TOM EARL'S maxi yacht Bridgestone reached the finish of the Cork Dry Gin Round Ireland Race at Wicklow Harbour after dawn yesterday morning at 6.28 to win the line honours title for the 704 mile course.
Meanwhile, Roy Dickson and the crew of Beaumont Spirit/Cracklin Rosie were anxiously awaiting the results from their nearest rivals, having finished at dusk.
After an agonising stage over the north coast in light and fickle winds, the final approach to Wicklow was graced with a moderate northerly breeze that at least gave Bridgestone a smart arrival just over 15 minutes ahead of her constant shadow and bug bear, Jake Wood's Sorcery from the Waikiki Yacht Club, with skipper Paddy O'Brien and several of his former colleagues from NCB Ireland crewing.
Earls was thrilled with their performance on the maxi, and though he was disappointed that the 1990 course record of 84 hours and 56 minutes remained unbroken by just over three hours, he maintained that this year's race could not have been a record breaker.
This was confirmed by Sorcery's navigator Des "Merlin" Cummins, who sailed on board Virgin City Jet in 1994. "This race is won and lost on the final, leg from Rathlin Island down. If you don't get a fast reach or a run, down to Wicklow, the record won't be broken," he said upon arrival yesterday.
The winning yacht stayed briefly in Wicklow for the celebrations before sailing for the south coast of England for another, albeit shorter, circumnavigation. The Hoya Round the Island Race the Isle of Wight, that is which is expecting another record turnout in excess of 1,000 entries.
Meanwhile Gordon Maguire skippered, Bashford Howison 41 footer Silk reached the finish in third place on the water just as the daytime sea breeze died shortly after 6.0 pm last night. An anticipated long wait for the next boat before the outcome of the handicap race would be known ended quicker than expected when Roy Dickson's Corby 40 footer Beaumont Spirit/Cracklin Rosie sailed smoothly up the flooding tide to beat Silk on handicap with just under 30 minutes to spare.
