Cork Week Expands Coastal Fleet Eligibility to Welcome More Competitors
by Michael McCann 27 Feb 06:50 PST
6-10 July 2026
John Traenor's Valentina at Cork Week 2024 © James Tomlinson
The Royal Cork Yacht Club has announced an expansion of the entry criteria for the Coastal Fleet at Cork Week 2026, scheduled for 6th-10th July.
In direct response to competitor feedback, the Coastal Fleet is now open to all boats 30ft and longer. This change is designed to accommodate owners who wish to race with spinnakers but prefer longer, offshore-style courses over the resource-intensive "round-the-cans" racing found on shorter, multi-mark courses.
Key updates for the 2026 Coastal Fleet include:
- Corinthian Prizes: Dedicated awards will be presented to Corinthian (amateur) crews within the fleet.
- Flexible Course Design: Depending on the final entry list, the class may be split to offer tailored courses that match the performance profiles of the expanded fleet.
- Growing Momentum: Organisers report strong interest for this year's renewal with 58 entries already confirmed, outpacing previous years.
Already confirmed for this year's Coastal Fleet is John Treanor's NMD 43 "Cristina", the former French Admiral's cup yacht "Albator". John previously campaigned the J/112e "Valentina" to victory at Cork Week 2024.
The full list of current entrants is available on the official Cork Week 2026 Entries Page.