Shouts of "up, up!" echoed across Galway Bay on Sunday morning, 5 October, during the hotly contested McSwiggans October Cruiser League, as the racing boats jostled for position, with spinnakers flying in some of the closest racing at the start line seen so far this year. Two fleets, Class One and Class Two, took to the water with all to play for in this battle for supremacy in both classes. With wind blowing at light, this was not going to be the white-knuckle racing of the past weeks, however, it would be just as challenging in a different way. Race tactics and precise sailing would be more to the fore in this the second race of the series.

There were two courses sailed on Sunday. For the Class 2 fleet, the course from the start line, to Cockle rock, Trout rock, Leverets Lighthouse, Mutton Island and back to New Harbour, was shorter than the Class One course, but, nevertheless, it was still technically demanding. The boats in Class 2 battled each other gallantly and with great camaraderie. From the start, as they manoeuvred their craft through the narrow confines of Rinville bay, the sailing was very tight. On the water Silver Foam and Rocador were leading, but Sandrine came back strongly on the last two legs, by some slick tacking and a spectacular downwind leg. Golden Eagle managed the gybe superbly to make up good time. However the race went in Rocador's favour and secured them first place.

The longer course was sailed, as usual, by the faster Class 1 boats. This crisscrossed Galway Bay from Cockle rock, taking in marks at Leverets lighthouse, Mutton Island, Trout rock, back to Mutton and finishing back in New harbour at the Galway Bay Sailing club finish line. The boats competing in Class One were That's Life, Iberaki, Now What, Quelle Surprise and Catalpa. From the start racing was very tight. That's Life sped away in a textbook start entering the course which made life difficult for the determined crew aboard Catalpa. This saw that's Life take the advantage and build a lead that they maintained to the end. Both boats fought a very tactical race, with each attempting to rob the others wind to give advantage. In this game, That's Life prevailed and Catalpa had to concede. Other boats looked on in awe at That's Life's virtually simultaneous, precision spinnaker drop and headsail hoist, which happened, within yards of the downwind Trout mark.

Martin Breen, skipper of That's Life, martialled his young crew masterfully, and full credit must be given to young guns, Cillian (aged 17), Aidan (aged 17) and Eoin (aged 15) for a remarkably mature and confident performance. Teamwork such as this is usually the preserve of professional crews in the Volvo Open 70 class. There was close competition between Quelle Surprise and Now What, with Quelle Surprise taking the lead at the gybe mark on the downwind leg. Iberaki became tangled in some thick seaweed off Blackrock and unfortunately was unable to make up those precious lost seconds to get back into contention. On corrected time under both the ECHO and IRC Handicap systems, That's Life came first, followed by Catalpa, Now What, Quelle Surprise and Iberaki with corrected seconds separating all boats.

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