Dear ICRA members
A Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you had a safe Christmas and an enjoyable New Year break.
I have decided not to mention the “C” word and instead, I am sure that with me you are all looking forward to what will hopefully be a full and entertaining ICRA sailing season in 2022. There are signs that it could finally be a return to a relatively normal and event-filled year, so keep your fingers crossed!
Certs
You should have received your IRC and ECHO cert renewals from Irish Sailing. I know if you are like me, it is easy to leave this until later in the year, but I would encourage you to renew as early as possible so to avoid the inevitable rush to be ready to enter events later in the year.
An ISORA offshore race start off Dun Laoghaire Harbour Photo: Afloat
The sailing calendar for the year is already looking very exciting with plenty of opportunities to enjoy great racing in Irish waters in 2022. Some highlights include:
- The early start to the season for offshore racing, with the first ISORA race, is pencilled in for April 23rd – with regular offshore events scheduled throughout the season (see www.isora.org)
- Wave Regatta hosted by Howth Yacht Club, promising a three day weekend of fun and great sailing to finally get the party going again in June 3-5th (www.waveregatta.com)
- The SSE Renewables Round Ireland yacht race, likely to attract a world-class entry list, is scheduled for June 18th (www.roundireland.ie)
- Three Dun Laoghaire club regattas, at the National Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Royal St George Yacht Club for those who like to stay closer to the shore span June and early July.
- A repeat of the highly successful Dun Laoghaire (Kingstown) to Cork (Queenstown) offshore race, scheduled for 1st July to help get boats down to Cork in good time for Cork Week.
- Volvo Cork Week and the ICRA National Championships, which will surely be the biggest overall sailing event of the year, is scheduled for July 11-15th. Having missed out on their 300th anniversary in 2020, boats have remained committed from all shores to support the 2022 event and this promises to be huge, further enhanced by the ICRA Nationals. (www.corkweek.ie)
As well as Calves Week, WIORA Week, regular club sailing through the year, class championships and other events outside of Irish waters! So lots for us all to enter and enjoy in the year ahead.
The ICRA National Championships is scheduled for July 11-15th as part of Volvo Cork Week Photo: Bob Bateman
National Conference
At ICRA, we are already planning activities for 2022 to help and encourage cruiser racing in Ireland. A reminder that the ICRA National Conference and AGM is due to be held on Saturday the 5th of March. With current restrictions in place, this will most likely be held remotely again this year, but we do have space held at the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire in case we do get the green light for an in person event. In either case, there will still be an option for anyone to watch the event and contribute remotely. So save the date, as more details of some great speakers, updates on all the hard work being done by the ICRA Committee and the full AGM agenda will be announced shortly.
In the meantime, we are busy planning our Under 25 programme for 2022, building the Boat of the Year event, helping and promoting more sailors through training and education and planning for a great National Championships in conjunction with the Cork Week regatta team.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference on 5th March, where we can give you full updates on all these important areas.
I wish you all the best for an enjoyable and safe sailing season ahead.
Fair winds and following seas,
Richard Colwell
ICRA Commodore
Cruiser racing in Cork Harbour Photo: Bob Bateman
