The first race of the GBSC's King of the Bay Series, the Conneely Cup to Kinvara, was held on Saturday.

The King of the Bay is a series of middle distance races for held through out the season and includes the Summer Solstice race around the Aran Irelands. This year the Conneely Cup was effectively run as a Match Race with an entry of two of the fastest racing boats in the club the J109's Joie de Vie (owner Glen Cahill) and Catalpa (owner Tommy Smyth).

With a stiff South Easterly blowing over 25 knots at the club house and forecast for gusts in the high 30s it was decided on safety grounds to finish the race at Parkmore pier instead of running it all the way to Kinvara pier. The course was set with the start from the club then leaving Dillisk Rock to starboard, Leverets light to port, Mutton and Western Margaretta to port then finish.

Both boats made a good start with Joie de Vie reaching up to the line while Catalpa swung round the pin end right on the starting gun. Close reaching past Dillisk Rock the boats were alongside each other, for the run down to Leverets both boats hoisted gennakers, and in the gusty conditions the crews had to maintain good concentration to avoid violent broaching.

Caltalpa had a narrow lead at Leverets and Mutton. Both boats then held their gennakers for the long reach to Margaretta. At this point there was still nothing between the pair. The race had covered about two thirds distance in about 45 minutes but now came the hard windward beat to the finish at Parkmore. The boats had a tacking dual for the next hour exchanging tack for tack. Coming up to the finish however it was Joie de Vie that made a better tactical decision watching the wind pattern as they approached the finish and crossed the line ahead of Catalpa in just under two hours.

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