#ICRA – Class two will live up to its reputation as the most competitive of classes at ICRA's BMW National Cruiser Championships in Howth Yacht Club with current National Champion Brian Goggin's Corby 25 Allure from Kinsale Yacht Club pitched against locals Dux Anthony Gore Grimes and Dave Cullen's King One. Another south coast entry, Slack Alice, Shane Statham's GK 34 from Waterford Harbour Sailing Club is also a performer.

The BMW sponsored event cruiser national championships runs from 25th to 27th May with some of the country's top boats already declaring their interest.

Class 1 will be expected to feature Pat Kelly's J109 Storm last year's Champion and ICRA boat of the year but she will be challenged by Paul O'Higgins in the refitted Rockabill and a strong Dublin bay based J109 fleet.

In class three Howth's Alliance (Vince Gaffney) is already entered giving the local fleet another chance at ICRA silverware.

The challenge in Class 0 will be led by Howth's Crazy Horse Norbert Reilly's attractive and potent Mills 36 who will face up to Royal Cork Yacht Club Kerr 39 Antix which is always campaigned to a high level by Anthony O'Leary.

The Corinthian Cup for non spinnaker boats has magnificent trophies for both IRC and Echo to cater for all boat types. Kieran Jameson's Changeling has already entered this division which is expected to feature a large fleet.

Discounted entry fee of €125 is available up to April 14th to encourage early entry.

Following its support of the highly successful J/24 Europeans last year, BMW Ireland is continuing its association with Howth Yacht Club by sponsoring the ICRA National Championships in May, making it the outstanding event in the Club's 2012 calendar of 26 national, regional and local regattas.

The BMW Cruiser Nationals, as the event will be known, will be one of the biggest keelboat racing regatta in Ireland this year. It is expected to attract over 100 entries across Classes 0, 1, 2, 3 and White Sail Division for a 7-race series over three days (Friday 25-Sunday 27 May), with over 700 sailors competing.

A number of Irish Sea offshore races are being planned as 'feeder races' from other sailing centres in Ireland and the UK to further enhance the fleet numbers. It will be the third time Howth has hosted the event, having handled the inaugural ICRA Nationals in 2004 and again in 2008.

Commenting on the sponsorship announcement, Championship Chairman Chris Howard said: "We are naturally delighted that a company of the stature of BMW has seen fit to come on board with Howth Yacht Club again to support this highly prestigious championship and we look forward to welcoming some of Ireland's top sailing talent next May."

John Ives, Managing Director of BMW Ireland, commented: "Our experiences in the sailing world have always been positive and our association with the J/24 Europeans was very worthwhile so we are pleased to maintain our relationship with Howth Yacht Club who we know will provide an event of the highest calibre – afloat and ashore – that reflects well on our brand."

In addition to the BMW Cruiser Nationals, HYC’s calendar of events during 2012 will also include:

• Fingal International Family Cruising Festival – July 7^th–15^th

• The annual Lambay Races – June

• Spring Warmers series - April

• J/24 Eastern Championships – May

• Corby Cup - May

• Puppeteer National Championships – August

• Fireball National Championships – June

• Laser Leinster Championships - June

• Match Racing Nationals – July

• Dinghy Regatta - July

• Topper Leinster Championships – March

• 420/470 Nationals – August

• Feva/RS200 & 400 Nationals – August

• Howth 17s’ Nationals – August

• Shipman Nationals – August

• Etchells Nationals – September

• Autumn League – September-October

The schedule effectively means Howth YC is hosting an event almost every weekend from April to October.

 

#COMMODORES CUP – Although Ireland is officially slated by the Royal Ocean Racing Club to be defending its 2010 title won on the Solent there is still no details of the compostion of an Irish team for July's Commdore's Cup.

Ireland face an uphill struggle to mount a credible defence, though Antony O'Leary's Antix is most likely to be a key part of any team, which is a major asset, there is still the job of completing the three boat line-up. A call to interested parties was made late last year by the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA).

ICRA Commodore Barry Rose says that despite the current difficult environment ICRA remains hopeful of mounting a serious defence and have waited until last October to allow the maximum time to those who may consider supporting the challenge but since then there has been no further news of the team.

The Commodores Cup takes place from 21st to 28th July 2012 based in Cowes. Ireland first won this prestigious International Trophy in 2010 .

Captain of the winning team Anthony O Leary told Afloat.ie: 'We finally won this great event in 2010 with a well organised campaign. Let's hope we
can return to defend it in 2012 learning further from that experience'.

