Greystones Sailing Club's Frank Whelan and the crew of Kaya emerged as overall winners of the annual Irish Cruiser Racing Association National Championships on Dublin Bay today (Sunday 5th September 2021).

Four straight class wins meant the final day wasn't needed for Whelan's team who won the Class Zero title as Afloat reports here plus the overall event win.

Prizes were presented at the National Yacht Club who hosted the 2021 event, its first staging in 25 months due to the pandemic.

80 crews entered from 17 clubs around Ireland to decide four titles under the IRC rating system.

Whelan's crew for the ICRA double win (below) was: Paddy Barnwell (nav/helm); Mark Mansfield (tactics) (not pictured), Andy Verso (main); Bill Nolan (trim 1); Cillian Ballesty (trim 2); Gary Hick (pit1); Matt Sherlock (mast); Gavin Laverty (bow 1); Brian Hare (bow 2) and Killian FitzGerald (pit2).

The overall event win is calculated using an ICRA formula based on results, class size and performance rating. 

Find all of Afloat's coverage of the 2021 ICRA Championships in one handy link here

The ICRA National Championships 2022 are scheduled to be sailed at Cork Week in July next year which will also mark the delayed festivities marking the 300th anniversary of the Royal Cork YC.

Done and dusted on Saturday night, there was no need for Frank Whelan's J/122 Greystones crew to go afloat at Dun Laoghaire today as the four wins amassed since Friday had already secured the overall victory in the 12-boat ICRA Cruisers Zero National Championships on Dublin Bay. 

For Whelan, it is the second cruiser-racer victory in as many months, having also earned an overall win in August's Calves Week in West Cork too.

Whelan's Wicklow crew in winning form at the National Yacht Club this weekend were Paddy Barnwell (nav/helm); Mark Mansfield (tactics), Andy Verso (main); Bill Nolan (trim 1); Cillian Ballesty (trim 2); Gary Hick (pit1); Matt Sherlock (mast); Gavin Laverty (bow 1); Brian Hare (bow 2) and Killian FitzGerald (pit2).

Having had a disappointing second day, pre-event favourite Conor Phelan's Ker 37 Jump Juice from Royal Cork recovered from her UFD penalty in race three to be fifth overall last night and place third overall, but some eight points off runner up Jay Colville's First 40 Forty Licks. The Northern Ireland challenger from Royal Ulster counted a consistent scoreline of 2, 2,  2, and 3 to be the nearest to the impressive Kaya easily. 

Unfortunately, the Zero fleet was without the Grand Soleil 44 Samoton for the final race of the Championships following yesterday's weather mark collision that broke off the new yacht's bow sprit.

Results are here

Second in IRC 0 - Jay Colville's First 40 Forty Licks

Third in IRC 0 - Conor Phelan's Ker 37 Jump Juice

Leading from start to finish, the Kelly family J109 from Rush Sailing Club in north county Dublin sealed the IRC One victory in the ICRA National Championships on Dublin Bay this afternoon with a 4.5 points cushion.

Storm counted two race wins in her seven-race tally to outwit June Sovereign's Cup winner and the much-fancied J/99 Snapshot of Mike and Ritchie Evans from Howth, who were in the runner up position for much of the competition in the championship's biggest division of 24-boats.

In a stand out final day performance, however, Tim and Richard Goodbody's J109 White Mischief from the Royal Irish Yacht Club overhauled the Evans brothers.  The father and duo climbed back up the leaderboard from sixth overall with a 2 and a 1 scored in the final two races today to claim second overall.

Results are here

Second in IRC 1 - Tim and Richard Goodbody's White Mischief

Third in IRC 1- J/99 Snapshot (Mike and Ritchie Evans)

In the end, it became a Half Tonner domination of Class Two of the ICRA Championships on Dublin Bay this weekend, where light to medium conditions played right into the hands of the optimised vintage yachts.

All three podium places went to the Howth class with, as predicted, Nigel Biggs' Checkmate XVIII taking the title on nine points with a four-point margin over Jonny Swan in King One. 

Biggs' winning crew were Dave Cullen, Daragh Sheridan, Suzie Murphy, Andy Sargent, Mark Kenny and Niki Potterton.

Third was HYC clubmate Darren Wright in Mata. 

