Cork Week ends with a flourish

"Champagne sailing" was how one veteran described the fare on offer in Crosshaven, as glorious sunshine and good winds combined to make for one of the best ever Cork Weeks for the 5,000 or so competitors and 50,000 spectators.

This year the organisers created a new Super 0 class to deal with the super-sized Super Maxis, and although the number of entries was down about 100 on 2004, with just over 400 boats this year, the number of larger boats with larger crews meant that in terms of yachtsmen and women, participant numbers were up.

Among those competing on one of the larger boats was experienced Cork sailor Grattan Roberts from Currabinny, who was one of a truly multinational crew on board the 82ft-long Maligaya owned by Andreas Soriano from the Philippines.

"The weather has been superb," said Grattan. "We had fog this morning but it cleared for another cracking day's sailing. I'm acting as a local pilot for Maligaya - I know the harbour pretty well - and with a 15½ft draught, you have to know where to avoid."

Among the newcomers to Crosshaven was Grattan's fellow crew member Gianluca Frremi, from Bolzano in Italy, who revealed that he grew up in a ski resort near the Alps but came to love sailing when visiting his mother's home town near Lecce in the south.

"This is my first time coming to Crosshaven," said Frremi as he relaxed in the tented village that lines the dockside at the Royal Cork Yacht Club. "I was not expecting such a great event but it is impressive - it has opened my eyes and I will definitely be back again."

As yacht after yacht emerged from the hazy distance of Cork Harbour to come alongside at the RCYC, well-known yachtsman and former chairman of Cork Week Clayton Love said he is delighted with how the event has developed.

"I left in 2000 after being involved in the first six events. It's totally relaxing for me now to watch and see what a great event it has become. I just get a personal thrill from seeing a young team take over the event and drive it on," he said.

Fred Cudmore from Myrtleville was out yesterday on his brother Peter's boat Oneiro and he enjoyed the occasion. "I'm just spectating, but there's been wonderful sailing with 18 to 20 knots of wind with a great atmosphere both on and off the water."

Also enjoying the event were Beth Cuddigan and her husband Gerry from New Zealand, who have a house in Ballycotton and who had just arrived at Crosshaven from London, where they live.

"We were out with Peter Cudmore on his boat today and we're having a wonderful day - I was at the America's Cup when it was in New Zealand and this is better," said Beth, who was impressed with New Zealand-owned 100ft beauty Maximus.

Claire Burke, a native of Bishopstown but now living in the British Virgin Islands, where she is commodore of the Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club, reckoned that Cork Week is even more fun than some of the Caribbean regattas in places such as Antigua and Barbados.

"Socially, Cork is far better because everything happens in the one area. A lot of the Caribbean regattas are in a lot of different areas but here everyone comes off the dock - it's much more together," said Claire, who was sailing on Leonard Donnelly's boat No-Gnomes.

Also back to Cork for the week was Isolin Fitzpatrick from Patrick's Hill in Cork, whose entire family have long been involved with the event.

"I live in Munich so I've just come from three weeks of partying at the World Cup," said Isolin. "That was great craic. Cork Week is smaller but it's even more fun."