| Ireland. BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race: Outcome hanging on a thread as last boats come in |
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| Saturday, 08 July 2006 | |
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Patricia Crowley: The outcome of the BMW Round Ireland Race was hanging by a thread last night (Friday) after more than six days of racing on the 704-mile course. More than half the 39-boat fleet had arrived back at Wicklow Sailing Club by nightfall but all eyes were turned seawards in anticipation of one finisher. This started with a cluster of yachts that arrived with new wind that had been so desperately missed by the fleet since starting at Wicklow last weekend and while the breeze was welcome, it was of little use to the biggest boats racing who were heavily penalised for their slow race. That shifted the emphasis towards the smaller entries and onto a group of half a dozen crews which had all featured prominently on provisional standings calculated at key check-in points around the coast. Niall Dowling's Jeronimo from the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire and Anthony Richard's Minnie the Moocher from Britain arrived in the early hours of the morning, both keenly aware of the pursuing pack. Then it was Aodhan Fitzgerald's Galway team on Ireland's West that finished at 8.15am. But it was defending course champion Eamon Crosbie on the 32 footer Teng Tools that held the unofficial 'clubhouse' leader since 9.14 am as the handicaps repositioned the finishers in corrected time order. For a time after Crosbie finished, expectation was running high that George Radley's 1980 classic 40-footer Imp would reach Wicklow by lunchtime to take over the handicap lead. But a foul tide denied the Glandore Harbour crew the honour and once again, the calculators and spread sheets were busy. Having enjoyed the new wind at the back of the fleet and benefiting too from a low handicap, 2002 race winner Eric Lisson on Cavatina had the assembled crowd at Wicklow Sailing Club holding a collective breath late last night. A deadline of 3.15am on Saturday morning must be beaten for Crosbie to be beaten. By tea-time, Cavatina had yet to make its report at the Rockabill Lighthouse, some 40 miles from the finish. Then at one minute to seven came the report - 40 miles to go. However, the last stage is against the wind and effectively longer than 40 miles. Plus there is a foul tide to battle as well. Lisson may yet emerge overall winner of the BMW Round Ireland Race 2006 but this result will come down to the wire - and the second hand sweep of the countdown clock. Follow the action all the way and logon to our website for GPS Tracking of all the yachts. For more information about the race and to see the full list of Provisional Results please log on to our website at www.roundirelandyachtrace.ie/www.bmw.ie |
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| Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 July 2006 ) |
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