#rayc - Saturday 12th April was a busy day for the Royal Alfred Yacht Club, being actively involved in simultaneous events on the Liffey and in Howth.
On the Liffey the Royal Alfred was coordinating the on-the water part of the highly successful Colours Race between UCD and TCD. Royal Alfred committee member Eunice Kennedy, working with the overall event organiser, UCD Sailing Club, managed a cooperative effort involving resources from the Royal St. George Yacht Club, the Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club and the collaboration of Dublin Port,who agreed to open the East Link Bridge.
This was an exceptional day for the students, with Trinity taking the honours in the Colours Race from UCD, who had already triumphed in the precceding round robin. It was however business as usual for the 'Alfred', as they have been running racing in the Liffey for many years.
At the same time, the last day of day of Howth Yacht Club's Spring Warmers Series was also Royal Alfred Day. With another set of prizes to fight for, even those whose previous results left them with no chance in the overall series could aspire to take home some glassware from the Royal Alfred event, thus adding further interest to the competition.
Other 'Alfred' events are planned this year, many of them in cooperation with other clubs. Thus the Royal Alfred Yacht Club's annual Bloomsday Regatta will neatly avoid a potential clash of dates in an overcrowded season by running the event alongside the Irish Cruiser Racing Association's National Cruiser Nationals which runs from 13th to the 15th June. The cruiser classes will sail the ICRA courses, and all entrants in the ICRA Nationals will be automatically entered in the Bloomsday Regatta. The first 2 races sailed on the ICRA course on Saturday 14th of June will count for the Bloomsday results. All other classes will sail on courses managed by the RAYC.
The Royal Alfred Superleague is also run in cooperation with the waterfront clubs and DBSC. The Dun Laoghaire and Howth Club regattas, including, naturally the RAYC Bloomsday Regatta and designated DBSC races count towards a season-long competition, with a prize-giving at the prestigious RAYC dinner.
In much the same way, the Royal Alfred continues it's ancient association with offshore racing (a sport the club can claim to have invented) by running the RAYC Coastal Series within the Irish Offshore Racing Association Series. By awarding prizes for the shorter races, the Royal Alfred YC offers competition for those who are tempted by racing offshore.
The Royal Alfred continues to add something extra to the Dublin sailing season. It is also satisfying to see ideas developed by the club, such as a multi-class regatta for one design keel-boats, being taken up elsewhere. The RAYC continues to develop and confirm its long tradition of Corinthian sailing.
