National champions confirmed for 90 boat O'Leary Life Sovereign's Cup regatta

Friday 26th June 2015, Kinsale, Co. Cork: on final day of the ICRA Sovereigns Cup sponsored by Cork County Council as a combined entry of 109 boats from around Ireland and the UK race on three courses © David Branigan / Oceansport

With just ten days remaining to the starting-gun, a fleet of 90 boats including most of new Irish national champions has been confirmed for the O'Leary Life Sovereign's Cup regatta at Kinsale Yacht Club (Wednesday 26th to Saturday 29th June 2019). Further entries are also being processed and the full entry could reach almost 100 boats.

The 13th edition of the biennial event combines racing in uncluttered waters with spectacular scenery and lively shoreside activities in one of Ireland's most hospitable towns.

The new national title-holders won their events at the recent ICRA championships in Dublin with the overall win taken by Anthony Gore-Grimes' Dux from Howth Yacht Club. The X302 is a regular visitor and competitor in Kinsale and could be a contender for the overall Sovereigns Cup that is decided on the international IRC rating system.

Also in action will be Conor Phelan's Jump Juice from the Royal Cork Yacht Club who missed the national championships due to family exam commitments while a showdown can be expected between two of the largest boats in the event, Conor Doyle's Freya from the Kinsale Yacht Club and George Sisk's WOW from the Royal Irish Yacht Club, both racing in the coastal division.

Meanwhile, the J109 armada in Division 1 sees Rob McConnell of Fool's Gold from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club, the overall winner of the 2017 Sovereign's Cup join Brian Jones' Jelly Baby from the Royal Cork Yacht Club in what is certain to be a closely-contested class that includes four-times Division 1 Irish champion John Maybury on Joker II from the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

The O'Leary Life Sovereign's Cup will also include the Irish Half-ton championships that will see the new Division 2 national champions in action. Michael and Darren Wrights' Mata from Howth Yacht Club leads a pack of contenders for the title with a repeat of the extremely close racing of the nationals likely to be repeated off the Old Head of Kinsale next week.

Another Howth entry and regular competitor in Kinsale is Windsor Lauden and Steffi Ennis' Demelza that was the top White Sails entry at the national championships winning the ICRA Corinthian Cup and is a previous winner in Kinsale.

Amongst the one-designs, good turn-outs in both the 1720 Sportsboat and International Dragon classes are expected with the latter preparing for the Gold Cup to be hosted by Kinsale Yacht Club in September 2020. Martin Byrne of the Royal St. George Yacht Club on Jaguar leads the field in the Dragon class while James Matthews of Kinsale Yacht Club returns to the class with a new boat. Anthony O'Leary of the Royal Cork Yacht Club with Antix is the boat to beat in the 1720 event with a clutch of mostly south coast boats but with added flavour from Dublin, Galway and Britain.

Find out more at www.sovereignscup.com