All systems are go at the Glandore Harbour Yacht Club in preparation for the Cantor Fitzgerald sponsored 2017 Glandore Classic Regatta from 23rd-28th July. It is 25 years since the Glandore Classic Regatta was first organized and with just three weeks to go all the stops are pulled to ensure that this regatta will be the best one yet.
Since January entries have been flooding in and there’s a great line up of wonderful classic boats registered already, including regular visitors like the Spirit of Oysterhaven, Celtic Mist, the Fife Brynoth and this year they welcome the very well known ketch Cuilaún. There will be work boats, hookers and luggers, Mac Duach and Sally O’Keefe the Shannon hooker for her first visit to Glandore Harbour. Elsie one of the elegant Fife Cork Harbour One Designs will also be there and many more.
Restorations and new re-launches are becoming an important part of all classic regattas and the recent work from Rui Ferriera’s yard at Ballydehob and from Bill Trafford in Mallow will be on show so look out for Flying Fish and Guapa.
There is something for everyone at the regatta and in the dinghy classes watch out for the Ettes and Water Wags, they should be a joy to watch from Glandore terrace, especially when the Wags entertain the crowd with ‘synchronised sailing’. A new fleet of Dinghies, the City One built at the Ilen School in Limerick will sail at the regatta in tribute to the designer Theo Rye who had made important contributions to AK Ilen and many other classic conservations and renovations during his life. Of course the home fleets of Dragons and Squibs will be working hard to ensure that local honor is upheld during the four days of hard racing.
It will not be all about racing. For the landlubbers there will be guided walks around the entrancing West Cork coastline, as well as the chance to go whale watching, kayaking, or sea fishing. And there will be food stalls, music in the ‘square’, and excellent pubs and restaurants bordering the seafront.
GHYC Commodore Karen Horgan said “The Glandore Classic is always a great week. We have a wonderful assortment of classic boats coming here, and we take our racing very seriously, but we also make sure that the craic is mighty. We are very grateful to Cantor Fitzgerald, who is our Title Sponsor for the event; they are a global name in wealth management and investment services, another kind of ‘classic’.
Cantor Fitzgerald’s Daniel Murphy added “This is our first time sponsoring the Glandore Classic, and we would like to wish all the participants and spectators an enjoyable week, and great sailing. I will be on the water myself, and I look forward to seeing these beautiful classic boats in action.”
For the full programme of events and all the details check out their website.
