In an elapsed time of just under 24 hours, Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen's First 50 Checkmate XX from Howth Yacht Club claimed the line honours win by seconds this morning – according to the race tracker – in the Pwllheli to Dun Laoghaire ISORA cross-channel race.
ISORA fans have to go back to pre-covid races to find races of similar duration, but ISORA Chief Peter Ryan maintains that the race will be 'good training' for the 260-mile Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race that starts in less than three weeks.
"People think it's about sailing, but offshore racing is all in the head!" Ryan told Afloat after the finish.
The marathon fixture started from the Pwllheli Sailing Club line at 0730 hours on Saturday morning.
Light wind forecasts proved deadly accurate for the 80-miler that saw the first boat finish at 0830 hours on Sunday, thanks to a flood tide rather than the breeze after a long night in Killiney Bay.
Andrew Hall's J125 Jackknife (left) leads Nigel Biggs and Dave Cullen's First 50 Checkmate XX into the ISORA finish line at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay but minutes later Checkmate XX pipped Jackknfie for the line honours win when Jackknife had to avoid a fishing boat at the mouth of the harbour and lost all momentum Photo: Afloat
According to the race tracker, Andrew Hall's J125 Jackknife scored second in line honours despite leading into Dublin Bay.
From an entry of 16, ten boats competed in the second ISORA offshore race of the season.
Provisional results give the IRC race win to the recently crowned IRC Welsh champion, Peter Dunlop and Vicky Cox's J109 Mojito, but official scoring confirmation is awaited.
