Cork Week 2026 Day 3 - Harbour Race Takes Centre Stage
by Louay Habib 9 Jul 09:33 BST
6-10 July 2026
Race Day Three at Cork Week began under an eerie blanket of thick fog, with racing delayed as sea mist engulfed Cork Harbour and its approaches. Eventually, a south-westerly breeze swept through to lift the curtain on one of the regatta's great stages: the iconic Cork Harbour, widely regarded as the world's second-largest natural harbour.
When the mist finally cleared, the sight was spectacular. The entire Cork Week fleet gathered on one starting line outside Roches Point, creating a magnificent panorama of sails and colour for the downwind start. It was a powerful image of the scale, spirit and variety of Cork Week as the fleet charged into the Cork Week Harbour Race. The racing was the tightest of the week so far with many IRC classes decided by seconds.
Barry Cunningham's Royal Cork YC / Royal Irish YC J/109 Chimaera produced the standout IRC performance of the Cork Week Harbour Race, winning IRC One and recording the lowest corrected time across the IRC fleet after time correction.
The class-by-class Harbour Race winners under IRC were Baltimore RNLI in the Beaufort Cup and also second overall, Hero in IRC Zero, Chimaera first overall and in IRC One, Quattro in IRC Two, BLT third overall and in IRC Three, Jings in Coastal One, Tuco in Coastal Two, Big Mac in Non-Spinnaker One, Shillelagh in Non-Spinnaker Two, and Sheep Dawg in Sportsboats.
IRC 0 & IRC 1
There was a shake up in the big boat IRC Zero Class right at the start with the regatta leader, Michael & Richard Evans' J/112 The Big Picture disqualified for a starting infringement.
Simon Britten's One Tonner Hero, took victory in IRC 0 for the Cork Harbour Race, winning on IRC corrected time. Second was Nick Southward's Royal Hong Kong YC team racing J/122 Whiskey Jack, just 56 seconds behind on corrected time. Third was Mark Wilson and Nigel Moss's Galway Bay SC First 40 La Veuve Noire.
In IRC One, Barry Cunningham's Chimaera was the winner. Second was John Maybury's RIYC J/109 Joker 2, just 47 seconds behind on corrected time. Third was Tony O'Brien's Schull Harbour SC J/109 Tighey Boy, finishing 2 minutes 53 seconds behind the winner on corrected time.
IRC 2 & IRC 3
In IRC 2, David Eddowes' South Caernarvonshire YC First 31.7 Quattro, was the winner. Second was Ronan Downing's Royal Cork YC Half Tonner Miss Whiplash, the two boats were overlapped through the finish line but Quattro won on IRC corrected time by 2 minutes 08 seconds. Third was James Dwyer's Royal Cork YC Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble.
In IRC 3, Sam Laidlaw's RYS Quarter Tonner BLT retained their perfect scoreline for the regatta with a win in the Harbour Race. However, it was by a razor thin margin of nine seconds after IRC time correction from Anton Korshunov's Howth YC Quarter Tonner Symmetry. Colman Garvey and Kieran Kelleher's RCYC/KYC Quarter Tonner Illegal completed the podium.
Coastal 1 & Coastal 2
Frank Whelan's Sydney 43 El Syd from Greystones SC took line honours for the Cork Harbour Race in an elapsed time of 1 Hour 16 Mins 43 Secs.
Frank Whelan commented:
"The Cork Harbour Race is unique for so many reasons. It is so sheltered, but at the start with the tide running hard against you, everyone is trying to hug one shore or the other to get into the Harbour and there is always that question of which side will pay.
"Today the left-hand shore made sense for us, although we still hit a hole down by Cobh, where a lot of boats seemed to park up for a while. The leg across to Cobh is one I really love, although I was driving, so yet again I could not properly take in the gorgeous view.
"That is part of what makes Cork Week special. I would not take the Harbour Race out of the programme; it is fabulous. Then the beat back up was lovely, with little gains and losses as the breeze filled in from different sides. Those are the joys of racing in Cork Harbour."
In Coastal 2, George Radley Jnr & Snr's Cove SC Sun Fast 32 Tuco, won In their own backyard of Cobh. Second was Pat Tanner's Royal Cork YC 3/4 Tonner Bateleur88. Third was Paddy Kyne's Howth YC X-302 Maximus.
"For the Harbour Race, you just have to get into clear air and then try to stay in front. There are plenty of rocks around, so you have to know where they are as well. Today, everybody should have gone to the left-hand side, that was where the best wind was. Racing in front of Cobh is special for us. You feel like everybody should know you, even if they don't!
"Cork Harbour is such a fantastic place and it needs to be filled with boats. Seeing all those sailors and all those boats out there looked great. Whether you are winning or losing, it is just fantastic to be out there amongst it. Of course, winning helps as well!"
Non-Spinnaker 1 & 2
In Non-Spinnaker 1, The McGrath family's Royal Cork YC Dehler 34 Big Mac, was the winner. Second was Kieran O'Brien's Royal Cork YC MG 335 Magnet. Third was Aidan Heffernan's RCYC/SHSC Dehler 34 Indulgence.
In Non-Spinnaker 2, John Twomey's Kinsale YC Blazer 23 Shillelagh was the winner by just 40 seconds after IRC time correction from Brendan Egan's Royal Cork YC Boekanier. Third was Ian Hickey's Royal Cork YC Granada 38 Cavatina.
"The Harbour Race was very tricky because there were so many boats on that one start line, and we are small, so we were having fun in the middle of it all," smiled John Twomey. "We went straight down the middle because the big spinnakers were left and right, and we were pointed straight at the mark. Once the race started, that worked out well for us and we were one of the first white-sail boats down there. In the harbour there is everything going on, so calling the puffs and judging the lay lines is not easy. I had two friends from Florida sailing with me, and they were calling the puffs, which was great.
"I loved the start with all the boats; it was exciting, a bit hectic, but great fun. We sailed it well, and I'm really enjoying it."
Sportsboat Cup
Trevor D'Arcy's Carrickfergus SC VX One Sheep Dawg, kept their winning streak by winning the Harbour Race by just 47 seconds after time correction from Ian O'Leary's Pittwater Aquatic Club 1720 Lime. Third was Ian Patterson's East Antrim BC Viper 640 Sid.
Beaufort Cup
Baltimore RNLI's J/109 won the Cork Harbour Race on IRC corrected time finishing the harbour course in an elapsed time of 1 hour 25 minutes 53 seconds. Second was Simon Coveney's Royal Cork YC entry Waterfront, a Corby 34.7, finishing 4 minutes 27 seconds behind on corrected time. Third was Brian Mathews' Defence Forces SC J/109 Defence Forces - Artful Dodjer, 13 minutes 05 seconds behind the winner on corrected time.
Event website: www.corkweek.ie