Home-based amateur crews steal the show

After a windy and sun-blessed finale to the biggest ever Ford Cork Week yesterday, two Irish boats emerged top of their respective classes while others of the home fleet put in good showings among the 600-plus fleet at Crosshaven. Harold Cudmore took the Class Zero `big boat' division while Mark Mansfield convincingly secured the 1720 Sportsboat division.

The final race for Class Zero was held on the scenic harbour course that takes in the turning mark with the spectacular backdrop of Cobh. Forecasts of up to force seven westerlies had Cudmore with his crack international and Irish crew on Barlo Plastics threatened by the bigger boats.

Following Thursday's second race during which two boats towed the weather mark off position, both were thrown out of the race, returning Cudmore to an overall lead with just three points to spare. However, Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy's Swan 60 Noonmark VI has proven superior boatspeed from races in heavy winds earlier in the week and this presented a real threat.

As the fleet got underway with a fetch from the Weavers Point starting line to the turning mark off Ringabella, Cudmore's star helm Andy Beadsworth led the fleet across but soon began to slip as the bigger boats powered ahead. Colm Barrington's Surfin' Shoes also made a neat beginning, taking over the lead but dropping back in turn also.

As the windspeed reached towards its forecast, it appeared that Cudmore's worst fears would be realised, but then a lull arrived as the fleet turned into Cork Harbour, allowing the smaller racing boats to keep within their handicap distance of their bigger rivals. Cudmore later remarked that he had expected to lose ground during the reaching legs inside the harbour but in fact the boatspeed held up and this largely saved the day. Being a second behind 65footer Desperado gave him the overall win.

Meanwhile, it wasn't just Mansfield to the fore in his class; both the runner-up slots were taken by Irish boats, reigning national champion Anthony O'Leary in Ford Racing and Mike Evans in Yonka L'Experience. Event officials were quick to point out that even though professionals are allowed compete in both the Class Zero and 1720 fleets, the top three boats were all-amateur crews with limited international experience.

"I've always maintained that a good amateur sailor can compete on level terms most of the time with a pro," said Mansfield last night. "The professionals don't have a god-given right to win every time." Mansfield sailed with an all-local crew and apart from himself, only one other had any sort of experience. The top three boats left three Olympic silver medallists plus America's Cup and Whitbread professionals in their wake over the week.