ISORA's New Mini-Series Drew the Boats Despite April's Light Winds

2nd May 2023

Paul O'Higgins' all-beating JPK10.80, Rockabill VI from the Royal Irish Yacht Club was the winner of the ISORA mini-series out of Dun Laoghaire Credit: Afloat

The good news for offshore enthusiasts is that ISORA's latest innovation of an early-season mini-series at Dun Laoghaire reflected the buoyant entry in three buoyant turnouts.

The Viking Marine series consisted of three coastal races, all sailing in April, with day racing ranging in length from 35 to 19 miles and attracting a good mix of designs, including a brand new J111, a First 50, a Grand Soleil 44, two First 34.7s, two Sunfast 3600s and two J109s.

Five competed in Class Zero, six in Class One and six in Class Two.

Of 17 entries received, only one boat did not compete at all, and that's because of Alan Hannon's New JPK. 10.80 Coquine was already on Royal Ulster race duty on Belfast Lough, as Afloat reported here. Eight boats competed in all three races.

The early-season ISORA mini-series at Dun Laoghaire reflected the buoyant entry in three buoyant turnouts Photo: Afloat

Even though the weather did not play ball off the Dublin and Wicklow coast, and the fleet was confronted with three separate light wind races on April 15, 22 and 29th, turnouts remained encouragingly in double figures.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race beckons

It wasn't just about numbers either; the quality of the boats involved bodes well for the season ahead as crews train for the Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Race (D2D) starting in under 40 days.

A JPK10.80 took the mini-series honours, but Paul O'Higgins' all-beating JPK10.80, Rockabill VI from the Royal Irish Yacht Club did not have it all her way though, with Howth's Colm Buckley and Simon Knowles on the J109 Indian taking the last race win in arguably the trickiest conditions of the series which saw five boats retired.

Second overall was the Shanahan family's J109 Ruth, with Buckley and Knowles in third, just two of five J109s entered in the D2D.

The full results of the April mini-series are below.

There are still some boats to arrive on Irish waters, including the much-rumoured entry of two canting keelers, Opal and Wild Joe, which could make the next few ISORA fixtures in May an exciting prospect.

While the 2023 D2D trophy winner will only be known on June 9th at the earliest, what is known right now is that the 240-miler is living up to its billing as the Irish offshore sailing highlight of the year.

And with three coastal races already under their belt (and the same number on the Welsh side), who'd bet against the winner coming from ISORA's ranks?

Race Results

You may need to scroll vertically and horizontally within the box to view the full results

Published in ISORA, Dun Laoghaire Dingle

Published in ISORA

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ISORA

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