As well as the defending champion, Dun Laoghaire's Royal Irish Yacht Club will have three other yachts in Wednesday's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race.
The 14th edition of the 280-mile offshore fixture starts at 2 pm off Dun Laoghaire Harbour and is organised by the National Yacht Club.
Paul O'Higgins will defend his D2D crown in the JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI and aim to make it three in a row for the RIYC after previous Rockabill VI victories in 2017 and 2019.
The champion is joined by some potent RIYC clubmates; Andrew Algeo's J99 Juggerknot II, the Beneteau First 40 Prima Forte as well as George Sisk's Xp 44, WOW.
Patrick Burke and Sean Lemass's First 40 arrived in Dublin Bay in January last year and in her first season won DBSC's best performing new yacht award. As regular Afloat readers will know, this all-round performer was previously named La Response, and before that formerly known as Courier Zen and a veteran of several Commodore's Cup teams under former owner Andrew McIrvine, an ex Admiral and Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club.
Algeo's Juggerknot II crew, who finished eighth in the 2019 race, is joined for this edition by Figaro campaigner Kenny Rumball.
George Sisk’s Xp 44 “Wow” was the 2019 Sovereign’s Cup winner in the coastal class, having delivered a hat-trick of wins and beating bigger sistership the Xp 50 Freya on her home waters off Kinsale in the Regatta’s Coastal Class but was scored as 'did not finish' in that year's D2D.
A fourth Royal Irish boat, Barry Cunningham's Sun Odyssey 490, ConQuestador is contesting the IRC Cruiser class.
Royal Irish Yachts in the 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race
- ConQuestador Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490, IRL4900, Skipper: Barry Cunningham, Class: IRC Cruiser, Rating: 1.079
- Juggerknot II J/99, IRL 3990, Skipper: Andrew Algeo, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.011
- Rockabill VI JPK 10.80, IRL 10800, Skipper: Paul O'Higgins, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.05
- WOW X-Yachts Xp44, IRLl4419, Skipper: George Sisk, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.124
- Prima Forte Beneteau, IRL4240, Skipper: Sean Lemass, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.078