The north Dublin club took ten of the top 12 places in the 15-boat fleet, with 2019's overall ICRA winner, the X-332 Dux (Anthony Gore Grimes), finishing fourth.

Results are here

Second in IRC2 - Jonny Swan at the helm of King One 

Third in IRC2 - Darren Wright's Mata

The X-332 Dux (Anthony Gore Grimes) finished fourth

With a statement of her intent delivered last month at Calves Week in West Cork, Courtown Sailing Club Quarter Tonner 'Snoopy' is the ICRA Divison 3 National Champion at the first attempt after a superbly sailed series on Dublin Bay. 

Counting seven results in the top three (and six in the top two), Joanne Hall and Martin Mahons' Wexford campaign (with Royal Ulster connections) led the three-race championship since Friday and watched other pre-championship favourites in the 11-boat fade away. 

A port-starboard collision ended the highly fancied Quest's (Johnathan Skerritt) chances on day one of the regatta, and today, Paul Colton's Cri-Cri from the Royal Irish Yacht Club that was a close second going into the final two races today was pipped by Flor O'Driscoll's J24 Hard on Port from Bray Sailing Club for second overall in a building 10-knot easterly for the Sunday finale.

Second in IRC 3 - Flor O'Driscoll's J24 Hard on Port from Bray Sailing Club

Third in IRC 3 - Paul Colton's Quarter Tonner Cri-Cri from the Royal Irish Yacht Club

Overall results are here.

Two boats suffered 'serious damage' and were unable to compete in the rest of the ICRA 2021 Championships at the National Yacht Club due to a collision at the top of a windward leg in the first race on Saturday morning.

During the race, both Class Zero and One ICRA fleets were competing in different races on the same course and were rounding the windward and spreader marks on the second lap in 14-16 knots of breeze.

As Magic Touch (IRL44444), a Greystones-based First 34.7 competing in Class One, and Samatom (GBR 9244R), a Grand Soleil 44 from Howth, competing in Class Zero, rounded the spreader mark, Samatom's bow 'made contact' with Magic Touch on her port aft quarter as the sequence of pictures below show.

The impact was big enough to spin the smaller boat around almost 180 degrees.

Immediately after the incident, both boats radioed the Race Committee and stated they were retiring from the race with damage. Neither boat competed in any further racing on Saturday or Sunday of the Championships.

Both boats lodged protests over the incident. 

The ICRA protest committee chaired by International Rules Judge Bill O'Hara heard both protests on Saturday night, and it found the following facts: 

1. MagicTouch rounded the windward mark clear ahead of Samatom, heading towards the Offset mark (6-8 BL from W mark). Two other boats were above and outside MagicTouch.
2. MagicTouch was slower than Samatom, which was coming from astern at a higher speed.
3. As MagicTouch entered the zone of the mark, she was clear ahead. Shortly afterwards, Samatom established an overlap from astern.
4. When MagicTouch bore away to round the mark, Samatom altered course in an attempt to avoid a contact.
5. Samatom made contact causing serious damage.
6. The wind was 14/16 knots.

As both boats retired, no penalty could be applied, the jury decided. The full jury decision and conclusion, along with other case details, is here. 

Greystones Sailing Club's J122 Kaya is walking away with the IRC Zero Divison of the ICRA National Championships, counting four wins from four races so far.

“The boat is going very well, and we got good positions most of the time,” Kaya tactician Mark Mansfield said.  “With a good crew, the results just came.  And we’re the middle-rated boat in our class.”

The Wicklow crew are Frank Whelan (helm); Paddy Barnwell (nav/helm); Mark Mansfield (tactics), Andy Verso (main); Bill Nolan (trim 1); Cillian Ballesty (trim 2); Gary Hick (pit1); Matt Sherlock (mast); Gavin Laverty (bow 1); Brian Hare (bow 2) and Killian FitzGerald (pit2)

The regatta reaches its conclusion on Sunday, and some well-publicised challenges for the Zero title have not materialised.

Although a pre-race favourite, Conor Phelan's Ker 37 Jump Juice took a UFD penalty in the first of three races today, putting her into fifth overall on 22 points.

Another challenge from June's Sovereign's Cup-winning Grand Soleil 44 Samatom ended after a weather mark collision in race two saw the brand new marque retire from racing today. 

