Coastal yawl racing is a popular and growing sport in West Cork and the Baltimore Championship is a key event in the calendar of the South West Coast Yawl Rowing Association. The championship sees male and female crews from neighbouring villages competing for honours across a range of categories from adults to children. The yawls are specially designed for coastal waters and competition is fierce between the clubs from the different coastal communities. The harbour is an ideal setting for the races and the piers provide a perfect vantage point to watch the crews as they strain every sinew to beat their rivals, cheered on by passionate supporters.