, 1, 2, 3 and two White Sails classes. Racing will take place on the virtually traffic free waters from Charlesfort out to the Old Head of Kinsale and across to the Sovereign Isles, promising a spectacular display over the four days of the event.

Sovereign’s Cup has always offered exciting racing. In the last event in 2003 the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) took advantage of the fine gathering of top racing yachts to run the first ever Irish Cruiser National Championship in Class 2. So pleased were ICRA with how the event was run that for this year’s Sovereign’s Cup National Champion titles will be up for grabs in Classes 0, 1, 2 and 3.

Two races per day are planned for Classes 0, 1, 2 and 3. Results for these races will be under both IR2000 (IRC) rating rule and the Irish ECHO performance handicap system. One race per day will be held for the two White Sails fleets, with results here under ECHO.

Eamon Conneely’s Transpac 52 Patches has provided the wow factor since arriving in Kinsale after winning the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race last weekend. Colm Barrington’s Ker 39 Flying Glove and Anthony O’Leary’s Corby 35 Antix were both winners at the recent UK IRC Championships. The winner of the Sovereign’s Cup in 2003, Anthony Gore-Grimes has returned with his X-302 Dux to race in Class 2, while Portcullis Trophy winner Austin Whelan has replaced Spring Fever with a Beneteau Figaro 30 Rattler.

Olympian Mark Mansfield will race on the Simon Coveney / Paul Hyde owned Dubois 37 Dark Angel, while Paralympic sailors John Twomey and Paul McCarthy will race a Blazer 23 Shilleagh and a Moody Skybird respectively.

In addition to the on water activities, managed by Jeanot Petch, Alan Crosbie and Donal Hayes, a varied and fun social programme is planned ashore from Wednesday through to Saturday night.

Sponsors for the event are Brown Thomas, Howard Holdings, Jacobs Engineering, and Mount Gay.