The 5,000 plus sailors competing at Ford Cork Week had their penultimate day of racing in close to ideal weather after a light start to the day. Two Irish boats hold commanding positions in their respective classes.

Mark Mansfield's Union Chandlery has retained the overall lead of the 63-boat 1720 class following an unofficial rest day that allowed battle-weary crews to recover from the opening two days. The Cork Olympic veteran had a third and a first yesterday and had a commanding lead over his nearest rivals of almost 12 points.

Reigning national champion Anthony O'Leary, also of the Royal Cork YC leads the chasing pack in the class with 24 points on his card; the Dublin fleet is ably represented by Tom Evans Yonka L'Experience from Howth YC and is within two points of the runner-up going into today's final races.

Harold Cudmore, skippering Barlo Plastics, finally worked into first overall in the professional class zero fleet after winning Race One to oust Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy's Noonmark VI into second. However, the position following the second race is in some doubt as a flood of protests have been lodged as the windward mark was towed off station by one yacht.

Cudmore is listed as finishing fifth, dropping his Corby 40footer to second once again and two points adrift of Noonmark. However, the results were described by one race official as "very provisional" and the running order could change once more going into today's final race - the Harbour Course that takes classes zero, one and two around the scenic mark off the town of Cobh.

While racing started in light airs of just five or six knots yesterday, several boats lost their masts. Charlie Lippett's Luvly Jubbly and Pauric O'Grady's Flexon dropped their rigs in the 1720 class as winds reached up to 16 knots in the afternoon. There was also disappointment for Jim Hyland's Maxim, a brand new X332 from Dun Laoghaire that was dismasted when a diagonal rod broke during the Harbour Course for Class Four boats.