Final Race Report - Day 3

Winner: RORC IRC Championship Trophy -

FLYING GLOVE - Ker 39 - Colm Barrington

2nd Overall: Jackdaw Trophy -

ANTIX - Corby 36 - Anthony O’Leary

The final day of the IRC MeesPierson Championships saw lighter and brighter conditions than the previous day but not by much. At the start of racing the wind speed was about 16 knots but had increased to up to 20 knots by the start of the final race.

Joy and pain: The general banter on the dock at Shepherds Wharf after racing was that the MeesPierson IRC Championship had been a happy event. The weather had served up some mixed and at times trying conditions and the level of boat handling and great courses set by the Race Committee had produced some tight and interesting racing.

All in all the competitors felt that the regatta has been a great success and most if not, all will be returning next year but there can only be four class winners and for those that did not take the top prizes there is always next year.

IRC Super Zero

Kit Hobday’s Farr 52 retained the Super Zero title and against the odds, before the regatta, most felt that Nik Lykiardopulo’s Aera would be too quick upwind and Eamon Conneely’s Patches too fast downwind. However Bear of Britain ran out deserved winners after performing consistently all weekend and the young crew kept there heads up even when they got soundly beaten by Patches on the first day.

IRC0

Colm Barrington had a big grin on his face as the Ker 39 Flying Glove tied up at the dock and rightly so having beaten off stiff opposition to win class and take the MeesPierson RORC IRC Championship Trophy back to Ireland for the first time.

Barrington commented: "The racing was great fun and I have really enjoyed the Championship, it is always a pleasure to come Cowes as we find the place and the people give a great welcome, next we will be racing in Kinsale in the Sovereign’s Cup and we are looking forward to competing there against the likes of Tiamat and Patches"

Second in Class Zero was Jonathan Goring’s J133 Jeronimo who managed to beat Flying Glove in race 7 but could not catch the Irish Flying machine."

IRC1

Jerry Otter’s IMX 40 Exabyte 2 kept up a very consistent performance to win a highly competitive class of 17 entrants. No doubt the crew will be celebrating late into the night once they return to the Hamble. However the E2 crew were pushed all the way in this championship with Lance Stevens Bavaria 42 Sidney and Eamon Rohan’s Corby 35 Mustang Sally still in contention going into the last race.

Your heart has to go out to Eamon and his crew on the Corby 35, they suffered not one but two collisions in the last race pushing them down to third.

IRC2

More joy for the Irish as Anthony O’Leary’s Corby 36 Antix won IRC3 from the J39 Assassin. A tense final day was well sailed by the all Irish crew winning race 7 and tying for first place with Peter Rutter’s Elan 37 Quokka in the last race. Antix will be sailing back to Ireland and will be competing in the Irish IRC Nationals in Kinsale.

IRC3

David Pinner’s X332 Kiss won IRC3 with a first and a second on the last day, Adam Gosling’s Corby 29 Yes! retired from Race 7 after a protest was lodged which effectively took them out of the running for first place but the sleek Corby recovered well winning the last race and just holding off the Royal Navy’s Sigma 38 Gauntlet of Tamar.

At the final prizegivng ceremony, Alex McBarnet of MeesPierson spoke to event reporter Louay Habib: "We have been involved in the business end of sailing since 1992 and it makes sense to get involved with this event. We are working with prestige clients and this event and the sport of sailing attracts prestige competitors."

Prizes were awarded to class winners as well as the IRC Championship Trophy to Flying Glove and the Jackdaw Trophy for 2nd overall to Anthony O’Leary’s Antix.