SAILING ROUND-UP: It's not often an event claims a 355-year time-line, but that's exactly the connection made this week when Admiral Peter Crowley and his team at the Royal Cork Yacht Club announced that this year's Cork Week has reached its limit of 500 boats, with one month remaining before the start of the "world's number one fun regatta".
When Charles II was restored to the English Crown in 1659, 11 years after Cromwell executed Charles I, his friend Murrough O'Brien was made the 1st Earl of Inchiquin. After years of exile in Holland, O'Brien's great-grandson, William, had taken part in the Dutch activity based around formation sailing. This in turn became Yachting, derived from the Dutch word, jaghen, to chase.
With five friends, O'Brien established the "Water Club of Cork" in 1720, giving rise centuries later to the title of "oldest yacht club in the world" as the group organised the first amateur races.
But it is only really in the last 30 years that what is now Cork Week can be truly recognised. From an entry of 86 boats in 1986 to a peak of almost 700 in 2000, the current limit is a reduction to maintain comfort for the thousands of competitors who arrive from all over the world.
"This event is as large as Cork Week will ever get to keep it a fun event," said regatta chairman James McGrath on Wednesday evening at Crosshaven.
But for a "fun event", it is taken extremely seriously by some, as evidenced by the size of the entries from more than 10 countries including, for the first time, a Russian crew.
In Classes Zero to Four, the handicap rating bands have become tighter and the boats are getting bigger.
For example, in Class Three, which will have 40 boats, just one minute separates the fleet on corrected time.
Newly crowned IRC Class One National champion Anthony O'Leary, also the outright winner of the Scottish Series, said this class will be the nearest to one-design racing any handicap fleet has reached.
Class Zero will feature the two Z86 Maxis, Roy Disney's Morning Glory and Hasso Platner's Pyewacket. Along with Full Pelt, these boats rate 50 per cent higher than the remainder of their rivals.
Meanwhile, the Irish Sailing Association confirmed its line-up of nominees to the Olympic Council of Ireland at a special gathering in Dublin yesterday. With 1948 and 1952 Olympian Alf Delaney in attendance, along with 1980 silver medallists David Wilkins and Jamie Wilkinson, six of the nine sailors were presented.
Elsewhere, Irish sailors have been to the fore at international events this last week. In Hamble, Des Faherty and Maurice O'Connell brought Aquatack in to second overall in the 1720 British South Coast Championship after a four race series that included a race win.
Also on the Solent, Diarmuid Foley and his team on Mammy narrowly missed a top three result at the Mumm 30 European Championships after five days of racing.
