The D2D race was, in many ways, similar to the 2009 race which I did on the X41 "Legally Blonde" writes Maurice O'Connell in this post-race review. Similar to then, strong northerlies made for a very very fast trip with downwind sail changes the order of the day. The race started at 6 pm, we were at the Tuskar Rock at 2 am and at the Fastnet at 6 pm the next day - unreal!
Congratulations to Paul O'Higgins and his great team on "Rockabill VI" for winning. They sailed an outstanding race, blasting past us on Chris Power-Smith's "Aurelia" at 2 am a few miles from the finish - flying their North Sails A3 asymmetric and 3DL offshore main to keep us in 2nd overall to them. Well done guys - respect!
Rockabill VI flying her North Sails "Leinster" SK 75 A3 Photo: Afloat
On "Aurelia" we flew our 3Di offshore mainsail, 3Di Code 1 and 2 jibs, our A2 running asymmetric, our new Code Zero and also flew our 3DL "jib top" (high clew headsail reacher). When we were not flying a kite / Code Zero, we were constantly triangulating jib sheeting angles, backstay, outhaul and vang tensions to keep the boat "lit up" until the next sail change. It was great to race with you again guys! 2nd overall in the 2019 D2D, 3rd overall in last year's Round Ireland Race - let's keep the trajectory going!
Aurelia flying her North Sails SK90/SK75 A2 and 3Di 780 Endurance Offshore Mainsail with North Sails Ireland's Maurice "Prof" O'Connell at the helm Photo: Afloat
Well done and huge congratulation also to John O'Gorman and his team on his beautiful SunFast 3600 "Hot Cookie". Their 100% North Sails inventory included a new A4 and A5. In John's words after flying it for the first time, "the new A5 is the business and we were off like a robber's dog when we put it up". They finished strongly at 6.30 am flying their new A4 to score third overall on IRC. Nice one guys.
Hot Cookie flying her North Sails SK 75 A2 and 3Di 780M offshore mainsail Photo: Afloat
My North Sails colleague Shane Hughes had a great race too on Rupert Barry's Jeanneau 35 "Relativity" winning IRC 2 by a massive 3hrs and 20 mins. Well done Rupert, Shane and all the "Red Alert" team.
Michael Cotter's majestic "Windfall", flying her full NS inventory was a magnificent sight at the start, flying her 3Di mainsail, 3Di large genoa staysail and A2. That was the last we saw of her! We are delighted that Mick Cotter and his team broke the race record that they set in 2009 on "Whisper".
Mick Cotter's Windfall flying her 3Di mainsail, 3Di large genoa staysail and A2 Photo: Afloat
D2D North Sails Results
Line Honours
1st "Windfall" Southern Wind 94 Michael Cotter
2nd "Freya" Xp50 Conor Doyle
IRC Overall & ISORA Overall
1st "Rockabill VI" JPK 1080 Paul O'Higgins *
2nd "Aurelia" J122 Chris Power-Smith
3rd "Hot Cookie" Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 John O'Gorman
4th "Ruth" J109 Shanahan family
IRC 1
1st "Rockabill VI" JPK 1080 Paul O'Higgins *
2nd "Aurelia" J122 Chris Power-Smith
3rd "Hot Cookie" Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 John O'Gorman
IRC 2
1st "Red Alert" JOD 35 Rupert Barry *
ISORA 1
1st "Ruth" J109 Shanahan family
2nd "Mojito" J109 Peter Dunlop & Victoria Cox
ISORA 2
1st "Red Alert" JOD 35 Rupert Barry
2nd "Elandra" Sigma 33 Joe Conway
* denotes partial inventory