Interest from teams wishing to stake a claim on the prestigious Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup is running high with challenges from several nations including: England, Netherlands, France, Ireland and Hong Kong. Eddie Warden Owen, Chief Executive of organisers, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), is very happy with the way things are shaping up for the 11th biennial event:

"It would appear that the new format of allowing teams to be made up of three boats of any size and the availability of good boats to charter, has prompted interest from outside of Europe too. The Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup is shaping up to be a very competitive regatta."

Volvo Ocean Race skipper, Bouwe Bekking has been announced as Captain of the Dutch team, with the possibility of two Dutch teams and talk of a combined Benelux team of Dutch and Belgian boats.

"The Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup (BDCC) is a great event. It is giving owners and their predominantly amateur crews, the ability to sail for their own country and in a real team event. The BDCC is nearly the only national team event left in offshore racing. It will provide tough competition and in addition, racing in the Solent will give the event that extra dimension that owners are looking for. For me, it will be the first time as Team Captain for the Netherlands. It sounds more prestigious than the role actually is. The fact is that the three boats have to perform well individually in order that the team can do well overall. But there are a lot of small aspects which can help make them a better team in my opinion. I will try to give them that extra support and insight from all the experiences I have learned from all the Admiral's, Commodores' and Sardinia Cups I have participated in," commented Bekking.

John van der Starre from The Dutch Class Organisation, Noordzeeclub based in The Hague: "We are very pleased that Bouwe will be Team Captain. He has great experience and will drive the team. We will have more news on boats and teams in February, but already have six yachts hoping to compete: Baraka GP, Display, Captain Jack, Redan, J Xcentric and TeamVanVuuren."

The Dutch selection procedure will take place during the two first big IRC events of the year, with trials at the Van Uden Reco Stellendam Regatta (21-22 April) and the Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta (15/20 May), including the Vuurschepen Race (25/28 May) and RORC North Sea Race.

Teams from the Netherlands have competed in the biennial Commodores' Cup since its inception in 1992, only missing out in 2000 and 2010. They have not yet won the Commodores' Cup but finished on the podium in 1998 and 2002.

Strong Interest from GBR teams

In early January the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Selection Committee met with owners and representatives of 19 boats who were interested in participating in trials for the English teams to compete.

"We were delighted with the turnout for the initial meeting which was much better than I expected and great for the event, as well as for sailing in the UK," said Stacey Clark, the new Chairman of the RYA Council and Chairman of the Commodores' Cup Selection Committee.

John Derbyshire, RYA Racing Manager/Performance Director:"I am delighted to see so much interest, both from previous competitors and potential new team members in being selected for one of the GBR teams. This should provide an excellent trials series from which a team that can win the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup should emerge - as well as providing a competitive base for future events. There was a great atmosphere at the meeting and we look forward to taking on teams from around the world!"

The Selection Trial events have been confirmed for RYA Team GBR:

Offshore - the RORC Morgan Cup starting on 5th May.  A 24-36 hour race round buoys in the Channel, starting and finishing in Cowes. Inshore - a Commodores' Cup rating band class in the Vice Admirals Cup on 18th -20th May, organised by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club in Cowes.

The rules allow for up to four teams per country and one place has already been offered to Scotland who have until the end of February to confirm a team entry. If the Scottish sailors decide not to take the opportunity, then an additional three boats could make up a four team challenge from England.

In 2008 RYA Team GBR won the Commodores' Cup and narrowly missed out to Ireland in 2010. This year, the aim will be to pick four teams who have the potential to win this Summer as well as in future years.

2012 marks the 3rd consecutive challenge from Hong Kong for the Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup and the sailors in this southern most part of China are working hard to put together a strong team which will emulate or better their runners-up placing in 2010.

Possibly making a return to the fray is long-time stalwart of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC), Keith Jacobs, who sailed in several Admiral's Cups with his Dubois-designed Bimblegumbie and has recently returned to the club from Australia. This time Keith is a co-owner of the Kerr 40, Signal 8 which has just launched in Hong Kong and is headed up by co-owners Jamie McWilliam and Patrick Pender, the latter of whom who will drive the boat.

Likely to skipper a boat as well is Nick Burns who campaigned the Mills 40 Mandrake in the Hong Kong 2010 team, and well known Cowes Etchell sailor, Ante Razmilovic - now living in Hong Kong - is also working to put together a crew with Chris Opielok who skippered the small boat Rockall in 2010. Also donning wet weather gear in the Solent this summer will be RHKYC Vice Commodore Joachim Isler, who will return for his third campaign on one of the boats along with his Hong Kong boat partner, Aussie Andrew 'Drew' Taylor.

