The Irish are coming

Mass exodus from the 'emerald isle' to the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series

Launching imminently a new Corby 36, Roxy 6, is expected to lead a vanguard of Irish yachts heading to Tarbert, Loch Fyne intent on returning the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series trophy back into Irish hands.

With just over two months to go until the premier sailing regatta in the north of Britain takes place, there are clear indications that the Irish contingent will race on Loch Fyne armed with some of the most potent craft on the water. To date 25% of the entries received for the 2010 Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series have been from Ireland.

Roxy 6, designed by John Corby, is due to be launched, on schedule, at builders Dale Nelson in Neyland, Pembroke in Wales this weekend. After initial sea trials the new boat will compete locally at Neyland and Milford Haven in a series of warm -up races before heading across the Irish sea to race off Kinsale at the Spring Series before heading to the Irish IRC Cruiser Racer National Championships on Dublin Bay, the weekend before the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series.

Corby-designed yachts have an excellent record at the Scottish Series, regularly topping the IRC Classes. In 1995 a design which went on to be one of his most successful ever, the 36 footer Mustang Sally, won the premier IRC class. In 2004 and 2006 Anthony O’Leary and his crew from the Royal Cork YC won the overall Scottish Series Trophy, with their Corby 36 Antix.

Two years ago it was a Corby 36 footer Rosie which won IRC Class 2, and last year it was the Corby 37 Impetuous which triumphed in this highly competitive fleet. Roxy 6’s owner Rob Davies is intent on competing for Ireland in this summer’s Rolex Commodore’s Cup.

Among those top Irish teams which promise to be back on Loch Fyne over the May bank holiday weekend is the double top trophy winner Anthony O’Leary. He has the regatta on his schedule as the Cork crew work up to trying to win the Rolex Commodore’s Cup for Ireland. O’Leary and his crew come with a highly potent Ker 39 which will be following much the same set of events as Roxy 6, and so arriving in Tarbert direct from the Irish championships.

Commenting on the Series, O’Leary said,: “It is a tight schedule to get there, but we would not miss Scottish Series for the world. It would take a hurricane for us not to be there. And, there are so many of our crew wanting to be in Tarbert, I could quite literally fill two boats. We can’t wait. Hopefully we can persuade as many Irish boats to come as possible because not only is the racing challenging, but the on shore mood is always great.”

Event organiser, Jeremy Glen, said, “It’s fantastic to see a number of Irish boats making a welcome return to Scottish waters for the Brewin Dolphin Scottish Series. It always makes the event more exciting and interesting when we have boats from farther a field competing and makes our local sailors work that little bit harder to try and keep the Trophy at home.

“At the beginning of this month we launched our new Scottish Series website and would encourage any boats, home and foreign, keen to take part, to go online and register at www.clyde.org.”