Displaying items by tag: Welsh IRC

26th February 2021

2021 IRC Welsh National Championships Planned for Plas Heli, Pwllheli in August

The 2021 IRC Welsh National Championships for cruiser-racers will be held at Plas Heli, Pwllheli, North Wales from the 13th - 15th August.

Organisers of the Irish Sea event are planning to run both the IRC 1 and 2 class and the popular NHC cruisers class at this year's event.

Irish boats typically feature strongly at the annual championships.

The IRC class will race a mixture of windward/leeward, fixed marks and a short coastal race, which will also be a club coastal race, and will hopefully attract a big fleet.

This style of racing at Tremadog Bay is the suggested format from the IRC Congress and matches the programme used for the IRC European and World Championship events.

Even though the UK is aiming for a return to outdoor sport as early as March, the organisers cautiously say "that should Government restrictions and guidance restrict our activities in any way, we can adapt our classes and racetrack styles, switching on or off various components with the minimum of lead time, and allowing us significant leeway, like last year and it’s not until mid-July before we need to make any big decisions".

Download the full notice of race below.

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Carrickfergus's 'Spirit of Jacana' is Welsh IRC Class One Champion

The winner of class 1 at the Welsh IRC Championships was “Spirit of Jacana” a Carrickfergus based boat

Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli Sailing Club in conjunction with the Royal Dee Yacht Club, was once again delighted to have the opportunity to host the Spinlock IRC Welsh National Championships, as part of our 2019 Celtic Regatta, and Welsh leg of the RC35 class Celtic Cup writes Mark Thompson. We welcomed boats from all the Celtic nations, and the event started with a reception in Plas Heli on Thursday evening hosted by the commodore of Pwllheli Sailing club, Jane Butterworth in glorious sunshine on the Plas Helideck.

Race day 1 - with 20 kt winds and showers forecast, the race management team laid a simple windward-leeward course, and racing got underway as scheduled. For the first race the weather held with a steady 20kts of breeze from the south-west giving a choppy sea, but fine racing conditions, allowing our Celtic visitors to put their stamp on the event very early in IRC 1, with First 35 Triple Elf (Christine and Robin Murray) taking first by 3 seconds corrected from J133 Spirit of Jacana (Alan Bruce and James Douglas) with J109 Jings (Robin Young) taking third. It was clear at this early stage that these well-drilled regatta boats were going to dominate IRC 1 and push the top IRC 2 boats for the overall title.

In IRC 2 J97 Injenious (Mike Crompton and Graham Hallsworth) took the first race ahead of 2018 Welsh IRC champion Ian McMillan, sailing Impala Checkmate with Andrew Miles J35 Sidetrack third.

IRC 4 sailed one round the cans race with some close racing, with the win going to Mark Willis in Rodmar, with Alan Barton, Induna just behind.

The second race in IRC 1 and 2 started as scheduled with darkening sky’s to the South West and with most of the fleet on the beat, a very intense squall whipped up, with winds up to 37kts and torrential rain in zero visibility! with many boats reefing down, it was survival mode for a while. After 10 mins the fleet emerged through the other side, and finished the race before heading back to the Plas Heli pontoons, and a welcome pint! Great chat in the bar, with Andy Green's photos on the big screen, and crews claiming ever increasing wind strength as the evening drew on! It was a great day of racing though, which every one enjoyed, and race 2 was won in IRC 1 by Spirit of Jacana, IRC 2 by Injenious.

Daily Prizegiving was sponsored by Partington Marine, with jugs of beer and followed by a Barbeque. During prizegiving the race management team informed the competitors that regrettably racing would be cancelled on the Saturday, due to a deep low with forecast winds of 30-40kts in the race area. This was the same weather system that lead to the first day of Cowes week being abandoned. Our visitors took the opportunity to explore the Llŷn Peninsula and enjoy the live music in Plas Heli, with Jac Dobson a’r band delivering a great early doors set during the late afternoon.

Day 3 dawned brightly with North Westerly winds of 10-15 kts giving flat water and excellent racing conditions, and glorious views of the stunning Llŷn peninsula and Snowdonia. For IRC 1 and 2 four races were held, with up to four laps of a short windward-leeward course. The starts were crucial, and the two RC35 class boats were giving a master class in starting. J125 Jacknife and J133 Spirit of Jacana, both higher rated boats having to push hard to get ahead of the J109 and First 35 from Scotland, and with the short legs not able to take significant advantage downwind, particularly from the boats flying symmetric spinnakers. Great racing though with some interesting interpretation of the racing rules at some of the mark roundings! The results of all four races in both IRC 1 and 2 were again dominated by the Irish and Scottish visiting boats, with Triple Elf able to discard one race due UFD

In IRC 4 the cruisers raced two races around the cans from a bridge start and again the four boats racing today had two great races and were all very closely matched. Scored using NHC, with Induna (Alan Barton) taking race 1 and Rodmar (Mark Willis) race two. This resulted in Rodmar winning this class overall from Induna, with Roger Fitzgerald racing Dehler 29 Ella Trout 3 with his grandchildren third.

The results in IRC 1 and 2 took a little bit of time to clarify with ratings having to be double-checked, but finally, the results could be announced. The daily prize giving was sponsored by Rowlands Marine Electronics, with jugs of beer and glassware presented to day 3’s race winners. The overall prizegiving was sponsored by Firmhelm Marine who donated some great prizes, with MD Simon Butterworth drawing two boat names out of a hat to present Dubarry deck shoes and a gift voucher.

In IRC 1 the overall winner was confirmed as J133 Spirit of Jacana (Alan Bruce and James Douglas) on countback from First 35 Triple Elf (Christine and Robin Murray) with fellow RC35 class member J109 Jings third.

In IRC 2 local boat J97 Injenious (Mike Crompton and Graham Hallsworth) took first ahead of 2018 champion Checkmate (Ian McMillan) with Sidetrack (Andrew Miles) third.
IRC 4 results were as above with Rodmar (Mark Willis) presented with the Royal Dee cruiser class trophy

The overall Spinlock IRC Welsh National Champion was announced as J97 “Injenious” just one point less overall than “Spirit of Jacana”, and presented with the 2019 Spinlock trophy and voucher.

Full results at www.ircwelshchamps.com

Next year's regatta dates as 14-16th August 2020

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.