In 2024, the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) in Dun Laoghaire Harbour will host a unique schedule of major sailing championships, promising three weeks of 'premiere keelboat racing', representing a major boost to sailing on the capital's waters.
ICRA Nationals 2024
As Afloat reported previously, the events will kick off with the 2024 Irish Cruiser Racing Asociation (ICRA) National Championships, where yachts from all classes will compete on exciting Dublin Bay courses.
The national championships are scheduled to run from Friday, 30th August to Sunday, 1st September, and the shoreside entertainment is expected to be plentiful, the RIYC says.
The event is timed to follow the last Thursday night race of the Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) season.
J Cup Ireland
Crews of J boats will barely have time to hose down their yachts and fold away their sails before the Key Yachting J Cup Ireland kicks off with preliminaries in the RIYC on Friday, 6th September 2024.
This successful event was first run in the RIYC in 2023, and it returns with back-to-back racing on the weekend of Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September 2024.
Organisers expect strong interest from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, given the opportunity to race in the ICRA's and/or the IRC Europeans the week before and the week after.
The ease of delivery from Dartmouth to Dun Laoghaire is expected to result in additional entries, especially after the Dartmouth Royal Regatta, which includes the UK National Championships.
IRC Europeans
The three weeks of competition will be crowned by the IRC European Championships, scheduled to run from 12th – 15th September 2024.
The event will be run with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), bringing the cream of Grand Prix cruiser racers to Dun Laoghaire, promising to be a spectacular event for both participants and spectators.
The RIYC is partnering with the RORC to prepare a format inclusive of racing for Club, Regatta, and Professional sailors.
The events' consecutive scheduling allows visiting boats to come and compete in their pick of top-level racing and enjoy some downtime with friends and family. Dublin is only 20 minutes away by metro and is full of sights and experiences for fellow travellers and Coldplay fans alike.
The Preliminary Notice of Race will be issued in the next few weeks, with enthusiastic participation in the events expected, says the RIYC.
“We are delighted to be hosting this unique sailing jamboree in the Royal Irish Yacht Club next year. Our club’s excellent facilities, under the stewardship of our sailing manager, Mark McGibney, are being geared up to welcome all the sailors and guests. It is a wonderful opportunity for Dun Laoghaire to show the world what a fantastic location it is for yacht racing. There are many attractions for the visiting crews, their family and friends to enjoy,” said RIYC Commodore Jerry Dowling.