"Hong Kong's sailors love the world's best big-boat team event and are determined to keep coming back until they win it," says Team Coordinator, Laurence Mead who was helmsman of Mandrake in the 2010 Hong Kong challenge.

Hong Kong has taken part in the Commodores' Cup three times in 1992 (7th), 2008 (5th) and 2nd in 2010.

#SAILING – The tenth Annual ICRA Conference took place in Dun Laoghaire for the first time on 26th November in the same year ICRA was awarded the Mitsubishi Club of the Year trophy writes ICRA Commdore Barry Rose. It was a well attended event by a very representative group of sailors and club representatives from all Coasts of Ireland.

Barry Rose Chaired the ICRA Conference in Dun Laoghaire

The format this year created an inter active discussion in the morning session on Class Bands and the promotion of participation in Cruiser Racing in general. A lively, frank discussion took place with strong views being expressed by most present highlighting the problem of attracting crews to enable boats to go racing and creating access to allow those interested to go sailing to participate in the sport.

Des McWilliam spoke passionately about Irish sailing - Photo: Bob Bateman

Sailmaker Des McWilliam made a strong appeal that the future of the sport was threatened by difficulty in accessing getting afloat and sailing by the Club structures that were becoming more of a closed shop approach. Maurice O'Connell also spoke passionately on the same subject and examples were given of difficulties encountered both In Cork and Dublin in gaining access to participating in sailing and racing while boats were remaining tied up for lack of crews.

An understanding of the dilemma for the Clubs was also expressed by Flag Officers present in maintaining their facilities for those paying membership while encouraging new sailors to gain access at reasonable cost for a period.

It was agreed that all present would make every effort on a personal basis to encourage opportunities for those interested to go sailing to gain opportunities on boats and access to Club introductory offers.

ICRA will also explore creating an on line vehicle for available crews to register so boat owners gain opportunity to make contact.

There was also suggestions aired that bottom end of Class 1 should be included in Class 2 where all would have better racing.

Howth, the venue for the 2012 ICRA Champs

The Royal Cork Yacht Club was complimented for running a top Class ICRA National Championships in June. Howth Yacht Club gave an update that arrangements are well progressed for an exciting ICRA National Championships in Howth 25th to 27th May 2012. The previous weekend will host the Corby Cup which will encourage those travelling to participate in Nationals and ISORA will run a feeder Race from Wales. It is hoped to announce a Sponsor shortly. Howth plan the first Race for 1600 hrs on Friday to avoid necessity for those travelling to stay over on Thursday.

The main feature of the afternoon session was a similar open forum with Race Officers Jack Roy, Henry Leonard and Harry Gallagher joining the top table for an open discussion on course types that sailors wanted and communications sailors would like with Race Officers. This was also a lively session with frank constructive exchanges which was of benefit to sailors and Race Officers alike.

The feeling of the meeting was that in addition to windward /Leeward courses sailors wanted a good variety of course types both at National Championship level but also at Regional events. Also those present strongly requested that boats over the line at starts be informed whenever possible but on strict understanding in Sailing Instructions that there be no redress in any circumstances relating to same against Race Officers.

Both these forums provided an excellent opportunity for those attending to air their views on all matters relating to Cruiser Racing and to offer ideas and this will be developed further for future conferences.

Commodore's Cup Captain Anthony O'Leary. Photo: Bob Bateman

The Commodore reported on efforts to form a team to defend the Commodore's Cup in 2012 and Anthony O'Leary brought the meeting up to date in changes to the event format and expressed confidence that there would be a positive response to ICRA 's request for declarations of interest to form a credible team to defend the Cup as is Ireland's responsibility.

Denis Noonan of Wicklow Sailing Club expressed the Clubs upset and disappointment that an Irish Club would arrange a competing event The Round Rockall Race from Galway starting on the same day as their Iconic Round Ireland Race. They outlined their plans for the 2012 Round Ireland Race and received support for their efforts from those attending. The RORC has increased their points scoring for the Round Ireland Race as further recognition of its standing in World offshore racing. Both ICRA and the ISA confirmed their support for the Round Ireland Race.

Pat Kelly's Storm is ICRA's Boat of the Year. Photo: Bob Bateman

The Conference finished with the presentation of the magnificent crystal ICRA Boat Of The Year trophy for 2011 to Pat Kelly's J 109 Storm who won the ICRA Nationals in Cork in June, The Cruiser Challenge in Dublin in August, The Howth Autumn Series and also travelled to the Scottish Series and Sovereigns Week. It was felt she embodied the spirit of a well campaigned ICRA cruiser racer. A week later Kelly became Afloat's Sailor of the month for November. 

