Please select your home edition
Edition
Ocean Safety 2023 - New Identity - LEADERBOARD
Product Feature
Allen 50mm Tii-On Block
Allen 50mm Tii-On Block

Brewin Dolphin Dragon Gold Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club - Day 1

by Fiona Brown 9 Sep 2012 23:04 BST 8-14 September 2012

Lawrie Smith claims first blood

The Brewin Dolphin Dragon Gold Cup 2012 got underway in spectacular style as the 60 competitors from 16 nations and 4 continents completed their first race in strong winds and big seas off Kinsale.

The Dragon Gold Cup is legendary for being one of the toughest championships in keelboat racing as it is raced over huge 12+ mile windward leeward courses and there is no discard in the six race series. Today's rough seas and winds of up to 25 knots from the south certainly ensured it was also a test of stamina as well as skill and there were incidents aplenty with a number of spectacular broaches and some exciting mark roundings as the sailors contended with the confused seas and blustery conditions.

The fleet got away cleanly at the first time of asking by PRO Alan Crosbie, and the first beat saw the boats spread out very evenly across the course. At the first weather mark those who had opted to go right had the advantage and it was reigning Dragon World Champion Lawrie Smith, sailing GBR763 Alfie, who led the fleet from double Olympic Gold Medallist Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen, sailing GBR775 Danish Blue; Dimitry Samokhin sailing RUS76 Strange Little Girl; 2010 Gold Cup winner Anatoly Loginov sailing RUS27 Annapurna; and Cameron Good, sailing IRL211 Little Fella.

Whilst Smith and Hoj-Jensen then held their positions around the course the battle behind them for third place was fierce. By the start of the final beat Tommy Mueller, sailing GER1123 Sinewave, had pulled up into third just ahead of Samokhin, Good was fifth and Loginov sixth with Lars Hendriksen, sailing UKR7 Bunker Boys, moving up into seventh.

Hoj-Jensen pushed Smith hard on the final beat but both boats also had to defend their positions on the chasing pack. At the line Smith won from Hoj-Jensen whilst Samokhin pulled back up into third with Mueller fourth. Hendriksen, who has claimed the Gold Cup on two previous occasions, sailed a wonderful final leg to cross the line in fifth. Joergen Schoenherr, sailing DEN406 African Queen, also showed blistering pace to go from 11th to sixth on the last beat, just pipping Good on the line.

Cameron Good, Commodore of the Kinsale Yacht Club, also claimed victory in the Corinthian Division, for the all-amateur crews. Dublin's Gary Treacy, sailing IRL198 Dublin Bay, took second place in the Corinthians with Reemt Reemtsma, sailing GBR1121 Caroroo, in third and IDA Chairman Richard Blickman, sailing NED393 Cobweb, fourth.

One of the most impressive stories of the day came from the Australian team aboard AUS222 Puff III. They were running very deep in sixth place on the second run when a rogue wave caught the transom and span them into a Chinese jybe. Helmsman Richard Lynn found himself being swept out of the boat as his crew, Ian Olson and Aussie sailing legend Roger Hickman, battled to get their spinnaker, which was now doing a very good job of trawling for supper, back under control. Fortunately Richard just managed to grab the spinnaker sheet on his way out of the boat and by the time the boys had the kite under control he was back on board. They had lost a number of places but they dug in on the final lap and managed to pull back up into ninth place, keeping themselves firmly in contention.

Five more races are scheduled and the regatta continues until Friday 14th September. Lighter airs are forecast for the next couple of days but strong airs are expected to return later in the week.

Keep up with all the latest news and updates from the event via www.dragongoldcup2012.com

Full results can be found here

Related Articles

21st Sandberg PalmaVela overall
A breezy finale in the Bay of Palma A thrilling and intense final day at Sandberg PalmaVela was enjoyed with choppy seas and wind conditions ranging from gentle airs to gusts of up to 23 knots. Several broken masts are evidence how tough the day was for some. Posted on 4 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela Day 3
Light winds returned to the Bay of Palma again Light winds returned to the Bay of Palma again but that didn't stop the 11 classes getting new races. Posted on 3 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela Day 2
Ten new classes joined the action Ten new classes joined the action on Day 2, bringing the total to 11 divisions for this edition. Posted on 2 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela Day 1
Magic Carpet E wins two from two on her debut The Maxi class officially opened racing today at the 21st Sandberg PalmaVela, completing two W/L races in which the newest elite 100-footer, Magic Carpet E, dominated with two clear victories in what was its first-ever races. Posted on 1 May
21st Sandberg PalmaVela kicks off tomorrow
With the spectacle of the Maxis in Palma Over one hundred teams representing 19 nationalities will gather in the Bay of Palma for the first major multi-class event of the season: the 21st Sandberg PalmaVela. The impressive Maxis will be the first to take the stage. Posted on 30 Apr
It's So Easy to Shop for Winning Sails Online
Shop North One Design sails online anytime for fast delivery Shop North One Design sails online anytime for fast delivery, in-stock availability, and podium-ready results. Don't wait, your next win starts here. Posted on 28 Apr
5th Dragon Cup at Vilamoura Sailing Overall
Lasting memories both on the water and ashore under Vilamoura's great spring conditions The 5th edition of the Dragon Cup Vilamoura has concluded with great success, leaving lasting memories both on the water and ashore. Over the course of the event, sailors completed a total of eight races under Vilamoura's great spring conditions. Posted on 27 Apr
2025 Medway Yacht Club Keelboat Regatta Preview
Three classes of handicap racing for cruisers plus one design racing for Dragons, Sonatas and Squibs The Medway Yacht Club looks forward to hosting and welcoming members and visitors to the 2025 Medway Yacht Club Keelboat Regatta to take place on 14th and 15th June, sponsored by Pirates Cave. Posted on 27 Apr
5th Dragon Cup at Vilamoura Sailing Preview
A Key Warm-Up Ahead of the World Championship Today marks the start of the Dragon Cup at Vilamoura Sailing, welcoming 25 boats from across the world. This regatta offers top-level competition and serves as an essential training opportunity for many of the teams preparing for the Dragon Worlds. Posted on 24 Apr
Enter now for Whitsun Regatta at Royal Burnham YC
It is free, and you can win £100 to spend in the club bar Royal Burnham YC's Whitsun Regatta is 24-26th May 2025 and it is free! Our aim is to entice as many entries as possible and make it a fun regatta. Posted on 16 Apr