Three entries were from Pwllheli: Gwawr (Dennis Williams), Banzai (Bob Sambrook) and Just Enough (Stuart Tudor). The remaining ones were from Dun Laoghaire. Liam Coyne was sailing his recently acquired First 36.7 Lula Belle.
The forecast was for southerly/south westerly winds up to 20k at the start, moderating during the day before veering westerly in the late afternoon and dying overnight. The weather service had it correct.
The race started with a fast beat in flat waters up to St. Tudwals Sound with winds varying between 13 and 18k. Exiting the sound, the fleet were met with the lumpy seas and the winds increased to 20k. The leg to Bardsey Sound was a fetch. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell) was the first boat through Bardsey Sound with Galileo (Sean Lemass) close behind and followed by 'Quite Correct (John Roberts). The fleet was well bunched at this stage.
With the south westerly holding at between 18 and 25k, it was a fast tight reach across the Irish Sea to Wicklow. Some boats were tempted to fly kites but the tight and gusty wind angle, lumpy seas and the several broaches soon discouraged this.
The fleet was fast approaching Wicklow with the leaders just 3 miles off the finish when the usual 'Wicklow Head Hole' appeared and the three leading yachts, Quite Correct, Galileo and Legally Brunette (Paul Egan) stopped. Tsunami, seeing this, headed off north to try and get around the hole but was soon grabbed into it. Behind Tsunami, Peter Beamish's Aztec was still storming towards Wicklow when the wind filled in again from the west. The leaders started to beat for the line; Aztec was close on their heels.
The finisher for Wicklow Sailing Club was Sadie Phelan. Legally Brunette took line honours crossing the line at 15:54 followed closely by Galileo at 15:55 and Quite Correct at 15:56. Tsunami finished at 16:05 and Aztec at 16:13. With the exception of Richard Mossop's Yahtzee, who became becalmed, the remainder of the fleet finished by 17:32.
The winner was the J92 Just Enough in Overall and Class 2 with Aztec taking 2nd place Overall and Class 2. Tsunami came 3rd Overall and 1st in Class 1. Galileo took 2nd Class 1 and Quite Correct took 3rd Class 1.
There was a great reception in Wicklow where most of the boats pulled in to see the Heineken Final, or most of it. Again, in the tradition of ISORA, the usual social 'debriefing' took place with the great hospitality of Wicklow Sailing Club.
The next race is the Lyver Trophy Race, a feeder race to the Dun Laoghaire Regatta on the 3rd July, and is run in conjunction with Royal Dee Yacht Club, Liverpool Yacht Club and RORC.
