An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 23 sure their experience is memorable for all the right reasons! Having received 20 applications to participate from across the DF and RDF, we fielded three teams for the event; two entries for Beaufort Cup and a third entry in white sailing within Cork Week, getting everyone on the water. The main racing team was selected, remaining experienced sailors were assigned to our stalwart entry 'Meridian' owned by Tom Roche a retired Naval Officer who has teamed up with DF Sailing for all Beaufort Cup regattas with 50% of the crew being DF personnel as per the entry requirements. We remain very grateful to Tom for his steadfast support to DF Sailing over the years. The less experienced sailors raced onboard 'Arc Angel' owned by Capt (NS) William Roberts and raced in the non-spinnaker fleet of Cork Week. THE DF SAILING RACING CAMPAIGN The Beaufort Cup 2024 fleet comprised of 8 racing teams from far and wide; with three highly experienced teams from the US Patriots; a team with a fresh new racing yacht from the UK Royal Navy, the reigning Beaufort Cup Champions Crosshaven RNLI, Rosslare RNLI, and two DF entries. We knew we couldn't 'bring a knife to a gun fight' and had to secure a yacht to stand up to the challenge. I remain extremely grateful to Finbarr O'Regan of Kinsale Yacht Club who agreed to charter his beloved J109 'Artful DodJer' to DF Sailing for the event. The racing team are familiar with J109's and so this made a perfect match. The team of 9 was joint in all respects with 3 Naval Service, 2 Army, 3 Air Corps and our former Minister Simon Coveney – the patron of Beaufort Cup and a very capable, experienced yachtsman who has raced in every edition of the event to date. While I was the team Skipper with responsibility for the team; the performance of the boat and tactical decisions rested with Lt (NS) Marcus Ryan, a rising star in national sailing and winner of the J24 European Championships – a first for Ireland. Marcus and Lt (NS) Wietse Buwalda coordinated the boat preparations, clearing the boat from stem to stern, checking all equipment and removing unnecessary weight. The team spent the weekend before the event training to gel together and familiarise ourselves with the boat. We also received coaching to work on our racing techniques. With Simon Coveney helming the boat, it was a whole new dynamic for a junior Naval Officer to give orders to a Minister but a true team is greater than the sum of its parts and this was just one of the many instances where the DF values were clearly visible in action. On the eve of the event, a diver cleaned the hull and we were ready for battle! THE OFFSHORE CHALLENGE After a year of planning, Beaufort Cup 2024 kicked off on Mon 15th of July with the iconic 24hr, 120- mile offshore race from Haulbowline Naval Base, around the famous Fastnet Rock in West Cork and back to Cork Harbour. Traditionally it is an upwind slog to the Fastnet into prevailing south-westerly winds followed by a run downwind back to Cork Harbour, but this year we had light easterlies that became very light as the day progressed. The fleet divided with those fitted with large spinnakers running dead downwind along the coast while those with asymmetric sails went offshore to sail angles going downwind. It was a nerve-racking day with the fleet separated by miles, however when we converged to round the Fastnet we were in a good position, leading the fleet around the rock; Marcus' tactics were vindicated! Motivated by our position we managed to lead the fleet back to Cork Harbour, holding off the faster Nieulargo of Crosshaven RNLI, winning the offshore race and receiving line honours as the first boat to finish. We were presented with the prestigious San Souci Cup for our success in the offshore race at the Beaufort Cup Gala Dinner hosted by the Minister for Defence at the Naval Base Haulbowline. INSHORE RACES The Beaufort Cup fleet of 8 racing yachts followed the regular Cork Week programme following the offshore challenge, with the incredible all-in Harbour Race on Wed 17th of July where over 150 racing boats started together and raced around a course in Cork Harbour. We emerged victorious out of the Beaufort Fleet and won the remaining 4 short inshore races on laid courses on Thurs 18th & Fri 19th, although it must be said on two occasions it was only be seconds, such was the competition. DEFENCE FORCES ARE BEAUFORT CUP CHAMPIONS At the prize giving, the Defence Forces were declared the Beaufort Cup champions winning the trophy and awarded €5,000 for our chosen charity, Cork University Hospital Children's Ward. It was a great crescendo to a memorable regatta with top-class performance yacht racing. The visiting teams are the distinct component that makes Beaufort Cup such a success and their participation was acknowledged, indeed the US Patriots won best crew for Cork Week 2024. DF Sailing wishes to acknowledge the support of the Defence Council for Adventure Training (DFCAT) led by J7 Sports and Fitness Policy Section who continually support and guide DF clubs. The Beaufort Cup draws on resources from across the DF under the sponsorship of the Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations); visiting military teams are accommodated at Collins Bcks, the DF/RDF participants are accommodated at the Naval Base, 1 BDE Band supports the event, plus a myriad of logistics support that the event requires. This continued support is acknowledged as the critical enabler to the event's success. DF Sailing conducts multiple sailing activities during the year from dinghy sailing courses to yacht sail training, and DF racing events. If you wish to find out more about sailing in the DF, please contact J7 Sports and Fitness Policy Section. Cork Week Harbour Race – 'All In Start' Photo credit James Tomlinson Artful DodJer Racing BC 2024 Defence Forces Sailing Team are Beaufort Cup Champions. Photo credit Robert Bateman Artful DodJer Racing Finishing the Offshore BC 2024

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