Bob Rendell’s Samatom to the fore at Sovereign’s Cup in Kinsale

Despite the weather's best attempt to disrupt the opening day, a full programme of racing went ahead as planned at the O'Leary Insurance Group Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale.

The slimmed-down event due to Covid-19 precautions has nonetheless attracted some of the best racing crews with the biggest turnouts found in the big boat classes.

Local entry Freya skippered by Conor Doyle led the 17-strong Coastal event on a five-hour tour between the Old Head of Kinsale and the Daunt Rock at Cork Harbour.

But the IRC system denied him victory once again following the recent Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race where Doyle also took line honours.

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Instead, it was Bob Rendell’s Samatom that won the day as the Howth boat set the stage for clubmates to dominate in other classes as well.

The other large turnout is in the Division 1 racing class where J109 designs occupy ten of the 14 entries.

Pat Kelly’s Storm won the day with two windward-leeward courses though the nip and tuck results in the class point to a long series even if the halfway point is reached in Thursday’s programme.

Fresher winds are forecast together with sunshine to take over from the light airs and smooth seas of day one.

The 62-boat fleet is slimmed to almost half its regular size due to the pandemic measures and no overseas visitors are taking part.

The biennial event will be one of the few bigger domestic events likely to run as normal this year and the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta has already been cancelled as its mid-July date was not going to permit the likely 450+ crews to operate ashore in compliance with the national guidelines.