#SAILOR OF THE MONTH – Pat Kelly of Rush Sailing Club is the Afloat.ie/Irish Independent "Sailor of the Month" for November after his J/109 Storm - crewed by fellow-Fingallions - was celebrated as the Irish Cruiser Racer Association "Boat of the Year" at the ICRA annual general meeting in Dun Laoghaire at the weekend.

The sailors of north Fingal are on a roll these days. Back in September, Matt Davis of Skerries won our monthly award after his Sigma 400 Raging Bull retained the Irish Sea offshore championship. And another Skerries sailor, windsurfer Oisin van Gelderen, continues to be Ireland's fastest man afloat, his current official best speed being 44.23 knots.

Now it's the turn of Rush to top the podium. Not that Rush is new to successful sailing. Once upon a time, it was the top port on the east coast of Ireland for smugglers who veered into privateering and occasionally even piracy. To succeed in any of these activities, they needed fast ships and able skippers, and captains like Luke Ryan and James Mathews gave Rush its formidable sailing reputation.

Storm was made ICRA Boat of the year last weekend and this Saturday her skipper Pat Kelly becomes Sailor of the month for November. Photos: Bob Bateman

Highlight of Pat Kelly's season with Storm was his outright class win in the ICRA Nationals at Crosshaven. Five wins in six races is the sort of performance that would get the Luke Ryan/James Mathews seal of approval. Storm was also regularly in the frame in many other major events, and had frequent success in regattas and club racing with a dedication to sailing that does her skipper and crew proud.

Pat kept his previous 30-footer in the tide-riven anchorage at Rogerstown off Rush SC's attractive south-facing clubhouse, one of the few south-facing sailing clubhouses in the entire country. However, with the bigger boat it was necessary to find a berth at Howth, and in fact Storm sails as a joint HYC/RSC entry. But the club in Howth wouldn't begrudge this success to their smaller neighbours to the north. And with their own marina in fine shape (it hosts next year's ICRA Nationals in late May), they'd be the first to agree that the only thing holding back north Fingal sailing from even greater achievements is the lack of sheltered and conveniently accessible pontoon berthing on the entire coast between Malahide and Carlingford Lough.

More from WM Nixon in the Irish Independent here

#SAILING–Any Sailing Club with ambitions of staging the Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) National Championships will have to look as far ahead as 2015.

ICRA – the 2011 Club of the Year – laid out its stall until 2014 at the eighth annual conference in Dun Laoghaire at the weekend and the momentum is already building at Howth Yacht Club (HYC) who stage the 2012 National Championships at the beginning of next season.

The country's biggest yacht club has a potential sponsor in the wings and Saturday's conference also heard from the Club's Norbert Reilly that HYC is adding feeder events around the two day championships from May 25/27 to double the attraction of the North Dublin venue.

The Corby Cup will be sailed the weekend prior to the Nationals (19-20 May) and the Irish sea offshore body, ISORA, will stage a feeder race from Conwy in Wales to Howth. Both initiatives will encourage UK boats to travel to Dublin for the ICRA series.

Typically the ICRA event attracts over 100 boats in four different classes.

In spite of a dip in the size of the Cruiser fleet in Howth in recent years local boats are still taking some of the big prizes nationally with Reilly's Crazy Horse the 2011 Volvo Dun Laoghaire and DBSC Cruiser Challenge winner and Pat Kelly's J109 Storm picking up the weekend conference's top 'Boat of the Year' prize.

Ashore there are plans to make the event family oriented and a 'ladies lunch' is also planned.

The weekend's ICRA conference decided to do away with the crew limit rule for the seven race series in Howth as the association focuses on getting more crews out on the water to enjoy cruiser racing.

The ICRA Nationals goes West for a return visit to Tralee Bay Sailing Club in June 2013 and in 2014 the National Championships will be staged by the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire.

In the normal cycle of things 'the ICRAs' should be heading to the south coast again in 2015 but so far, the conference heard, the association is open to offers.

The 2012 ICRA Notice of Race for the Howth Championships will be available on Afloat.ie shortly

As predicted in Afloat's online reader poll Howth Yacht Storm (Pat Kelly) has lifted the Irish Cruiser Racer Association's Boat of the Year award at this afternoon's ICRA conference in Dun Laoghaire.

