Spectacular display of seamanship in store for Bantry

This summer will be eventful for local sailing enthusiasts, with Cork Week from July 7th-13th followed by the Atlantic Challenge Bantry Bay Gig World Championship, to be hosted in West Cork from July 16th-29th.

The biennial Atlatnic Challenge is a spectacular test of seamanship, in which replicas of the ‘Bantry Bay Longboat’, the French naval vessel washed ashore during the failed French invasion of Ireland in 1796, are raced under sail and oar.

Sixteen international crews, encompassing over 300 participants, will take part in the competition, with the crews of the gigs going head to head in 10 events, on and off the water.

These events include sailing, rowing, navigation, rope-work, knots, dressage, man-overboard, slalom, and dressage.

Crews at this year’s challenge include 2010 champions Indonesia, the Bantry-based Irish crew (winners in 1992, 2000, 2002 and 2006), Northern Ireland, Wales, the UK, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Canada, the US, Russia, and the Basque Country.

Atlantic Challenge was initiated in the US in 1986, with two Bantry Bay gigs from the US and France racing against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty.

Ireland has been a competitor since 1988, with Atlantic Challenge Ireland based in Bantry.

Since 1990, Ireland has crewed the Unité, built by Billy O’Driscoll in Baltimore, at Atlantic Challenges in Denmark, Canada, France, the US, Wales and Italy, winning on four occasions.