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#isora – The Dun Laoghaire to Pwllheli Race, as part of the ISORA Avery Crest Offshore Series 2015 took place on Saturday 15th August. This is also the Feeder Race to the Spinlock IRC Welsh Nationals to be hosted in Pwllheli from the 21st-23rd August writes Peter Ryan.
The forecast was for very light westerly winds decreasing to nothing and building again from the south west later in the day. In light of this forecast the Race Committee decided that the course of the race would be from the start direct to the finish in Pwllheli – 75 miles.
13 starters from the entry list of 14 competed in the race that started at 08.00. RAYC Commodore, Barry MacNeaney and NYC Commodore, Larry Power were at the start line at DBSC "Pier" mark to send the boats off towards Pwllheli. The wind at the start was 12 knots from the west and this propelled the fleet out past the Muglins only to sail into very light and fluky winds in Killiney Bay. However after a short time the winds filled in again from the south west and the fleet resumed their course towards Bardsey. The spring tide was very strong on the day and it was flooding north at the start.
"Jackknife" took an early lead and led the fleet for the remainder of the race. "Jackknife" took line honours ahead of "Aurelia" crossing the finish line at 17.35. Behind them were the two J109s, "Ruth" and "Sgrech". The two boats had engaged in close manoeuvres just after the start of the race before "Ruth" took a more northerly route. The two boats crossed again just before Bardsey Island and stayed only boat lengths apart for the remainder of the race. The last five miles was a run from Tudwal islands to the finish. "Ruth" and "Sgrech" match raced to the finish, gybing and swapping positions until "Sgrech" took the lead just before the finish and crossed the line 3 seconds ahead of "Ruth" at 17.25. The last boat crossed the finish line at 21.09.
"Sgrech" won Overall and Class 1. "Adelie" took Class 2 and "Albireo" took Silver Class. As the race was tracked using the Avery Crest YB trackers, the race can be re-played using the YB app or on the ISORA website.
The finish line for the race was from the bridge of the new Welsh national Sailing Academy in Pwllheli – Plas Heli and the Pwllheli clearway buoy. ISORA Vice Chairman, Gerry Williams, recorded the finish times.
The race was critical for the Series leader "Ruth" and their close rival "Jackknife". Had either boats won this race they would have been sure of clinching the Overall Series. This will now be decided after the last offshore race on the 12th September from Pwllheli to Dun laoghaire. The next two races will be the day races on the 29th August from both Dun Laoghaire and Pwllheli, both races finishing in Greystones in time for the Greystones Regatta on the 30th August.