& Ireland Race 2006
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The First Week, a tale of three fleets and two races.
The "Round Britain" of 2006 has been blessed, and cursed, by light and variable winds - sent to delight some and horrify others. The first leg from Plymouth to Kinsale went off to a promising start with light to moderate reaching winds which favoured the light multihulls and Open 40 racing monohulls but did no favours to the cruiser/racers which made up the bulk of the fleet. Wind power died gradually over the first night, leaving most of the boats pushing a foul tide at the Lizard. Pete Goss in Cornwall Playing for Success, the lightest of the trimarans overcame the tide and fickle wind by "rowing" away from the Lizard to find wind to carry them to the Scilly Isles. Once there in small hours of Monday 12 June, they were well placed to enjoy a new freshening SW'ly wind to propel them through the night to Ireland. This new SW'ly did no favours to his rivals in the other fast tri's - Waverider, Alacrity and Kenmore, and proved even more devastating to the monos following. These had not reached the Bishop Rock and found the new beat to the west particularly trying. Open 40s Immo BIB, La Promesse and Roaring Again fared best, bearing away for Ireland hours ahead of the majority. Thus the Race took on the appearance of a three horse race, Pete Goss and the big Trimarans, the Open 40s, and the Cruiser/racers. Following their individual forty-eight hour stopovers in Kinsale, a similar pattern of lucky breaks continued. Tides assisted the early starters, and the wind along the South Irish coast fell lighter as more and more emerged from the party to resume sailing. Pete Goss got away well, and escaped the awful calms around the Fastnet, as did fast multis. Off they went up the West Coast of Ireland leaving all but the quickest monos wallowing with a fine view of Clear Island and Mizzen Head as their only consolation. By the latitude of mid-Ireland the weather pattern changed from sunny and light to damp cloudy and windy, once again favouring the front runners to extend their lead. Six days into this forty year old race we have a fleet strung out from Castlebay to the Fastnet. At the front a possible record breaker, and at the rear some who must already be wondering if they can reach the Finish at Plymouth before the time limit of noon on 9th July. But this Race was never without its unexpected turn of fate. Winds will blow aplenty before all the cards are played, or you may say "it's not over till the fat lady sings" |
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