Cork's O'Leary lifts the Sovereigns Cup at Kinsale

SAILING:TO CAP-off a year in which he led the Irish team to victory in the Commodores' Cup, won boat and sailor of the year plus successfully defended his class zero national title, Anthony O'Leary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club lifted the Sovereigns Cup at Kinsale on Saturday.

Four race wins plus a second in the high-scoring coastal race comfortably delivered the Class Zero result in a 10-boat turn-out while Antix was judged to be the best-performing boat of the series under IRC-handicap.

The winner of Class One under IRC was Dave Scott’s Eos that was also best under the ECHO system which handicaps crew performance rather than the boat design so the Portcullis Trophy was awarded to this local crew.

In other classes, there was a shock outcome for Neil Kennefick and Joxer O’Briens’ Tiger, the reigning Class Three national champions who had been tied for half the event up until Saturday’s final two races.

Rob Gray’s Aguila from The Solent edged ahead in the murky conditions that continued from Friday into the weekend off the Old Head of Kinsale. Two bullets sealed the visitor’s overall victory while the Crosshaven boat slipped to second overall after second and third placings.

“He was simply quicker and there was no catching him,” admitted Kennefick. “He went into fast-forward mode at the start and was gone. It was a good win and great fun.”

Eamonn Rohan’s Anchor Challenge from Kinsale also had a third and a second to take third as the trio of leaders had enjoyed a series-long private battle at the front of the Quarter-Ton fleet.

The New Zealand boat Black Fun led the remainder of the class and for the second consecutive weekend, collected the Travellers Trophy having received the Dubarry Trophy at Crosshaven at the Irish Cruiser Racing Association national championships.

There was also a moving tribute to the late Michelle Dunne, a popular club volunteer in whose name the Prix d’elegance trophy has been conceived.

Welsh visitor Mike Crompton and the crew of the XC42-footer Xpletive were the inaugural recipients.