Howth Yacht Club's First 50 Checkmate XX Moves into the Lead of Sovereign's Cup Coastal Division

22nd June 2023

Afloat.ie Team

Howth Yacht Club's First 50 Checkmate XX, co-skippered by Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen leads the Sovereign's Cup Coastal Division after two races off Kinsale Credit: Bob Bateman

The 17-boat Coastal IRC division got a new overall leader after today's second race of the 2023 Simply Blue Sovereign's Cup off Kinsale.

Early leader Scotland's J122E El Gran Senor has been overhauled by Howth Yacht Club's First 50 Checkmate XX, co-skippered by Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen.

Jonathan Anderson's Clyde Cruising Club entry slipped to third place today, allowing race winners Biggs and Cullen into the lead by a single point in the Cup's biggest class.

Light westerly winds opened the regatta on Wednesday, which continued for the second race today.

The brand new J112E ValenTina skippered by Johnny Treanor of the National Yacht Club, makes her Irish debut at the Sovereign's Cup 2023 Photo: Bob Bateman

The brand new J112E ValenTina of Johnny Treanor of the National Yacht Club, stays third in coastal racing with a second scored today.

Still lying fourth is Robert Rendell's Grand Soleil 44, Samatom, and regatta sponsor Hugh Kelly of Simply Blue Group stays fifth in the J122, JellyBaby.

Following a short postponement of race two, waiting for the breeze to fill in, the race officer for the coastal fleet, Peter Crowley, set a 22-mile course, making the most of the steady 10 knot southerly breeze.

Sovereign's Cup Coastal Course Race Officer Peter Crowley and his team onboard Sparetime Photo: Bob Bateman

The fleet got away at the first attempt, and Checkmate XX rounded the first mark in the lead, gradually extending on Samatom over the following legs.

Behind them, El Gran Senor sailed another good race but couldn't save their time on Valentina. The final results were; Checkmate, Valentina, and El Gran Senor in third.

This is the 15th edition of the biennial regatta, which has attracted 90 entries across all divisions, runs from 21st to 24th June, and incorporates the 1720 European sportsboat Championships.

Southwesterly winds gusting to 30 knots are forecast for Friday's races, with KYC organisers telling competitors tonight: "Due to the current forecast for tomorrow, please keep an eye out for an amendment to the SI’s in the morning as to the location of each start area".

See results below

Race Results

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Published in Sovereign's Cup

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Sovereign's Cup

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