#ICRA – After the first day of racing at the WIORA championships on Tralee bay yesterday the all new XP33 sportsyacht design from X Yachts, Bon Exemple skippered by Colin Byrne from the Royal Irish Yacht Club, has jumped straight into the lead with two wins in class one's ten boat fleet.
Second is another X yacht, Diarmuid & Hilda Good's X 362 Sport Exhale from Royal Cork YC scoring a 2 and 4 in yesterday's medium conditions.
Third is the Dublin Bay Mills 30 Raptor skippered by Denis Hewitt.
In class two Liam Burke's Corby 25 from Galway Bay leads Ray McGibney's Foynes based Dis-a-ray by three points. Third is the Sligo Yacht Club entry Harmony, a half tonner, skippered by Martin Reilly. Lying fourth is last week's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race winner Amazing Grace skippered by host club and this week's regatta organiser Brian O'Sullivan.
The 61 boat fleet is craned in and berthed at Fenit marina and ready for the first day of the ICRA championships this morning. The fleet will be greeted by a complex weather forecast ahead and some very strong winds.
Tonight a special sailors forum will be held by ICRA at the TBSC clubhouse. Topics inlcude the future of the Nationals,
cruiser crew Recruitment and training, selection and composition of Commodores' Cup Teams for 2014 and IRC Issues. Water Rat has already made his contribution online here.