ICRA NAMES GREEN AND WHITE TEAMS FOR RCC
Date: Tuesday, February 26 2008 @ 17:41:34 GMT
 Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) names Green and White Teams for Rolex Commodores Cup to be held June 29th to July 6th, 2008. Preparations are well advanced with a distinct possibility of a third team and speculation a fourth Corinthian team may be formed after the ICRA National Championships to be held at Howth in May.
The Green and White Teams have been formed based mainly on the 2006 teams that led for the greater part of the regatta that year. The Green Team will return with all new boats from the Mills stable. Andrew Allen's "No Naked Flames", the first of a semi custom build Sllim 37 design has been launched by Davie Norris builders in New Zealand Eamon Rohan's "Blondie IV will arrive at Cowes this week for her fitout of mast, electronics, rig, etc., and Tim Costello"s new "Tiamat" a Mills 43.
The White Team will field all Jason Ker Design boats. Eamon Crosbie's "Voodoo Chile". past winner of the Round Ireland Race and 2007 winner of both the UK and Irish IRC Championships. Among her crew will be Eamon's son David and Stefan Hyde of Cork. They will also have a top class professional UK Navigator. The boat is at present in the UK having a new keel and rudder fitted along with other modifications. Conor and Denise Phelan's 37 foot Ker, "Jump Juice, also raced in the 2006 RCC and had extensive modifications in early 2007 including a new fin for her keel to replace the experimental Trim Tab Keel from 2006. She was the overall winner of the 2007 Scottish Series. She is at present in the UK having further improvements to her hull and keel. Helm will be Mark Mansfield, former bronze medal winner at the Star Worlds, and Tactician for the event will be Jochem Vissser from Holland. Anthony O'Leary will helm his new charter the 39 foot Ker designed "Antix Eile" for the Series. Anthony will have two of his sons Peter and Nicholas sailing with him and any one of the three O'Learys has the proven ability to win at any level. "Antix Eile" will launch for the first time in March 2008.
This year a new offshore feeder race with special emphasis on the RCC has been set from Cork to Howth starting on May 9th and will be followed by the ICRA Nationals at Howth Yacht Club from May 16th to 18th. This race is mandatory for all the Irish boats competing in the Rolex Commodores Cup and other entrants are also welcome. Most of the Irish boats will do an extensive work up period in Ireland and the UK including the Red Funnel Regatta at Cowes during Easter, the Irish IRC Championships at Howth in May, the Scottish Series at the end of May and the UK IRC Championships in June, two weeks before the Rolex Commodores Cup at which there is a likelihood of up to twenty teams being represented from some thirteen countries.
Submitted by Claire Bateman
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