The Thundercats Are Coming

Posted on June 19, 2008

By Christy Parker | Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Thundercats accelerating off the Ferrypoint Youghal

Youghal is awash with anticipation as what is expected to be the town’s finest ever festival draws closer from the horizon. This weekend coming June 20th-22nd, it will hit the shore, hopefully sweeping all before it on a wave of celebration.

Anchoring it all is Thundercat racing. Over 30 of these high-speed, versatile craft will compete in the Thundercat European Beach Challenge at Claycastle. There will be eight races across two days over a standard ‘M’ shaped course (with chicane) of 400 by 300 metres. Up to 30,000 visitors are expected to watch the two-man boats perform at over 60mph adjacent to shore.

The weekend will form part of the 2008 European Thundercat RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Championship, which is run over eight months. Primarily contested on UK and European circuits, this will mark its debut in Irish waters. The Youghal competitors will largely be a mix of French, British and newly competing Irish racers.

The races will be conducted under the guidance of the Irish Sailing Association’s new Motorboat Division. With Thundercat boats costing as little as €12,000, the Association hopes the Youghal venture will initiate a new dimension in watersports in Ireland.

Thundercats are derived from South Africa’s surf rescue boats, which are designed to face extreme challenges. Skimming across the water, the hull riding on a cushion of air bubbles, at full speed they exercise a 2g pull at corners, giving it a better power-to-weight ratio than a Ferrari. While spectators may crave fine weather, the boats perform most dramatically in adverse conditions. This is one outdoor attraction the Irish summer cannot derail.

That being said, there Thundercats’ appeal comes with limitations. At the risk of being hurled from atop the Clock Gate, it’s worth considering the wider reality. While the racing’s immediate impact on spectators is likely to generate excitement, the fact that the sport, its rules, the overall competition and the competitors are totally alien to the spectators may make it difficult for them to retain an interest once the initial novelty has passed. More worrying, if the weather is inclement, Claycastle may prove as much of a test to the spectators as to the boat crews.

The festival surrounding the racing is arguably more important to the success of the venture than the racing itself. If, as is being considered, boat racing is to visit us every year, then building a varied menu of attractions around it is crucial to instil a wider appeal and identity.

This first year brings promise. The weekend will open on Friday 21st with possibly the most spectacular firework display ever seen in the county, courtesy of the UK’s Skybusters company. An Abba-esque outdoor concert and a Thundercat parade will ensue in the town centre and thereafter the weekend will be awash with various street music and entertainments, including, various marquees, craft markets, aerobatic displays and an air/sea rescue exercise. Coincidentally, the extraordinary Cork Summer Festival of the Senses with the Sensazione
theatrical fairground also visit over the weekend

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TOWN’S SUPPORT PROVES CRUCIAL.

At the festival’s official launch, satisfaction was palpable amongst those fervently -and financially- supporting the event. They include Cork County and Youghal Town Council, the Youghal Socio and Economic Strategy Group, Youghal Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and the wider business community. “I really don’t know how businesses have managed to get the money but it looks like we will actually exceed our target,” said Chamber Chairman, Michael Farrell. Fionan Murray of Thundercat racing rights holders Medaza, said his company were “flabbergasted by the positive reaction from all quarters.. The co-operation has been unbelievable,” he concluded.

Medaza also own the rights to the proposed Northern Europe leg of the ultra glamorous, super-rich P1 Power Boat World Championships. Modelled on motor racing’s Formula 1, Youghal remains favourite to host this mega event from 2009-13, with the Thundercats considered a ’systems test’ for P1. Ultimately, assuming government funding is forthcoming, P1 executives will decide on Youghal’s candidacy. All may be known by September.

Acquisition of P1 would cast Youghal as a major water sports centre, with immense benefits for south Munster generally. It is estimated that the three-day event alone would enhance the region by over €260m over five years, visitor figures are projected at circa 150,000 per day, with an estimated global audience of 2.2 billion. Job creation, infrastructure improvements and maritime-related industry would spiral. “This is what Youghal needs,” said Town Manager Patricia Power, with admirable perception. Meantime Medaza say the option of Thundercat racing returning annually, regardless of P1, “remains open.”

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THE MEN BEHIND THE BOATS

The consortium bringing Thundercats to Youghal operates as Medaza (Cork slang word for ‘Brilliant’). They are UCC graduate Fionan Murray, whose background is finance and consultancy. He is a former CEO of Cork-based LeT Systems and former head of marketing with KBC bank. Aidan Foley is a central figure in the Diageo Sponsorships portfolio, with 15 year’s prominence in organising international sporting and cultural events, including the Ryder Cup and Guinness Hurling Championships. Dr. Martin Barrett is an icon in events organising, whose cv includes the opening ceremony for the Athens Olympics and Rome’s Jubilee 2000. Greg Byrne is a former marketing director both with Irish Life and Ernst & Young.

Web: www.thundercatracing.co.uk
Inquiries Youghal Tourism; (024) 93905