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Media
Information
6th July,
2006
BMW Round
Ireland Yacht Race 2006 – UPDATE 6 Fresher winds bring in
steady stream of competitors to the finish line
Competitors in the BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race have started
arriving in
steady stream of finishers just as fresher winds have arrived for
those
yachts still racing. After days of near calm conditions, the new
breeze has
spelt the end the for prospects for a big boat win for the fourth
consecutive race.
Following the arrival of the super maxi Konica Minolta at Wicklow
Sailing
Club on Wednesday evening, the remaining five class super zero
arrived en
masse 15 hours later. The group have been in close contact since
converging
at Tory Island on the north-west coast.
The longer than expected race proved more testing for some than
others. Ger
O'Rourke's Cookson 50 footer Altana Chieftain menu was reduced to
freeze-dried food and muesli mixed with orange juice.
Meanwhile, crew on rival entry Whisper Faimente, a 35-tonne Reichel
Pugh 78
footer reportedly sent them mobile phone pictures of their steak
with
rosemary jús evening fare. Nevertheless, O'Rourke has emerged
overall
winner of the class on provisional results.
The fresh winds have brought further uncertainty to the standings of
the
smaller boats in open contention for the overall trophy. While
there is
every possibility of a shock turnaround when the slowest boats reach
the
finish over the weekend, a battle royal is being staged on the Irish
Sea
overnight.
Defending title-holder Eamon Crosbie on his 32-foot “Teng Tools” has
been
locked in a match race with Galway's Aodhan Fitzgerald on Ireland's
West, a
Beneteau 40.7 as the pair are within sight on one another and
enjoying a
fetch from Mew Island southwards to Wicklow and expected shortly
after dawn.
Once ashore, stories of exceptionally light conditions were being
told in
Wicklow SC and while records have stood intact in this race, the
slowest speed claimed to date stands at an excruciating 35 miles in 20 hours. |