Another great start for Kaya in the ICRA big boat class, but spare a thought for smaller Class Zero competitors such as second-row Yoyo, the Sunfast 3600, some 10 feet smaller than the biggest entry

Instead, Jay Colville’s Forty Licks from the Royal Ulster Yacht Club has been a consistent presence in the 12 boat fleet and is rewarded with second place overall on 10 points. 

Jay Colville’s Forty Licks from the Royal Ulster Yacht Club is second overall.

Another Northern Ireland boat, the Beneteau 40.7 Game Changer, lies third on 19 points. 

The Beneteau 40.7 Game Changer from Cockle Island Boat Club lies third

The forecast for Sunday's final two races is for SSE winds of 12 to 16 mph

Results are here

The Dublin Bay First 40 Prima Forte from the National Yacht Club lies fourth.

El Pocko, a Puma 42 from the Royal St George Yacht Club

Joanne Hall and Martin Mahons' Quarter Tonner Snoopy from Courtown Sailing Club (with Royal Ulster connections) continue to hold a narrow lead in Class 3 of the ICRA National Championships on Dublin Bay. 

The overnight leader scored 1, 2, 2 in today's three races that puts her on 7 points overall and two points ahead of Paul Colton’s Quarter Tonner Cri Cri from the Royal Irish YC in second.

A win for Bray Sailing Club’s Flor O’Driscoll in a J/24 puts him in third place in the 11-boat fleet.

Disappointingly, pre-regatta favourite Quest did not sail today following a collision on the opening day that has put her out of the championships. 

The forecast for Sunday's final two races is for SSE winds of 12 to 16 mph

Results are here.

Paul Colton’s Quarter Tonner Cri Cri

With top-five results scored in all five races so far - and three race wins to boot - the Kelly family J109 from Rush Sailing Club continues to lead the ICRA Nationals Division One on Dublin Bay.

Such consistent sailing has allowed the Kelly's, with Cork Harbour's Robert O'Leary onboard as tactician, to build a margin of four points in the biggest fleet of the championships. 

Second is Mike and Ritchie Evans J99 Snapshot from Howth Sailing and Boating Club on 11 points. 

J109 designs continue to dominate the 24 boat division, occupying eight of the top ten places overall. 

Royal Cork visitor Jelly Baby (Brian Jones) is third, just five points off the overall lead with two more races left to sail tomorrow, so the championships is still very much up for grabs. 

Royal Cork Yacht Club J109 Jelly Baby (Brian Jones) lies third Photo: Afloat

The forecast for Sunday's finale is for SSE winds of 12 to 16 mph

Results are here. 

Howth J109 Outrajeous lies fifth

The XP33 Bon Exemple from the Royal Irish is fourth

J109 Artful DodJer from Kinsale Yacht Club lies eighth

The J109 White Mischief from the Royal Irish lies sixth

J109 Something Else from the National Yacht Club is tenth

Part of a Class One start in the 24-boat fleet - a strong tide led to several general recalls

Raptor, a Mills 30 - gear failure led to a retiral in one race

At the helm of David Kelly's King One, Jonny Swan has ruined the perfect scoresheet of Nigel Biggs and his Checkmate XVIII team after an intense second day of competition at the ICRA National Championships on Dublin Bay.

Checkmate continues to lead overall after five races sailed, but King One is now just three points off the top of the leaderboard with the final two races of the Championships left to sail tomorrow (Sunday).

Biggs added another win to his two opening day victories on Friday and looked invincible at lunchtime, but this afternoon, in races four and five, as the breeze went right to 145 degrees and strengthened, the King One crew took advantage and earned their first race win in the last race of the day.

With it all still to play for, a third Howth Half Tonner Mata (Darren Wright) is on 10 points in third place in the 17-boat IRC Two fleet, where HYC entries occupy the top seven places overall. 

Howth Yacht Club's leading Half-Ton Trio

The Checkmate XVIII crew going like a train in the heavier conditions of day two: Dave Cullen, Nigel Biggs, Daragh Sheridan, Suzie Murphy, Andy Sargent, Mark Kenny and Niki Potterton

Jonny Swan steering and Ryan Glynn on mainsheet in the Half Tonner King One

 Darren Wright's Half Tonner Mata, whose crew includes Athens Olympic sailor Killian Collins of Royal Cork

Results are here. Racing concludes on Sunday.