Please select your home edition
Edition
Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca 2025

Kinsale Dragon Gold Cup 2024 Day 3

by International Dragon Association 11 Sep 2024 06:22 BST 5-13 September 2024

Race three of the Kinsale Dragon Gold Cup 2024 supported by Astra Construction Services Ltd was held in a strong and squally north-westerly that at times pushed both the sailors and their boats to their limits. The fleet was initially held ashore to allow the wind to drop a little, but racing eventually got under way around 16:00.

For the first time in the series a full five leg windward leeward course of 2.5 mile legs was completed in conditions that certainly challenged the fleet, with some dramatic place changes as a result. After a lacklustre start and a mediocre first beat Portugal's Pedro Rebelo de Andrade, sailing POR89 with Jose Leitmann and Jamie Lea, began picking up places on each leg, but on the final beat to the finish he played a blinder, roaring through from eighth at the last gate to a resounding victory on the line. He was followed home by Lawrie Smith in GBR815, with Michael Zankel's POR90 third.

Overnight series leader Peter Gilmour, sailing JAP56 with Yasuhiro Yaji and Sam Gilmour, finished the race in fourth place, which means they continues to lead the series by two points from Lawrie Smith, while Michael Zankel moves up into third overall at the halfway point in the championship. Peter Cook's GBR402 drops from third to fourth, with Pedro Andrade now rounding out the top five, but on equal points with sixth placed Grant Gordon's GBR833.

After racing Pedro Andrade was still coming to terms with their race win, saying; "It's still hard to believe that we managed to win this race. Yesterday on the second race we went from fifth to twenty-one and I have to say I was a bit depressed last night. But I was with a fighting spirit today. Off the start we were in the front pack, but we pushed a little bit to the right and we dropped again, and we were twenty-second around the top mark. Somehow, I don't know how, we just kept fighting. I don't think I have ever won a race having been so far back at the first mark. And this is what the Gold Cup is about, it's long races that give us a chance to come back."

Taking a top ten finish for the first time this week was Xavier Vanneste sailing BEL82, who led the fleet for the first lap of the race, but he got the wrong side of a right shift on the final beat and ended the day in eighth. "We started well, we led at the first mark. We took the wrong side on the last beat when we thought it was going to happen on the left, but it shifted to the right and we lost a couple of places there. They are nice courses with long beats. After a long day of waiting, we were happy to have a nice race." Explained Vanneste.

In the Corinthian Division the top performer of the day was the Kinsale Yacht Club's own James Matthews, sailing IRL219 with David Good and Fergal O'Hanlon. They'd rounded the first mark in third place and by the second weather mark were heading the entire fleet. They held the lead down the final run, but on the gruelling last beat they dropped back into fifth place. Second Corinthian finisher was Graham Bailey's GBR192 with Jono Brown in GBR753 third.

In the overall Corinthian standings James Mattews moves up from fourth into the lead, with Cameron Good's IRL211 second and Jono Brown now third.

On the dock James Matthews was generally delighted with how his team had performed. "We'd have been very pleased if we thought we'd be fifth before the start of the race. But at the end I suppose we were a bit disappointed because we went from one to five. But we're still very pleased because we are racing against the best and we're absolute amateurs, so we're delighted with ourselves. On the final beat it became very windy and there was a shift to the right, we were on the left, I probably felt we were going a little bit slower and obviously the right being favoured with that little flick didn't do us any favours. But all in all, what a super day!"

A planned cocktail party hosted by event sponsor Astra Construction at the historic Charles Fort, which guards the entrance to Kinsale Harbour, had to be relocated to the Kinsale Yacht Club because of the late return to the dock, but despite this the free drinks and delicious canapes flowed, and a great evening was enjoyed by all.

Three races remain to be sailed in the six-race, no discard series which continues until Friday 13 September. Tomorrow's forecast indicates the potential for more strong winds, particularly later in the day, and so the Race Committee has announced its intention to get Race 4 under way at 11:30.

Provisional Results after Day 3: (top five, 3 races)

Overall
1st - JPN56 - Yred - Peter Gilmour - 7, 1, 4 = 12pts
2nd - GBR815 - Alfie - Lawrie Smith - 4, 8, 2 = 14pts
3rd - POR90 - Easy - Michael Zankel - 13, 3, 3 - 19pts
4th - GBR402 - Meteor - Peter Cooke - 1, 12, 10 = 23pts
5th - POR89 - First Things First - Pedro Rebelo de Andrade - 2, 21, 1 - 24pts

Corinthian
1st - IRL219 - TBD - James Matthews - 26, 16, 5 = 50pts
2nd - IRL211 - Little Fella - Cameron Good - 20, 17, 18 = 55pts
3rd - GBR753 - Fit Chick - Jono Brown - 37, 10, 11 = 58pts
4th - NED309 - Furie - Guus de Groot - 10, 25, 25 = 60pts
5th - GBR192 - Bluebottle - Graham Bailey - 21, 37, 9 = 67pts

Quick Links:

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