SAILING COMMODORES' CUP:THE OUTCOME of the potentially decisive 180-mile offshore race in the Rolex Commodores' Cup will be known later today when the fleet returns to Cowes up to 36 hours after starting from there yesterday morning.

Ireland’s sole team in the event, Anthony O’Leary’s Ker 39 Antix’ held the overall lead of the series and began the long race with a 20-point advantage over second-placed GBR Red.

However, France’s notable record in offshore racing and in particular, this event has already seen their Blue team surge ahead in the provisional standings late last night. Hong Kong too have delivered a strong performance and could also be in contention.

Nevertheless, event officials last night calculated Ireland has extended the overall points advantage – at least after 10 hours of racing had elapsed.

The fleet has also been reduced by two boats when Team GBR Black’s Artemis hit the Bembridge Ledge on the eastern end of the Isle of Wight and retired to check for damage. Team-mates Cracklin’ Rosie also retired within hours of the start having ripped all of their spinnakers.

The fleet sped down the Solent after the start, boosted by a two-to three-knot flood tide as they headed towards the forts off Portsmouth and the open waters of the English Channel.

Overnight, the fleet is sailing against a fresh westerly wind with a cold front expected to deliver a wind-shift at some stage that could change the running order. A long-leg past St Catherine’s Point on the southern end of the Isle of Wight was to be followed by a stage to the Poole fairway buoy and back again or further west to Anvil Point for the bigger boats.

Ashore earlier, a row broke out concerning the revised International Sailing Federation classification that is used to differentiate between amateur and professional crews. The bowman on former Royal Ocean Racing Club Commodore Peter Ritter’s Quokka had been listed as an amateur but was deemed to be a professional and could not continue racing. The boat was protested and docked one point for each of the four races sailed to date. It is understood the extent of the crewman’s professional career was to skipper a Sunsail charter boat in Portsmouth.