SAILING: Continued light winds dogged the second day of racing at Ford Cork Week and made for tedious competition. On some courses, shortly after starting, the wind produced an inconvenient 160 degree shift, writes  David Branigan

However, the competition has endured the lack of wind and home crews continue to fare well, consolidating Monday's performances in several key classes.

A fifth and a first yesterday for Colm Barrington's Gloves Off, from Dun Laoghaire, has brought the Corby 38-footer into contention for Class Zero, along with Robert Boulter's Mark Mills-designed 37-footer Thunder 2, from Cowes.

The pair are tied on overall points, though the visitor edged Barrington into second on the tie-break.

In spite of the light conditions, two of the largest Class Zero entrants were involved in a pre-start incident resulting in reportedly considerable damage to both boats. Swan 65 Desperado and Noonmark IV were jockeying for optimum starting line position close to the fleet committee vessel when they collided.

Although one retired, the incident was subject to a rules protest hearing last evening.

Meanwhile, John Kileen's Galway Bay Sailing Club entry Nimmo won the opening race of Class One on the Windward/Leeward course for the bigger classes, and now lies second to Pierre Blayou's Cajou by just three points following a fourth in the afternoon race.

On the Olympic course for Class Two, David O'Connell's Davidson 40 Canterbury dropped to third after a disappointing day when the Kinsale yacht's 11th and 14th finishes contrasted with a win on the Harbour course on Monday.

Arguably the most competitive Irish interest is to be found in Class Five, which sailed the coastal course yesterday. Eamon Crosbie's Humphrey Go-Kart, from the National Yacht Club, has come under pressure from visitor Stuart Edmundson on Kit Off, who won yesterday.

Crosbie's third place still gives him the overall class lead - tied with Edmundson on points. With a 15-point cushion between this pair and the current runner-up places, covering tactics can be expected for these two from today.

Yesterday also saw a host of other home fleet boats move up the scoreboard in this group. A second for Michael Guinan's Phantom, from Howth, places him third overall, nine points ahead of a bunch of closely grouped others.

Sligo's Martin Reilly on Extreme Reality slipped from third overnight to joint fourth with Anthony Gore-Grimes on Dux. Just 1.5 points behind this pair, Shay Moran's Blue Berret Pi lies sixth in what will become a duel of honour, as the Royal St George YC crew regularly duels with Gore-Grimes, their benchmark rival.

A turnaround in fortunes for overnight Class Seven leader Brian O'Neill on Impala 28 as Wild Mustard plummeted to fourth place last night following a 15th and 14th placings yesterday.

A eighth in the opening race for Irish Sydney 2000 Paralympians John Twomey and the crew of Cool Runnings Too prevented slippage when a 17th in the afternoon allowed Susie Wallace's Relativity to move into joint second with the Kinsale entry.

In the 1720 Sportsboats, John Rickard's Babbalaas has established a commanding lead after four races, and Des Cummins' Merlin, with 49er helm Tom Fitzpatrick helming, is the closest boat in second place, some 20 points behind the leader.

The remaining six races for the class could either be a battle for the runner-up places or a concerted assault on the leader.

A 15th in the second race for national champion Des Faherty on Aquatack, on top of an eighth in the morning, leaves the Howth boat fifth overall.

Former champion Anthony O'Leary, on Ford Racing, won the second race, boosting him to sixth and into contention again.