Tonnerre de Breskens 3 wins Conway Media Round Ireland Race
by David Branigan 24 Jun 2010 22:03 BST
24 June 2010
Piet Vroon's Tonnerre de Breskens 3, a Ker 46 footer achieved the double earlier when skipper Maut Trauman (RSA) and a depleted crew of nine crossed the finishing-line of the 704-mile circumnavigation at Wicklow Sailing Club at dawn (Thursday morning).
The owner was not on board due to a sudden illness the night before the race start. His son Carlo who was also due to sail on board confirmed that the veteran offshore skipper was making a strong
recovery in hospital in Dublin.
With line honours secured ahead of Steve White's Open 60 Toe in the Water sailing as Rosslare Europort, a lull in conditions on the North Irish Sea blocked the final approach for Bernard Guoy's Inis Mor, a Ker 39 sailing for Clifden Boat Club that finished outside the deadline for the overall IRC handicap win.
Eric Lisson's Cavatina, a two-times past-winner of the race had been in contention but the light conditions off Rathlin Island's notorious tidal gate meant that the Grenada 38 would have to average 10 knots for the remainder of the course to beat its deadline and WSC organisers announced Tonnerre as the provisional overall race winner.