You could feel the tension on the dock, with virtually all the classes still to be decided, as the yachts motored out to the combat zone along the narrow confines of the Owenabue River. The conditions had eased from the previous maelstrom, but this was a day were smart sailing put boats in winning positions.

Watery sunshine, 15 knots from the northwest were to provide some tricky conditions for all classes. Cork Harbour and the surrounding area have huge land effects on the wind, especially today, the gradient made for constant changes.

It proved to be a day for keeping heads out of the boat, looking for changes in the weather. However, that is only one part of the overall puzzle. Boat-on-boat tactics and strong tides are also in the mix. Racing today at Cork Week was like a game of three-dimensional chess.

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