J/Domination at Volvo Cork Week

Volvo Cork Week © James Tomlinson

The biennial event known as Volvo CORK Week was hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club and was blessed with beautiful weather for most of the week!

In addition to the racing in and around Cork Harbour, the event also featured the Fastnet Rock Offshore Race. Here is what's happened off the picturesque harbor of Cork, Ireland.

Fastnet Rock Offshore Race

The Offshore race for the Beaufort Cup came to a magnificent finish off Roches Point. The 150.0nm race around the Fastnet Rock was won by the Irish Defence Forces racing J/109 ARTFUL DODJER, claiming Line Honours as well as the race win after IRC time correction.

"The lead in the race changed many times," commented Simon Coveney who was at the helm of ARTFUL DODJER as the team sailed through the finish line. "It is a complex race and coastline and the breeze was moving around a lot. The team was delighted to be the first to round the Fastnet during the night. It is always a memorable moment, no matter how many times you have done it. This was a team effort but special thanks should go to Brian Mathews, who put the whole team together."

Continued Coveney, "What is special this year about the Beaufort Cup is that we have three teams from the US, as well as a team from the UK, racing against two teams from the Irish Defence Forces and two teams from the RNLI. The idea was that The Beaufort Cup would be an international event for people working in uniform in different parts of the world who would get together and make friendships. All the sailors have come to Cork and enjoy themselves, the atmosphere at the Royal Cork YC is fantastic."

Volvo Cork Week - photo © James Tomlinson

CORK Race Week

Overall, J/teams faired very well in the round-the-cans races at race week. Here's how it all went down by division.

IRC 0 Division

This ten-boat fleet saw a pair of J/122s sail fast to finish in the top four. Taking the bronze medal was the Jones Family on JELLY BABY with 34 pts net. Just two points back was Lance Allen's JAVELIN with 36 pts net.

IRC 1 Division

This ten-boat fleet saw complete domination by the J/109s, surprise, surprise!! Winning with six 1sts in their scoreline was Barry Cunningham's CHIMAERA with just 13 pts net after counting nine races! Taking the silver medal was John Maybury's JOKER 2 with 17 pts net, winning the only other four races CHIMAERA did not win!! Then, taking fourth was Andy Williams's CTRL-J with 36 pts net, followed by Peter Holden's GOING TO RED in fifth place with 40 pts net.

IRC Coastal Division

This fourteen-boat fleet was treated to a humiliating "whitewash" by Johnny Treanor's J/112E VALEN-TINA. After five races VALEN-TINA tossed a first place (!!) and counted four firsts for a mere 4 pts net! Cris Miles's J/111 JEZEBEL sailed well, taking fifth place with 15 pts net.

More information at www.corkweek.ie