Home crews prevail in Cork

SAILING/Cork Week: Day Two of Cork Week brought more light winds and grey, drizzly skies off Crosshaven yesterday, but Irish crews prevailed across the 500-strong fleet in several key classes.

The showcase MaxZ 86-footers Pyewacket and Morning Glory once again locked antlers in Class Zero in their debut regatta on their European tour, and a whiff of cordite could be detected between the pair in an increasingly pointed battle.

After Monday's "drubbing" on the water when Roy Disney took line honours just six seconds ahead of Hasso Plattner on Morning Glory, only to lose by 15 seconds on Corrected Handicap time, there was no mistaking yesterday's victory by the American.

The pair are now on equal points and lie fifth and sixth overall after the tie-break in Class Zero after the day's single windward/leeward course race.

In a significant change to previously announced plans for the giant entries, they will not now be obliged to sail an extra round of certain courses following representations from the owners.

The absence of sufficient numbers of new-generation racing maxis has prevented organisers from including these in a separate "super class zero" division, adding pressure to the smaller boats in the existing class who currently lead for the time being thanks in part to the light conditions.

Dun Laoghaire's Colm Barrington on his new Kerr 39-footer Flying Glove is locked in combat with British DK46-footer Erivale for the overall lead of Class Zero. Tied on equal points, this pair are likely to come under pressure from the Z86s when or if fresher winds grace the fleet at Crosshaven.

Barrington's Ireland team-mate for the coming Commodore's Cup in Cowes is faring slightly better after a shaky opening day of this event on Monday. Two wins yesterday for Eamon Crosbie's Calyx Voice & Data has placed the National Yacht Club 32-footer five points ahead of Peter Morton's Salvo in this 36-boat class.

Meanwhile, local Class Three favourites Barry and David Rose on Obsession have slipped to fourth overall after two sixths yesterday. Having placed second to fellow Royal Cork YC skipper Anthony O'Leary in the Cruiser Nationals earlier this year, the way should have been open for a winning streak in Cork Week.

Instead, O'Leary's father-in-law, Robin Aisher, has taken over Antix for the week, renaming the Irish championship winning boat Yeomantix in keeping with his string of Yeomans based on the Solent. With his own crew on a new boat, they have scored a 1-2-3 result to date and dominate Class Three.

An improved day for O'Leary in the 1720 Sportsboats yesterday with a second place brought him up to fourth overall, though the light winds once again frustrated plans to sail a second race.

In Class Seven, Irish Paralympian John Twomey leads the 33-boat class for the second consecutive day with his new Sonar for Athens 2004 aptly named Cool Runnings Too. Next week, he and his crew depart for the United States for the Marblehead Regatta, a similar size event to Cork Week, for his penultimate able-bodied regatta ahead of the Paralympics in September.