Among other wins, the J109 design counted five firsts in an impressive vistory in class one IRC at this year's ICRA Nationals held in Crosshaven.

Boat of the Year Storm in winning style. Photo: Bob Bateman

 

 

 

#ICRA – Next weekend's agenda for the Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) meet in Dun Laoghaire will discuss a clash of offshore fixtures following the news that a new 600–mile race from Galway, the Round Rockall race on June 24th is to run on the same weekend as the biennial Round Ireland race from Wicklow.

ICRA's full agenda for next Saturday's meeting at the Royal Marine hotel is below: 

· ANNUAL REPORT – BARRY ROSE, COMMODORE ICRA

 Discussion on the current state of cruiser racing and cruiser classes' breakpoints

· MEMBERSHIP OF ICRA AND ITS COMMITTEES

· PREVIEW ICRA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 – HOWTH YC, 25-27 MAY

 Draft copy of NoR may be circulated before conference.

· VENUES FOR FUTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS

 2013 – Tralee BSC. 2014 - RIYC

· DISCUSSION ON 'COURSES FOR CRUISERS' – with leading race officers in attendance

 It is envisaged that this will be one of the major items for discussion

· COMMODORES' CUP 2012

Selection process and promotion of Corinthian/academy team

· RATING & HANDICAPING – REPORT/S FROM IRC OWNERS CONGRESS

· CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS

The Round Ireland/Rockall clash – is it necessary?

· PROMOTION OF OFFSHORE SAILING

· NON-SPINNAKER DEVELOPMENTS

· 'BOAT OF THE YEAR' PRESENTATION

 Nominees welcomed

AOB

#BOAT OF THE YEAR – The Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) has announced a short list of 16 boats for its annual boat of the year award. The list includes the campaign of recently crowned All Ireland Sailing Champion George Kenefick's Quarter Tonner, Tiger.

The list also includes two other quarter tonners, noting the increase in popularity of the revived retro class, inlcuding the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta winner, Supernova.

Also shortlisted are three Howth Boats inlcuding the recent winner of class zero of the DBSC Cruiser Challenge, the Mills 36 Crazy Horse (Norbert Reilly).

West coast fans will be pleased to see Galway's Joie de Vie, the J109 overall winner of the Clifden based WIORA week.

Offshore interests are represented by the Multiple ISORA winner Matt Davis's Raging Bull from Skerries.

The winner will be announced at the ICRA Conference at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire on November 26th 2011.

Cast your vote: Afloat's readers poll is on the left hand column of our homepage!

The full list published by ICRA this afternoon is as follows.

BOAT	MODEL	CLUB	OWNER
ALLURE	Corby 25	KYC	Brian Goggin
ANTIX	Ker 39	RCYC	Anthony O'Leary
CRAZY HORSE	Mills 36	HYC	Norbert Reilly
DUX	X302	HYC	Anthony Gore-Grimes
EOS	X-36 Sport	KYC	David Scott
HARD ON PORT	Quarter-ton	RStGYC	Flor O'Driscoll
IMPETUOUS	Corby 25	HYC	Noonan/Chambers
JOIE DE VIE	J109	GBSC	Glenn Cahill
RAGING BULL	Sigma 400	Skerries	Matt Davis
SEAHAWK	Sigma 33ood	KYC	Clem McElligot
STORM	J-109	HYC	Peter Kelly
SUNBURN	Sunfast 32	HYC	Kevin Byrne
SUPERNOVA	Quarter-ton	RIYC	McCormack/Lawless/Shannon
TIGER	Quarter-ton	RCYC	Kenefick/Kenefick/O'Brien
YANKS $ FRANCS	Corby 25	RCYC	Vinnie O'Shea
WHITE MISCHIEF	Sigma 33ood	RIYC	Tim Goodbody

The annual cruiser racer Think-In will be held in Dun Laoghaire for the first time next month when the Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) Conference takes place at the Royal Marine hotel on Saturday, November 26th. Items on the agenda include a preview of the 2012 national championships in Howth and the promotion of offshore sailing events. Other items on the agenda include:

· MEMBERSHIP OF ICRA AND ITS COMMITTEES
· PREVIEW ICRA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 – HOWTH YC, 25-27 MAY
· VENUES FOR FUTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS
· DISCUSSION ON 'COURSES FOR CRUISERS' – with leading race officers in attendance
· COMMODORES' CUP 2012
· RATING & HANDICAPING – REPORT/S FROM IRC OWNERS CONGRESS
· PROMOTION OF OFFSHORE SAILING
· NON-SPINNAKER DEVELOPMENTS
· AOB