Sixty per cent of the entries have already been received for June's Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club on the south coast of Ireland.
The 15th edition of the biennial regatta will run from 21st to 24th June 2023 and incorporates the 1720 European sportsboat Championships.
A strong fleet is expected, with entries of up to 105 boats from the US, UK and Ireland arriving at the West Cork port.
International entries include Ron O'Hanley's Cookson 50 Privateer from New York, as Afloat reported in January, and there is a strong domestic take up for the KYC event. Entries from as far afield as Carrickfergus Sailing Club on Belfast Lough to Tralee Bay in County Kerry have been received.
This year, a new prize has been launched for the first Lady Helm. The special award has been created by Rosemary Roy and will be presented for the first time in June.
Tomas O'Brien of KYC was Master of Ceremonies at the official launch of the 2023 Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman
Simply Blue Group, headquartered in Cork, is a leading developer focused on pioneering blue economy projects such as floating offshore wind, e-Fuels, wave energy and low-impact aquaculture which, they say, are all in harmony with the oceans.
Cllr Marie O'Sullivan, Mayor of the Kinsale/Bandon District, Cork County Council with Hugh Kelly Group MD, Simply Blue Group and Sara MacKeown, Group Communications Director at the official launch of the 2023 Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman
With a strong presence in Kinsale, Simply Blue Group’s Emerald Floating Wind Project, situated in the Celtic Sea off the south coast of Kinsale, will utilise cutting-edge technology to construct a wind farm which, upon completion, will have a total installed capacity of up to 1.3 GW, the equivalent to powering 1 million Irish homes.
Hugh Kelly, Co-Founder and Group Managing Director of Simply Blue Group, who will compete in the event onboard the J122 Jelly Baby, said: “We are delighted to support the Kinsale Yacht Club’s Sovereign’s Cup this year. Driven by a vision to work with the oceans and is headquartered in Cork, we’re very proud to be supporting this great biennial event in Kinsale. With racing taking place in both the inner and outer harbours, an exciting four days are expected for the local community and tourists alike.” See Mary Malone's vid below.
He continued: “Like the competitive sailors at this event, Simply Blue Group aims to harness the wind's power through the development of our offshore floating wind projects and to make a valuable contribution to meeting Europe’s green electricity demand.”
Tom Roche (left), who presented the Meridian Trophy for the Sovereign's Cup with Hugh Kelly and Anthony Scannell, Vice Commodore KYC, at the official launch of the 2023 Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman
Anthony W. Scannell, Vice Commodore Kinsale Yacht Club, Regatta Director, said: “We are delighted to have Simply Blue Group as the title sponsor for the regatta, which is returning to full strength post-Covid. Simply Blue Group and Kinsale Yacht Club share a common interest in efficiently harnessing wind energy.
Sovereign's Cup Director Anthony Scannell at the official launch of the 2023 Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman
We would also like to acknowledge the ongoing support for the event by Cork County Council, recognising the commercial value that the regatta brings to the town of Kinsale and the wider area of West Cork.”
The official launch of the 2023 Simply Blue Group Sovereign’s Cup at Kinsale Yacht Club Photo: Bob Bateman
Early bird entries for the Sovereign's Cup are available until the end of March. There is a prize of a €250 Voucher for one Early Bird Entry.
