As well as the defending champion, Dun Laoghaire's Royal Irish Yacht Club will have three other yachts in Wednesday's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race.

The 14th edition of the 280-mile offshore fixture starts at 2 pm off Dun Laoghaire Harbour and is organised by the National Yacht Club.

Paul O'Higgins will defend his D2D crown in the JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI and aim to make it three in a row for the RIYC after previous Rockabill VI victories in 2017 and 2019. 

The champion is joined by some potent RIYC clubmates; Andrew Algeo's J99 Juggerknot II, the Beneteau First 40 Prima Forte as well as George Sisk's Xp 44, WOW. 

Patrick Burke and Sean Lemass's First 40, Prima Forte

Patrick Burke and Sean Lemass's First 40 arrived in Dublin Bay in January last year and in her first season won DBSC's best performing new yacht award.  As regular Afloat readers will know, this all-round performer was previously named La Response, and before that formerly known as Courier Zen and a veteran of several Commodore's Cup teams under former owner Andrew McIrvine, an ex Admiral and Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

Andrew Algeo's J99 Juggerknot II

Algeo's Juggerknot II crew, who finished eighth in the 2019 race, is joined for this edition by Figaro campaigner Kenny Rumball. 

George Sisk’s Xp 44 Wow

George Sisk’s Xp 44 “Wow” was the 2019 Sovereign’s Cup winner in the coastal class, having delivered a hat-trick of wins and beating bigger sistership the Xp 50 Freya on her home waters off Kinsale in the Regatta’s Coastal Class but was scored as 'did not finish' in that year's D2D.

A fourth Royal Irish boat, Barry Cunningham's Sun Odyssey 490, ConQuestador is contesting the IRC Cruiser class.

Royal Irish Yachts in the 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race

• ConQuestador Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490, IRL4900, Skipper: Barry Cunningham, Class: IRC Cruiser, Rating: 1.079
• Juggerknot II J/99, IRL 3990, Skipper: Andrew Algeo, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.011
• Rockabill VI JPK 10.80, IRL 10800, Skipper: Paul O'Higgins, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.05
• WOW X-Yachts Xp44, IRLl4419, Skipper: George Sisk, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.124
• Prima Forte Beneteau, IRL4240, Skipper: Sean Lemass, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.078

The National Yacht Club's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race which starts on Wednesday, 9th June should go some way this season to compensating two Belfast Lough boats for the cancellation of the Bangor Town Regatta.

The IMX 38 eXcession, under the triple ownership of John Harrington, Ruan O'Tiarnaigh and Jonathan Mullholland, representing Royal Ulster, Ballyholme and Sutton Dinghy Club will start in the IRC Racing division.

Shaun Douglas's Beneteau 40.7 is entered under Ballyholme YC and Cockle Island BC. It is probably the first time the small Groomsport based club (CIBC) has had a representative in such a prestigious race. She will join eXcession in the IRC Racing division.

eXcession last raced in Dublin Bay in 2020 when she became the first Northern Ireland yacht to compete in ISORA racing in many years. So enthusiastic were the crew that after a fast turnaround they headed back North to race in Belfast Lough on the Sunday. No doubt the trio will be hoping to better the third in ISORA's IRC Class One last year.

John will deliver eXcession with Jonathan Mulholland, and Lough Neagh Sailing Club's Jim Tennyson and the return from Dingle will be skippered by David and Laura Anderson of Ballyholme, giving some of the less experienced crew some sea miles with hops along the South Coast.

For the big race, the crew will be John Harrington – Helm, Ruan O'Tiarnaigh - Skipper/helm, Ken Sharp - pit man and keyboards, John O'Connor – mastman, Jim Tennyson – trimmer, Stuart Ogg – foredeck, Robson Ogg – foredeck, Greg Bell – trimmer, Stephen Boyle - main sheet trimmer, John Bourke - trimmer/helm and Charlotte O'Tiarnaigh – trimmer.

After this event, John looks forward to the Strangford Narrows Series and then ISORA races out of Dublin. John and his crew are excited about the race to Dingle; "The crew are very much looking forward the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race. Adam Winkelmann and Olivier Prouveur and the National Yacht Club have done sterling work steering the event and the preparations through the challenges of Covid.  We feel very privileged to be able to enjoy our sport during this difficult time and we greatly appreciate the work of the officers, volunteers and fellow competitors that make it possible."

The other Northern yacht is Shaun Douglas's First 40.7 from Ballyholme and Cockle Island which has Michael Ennis of Strangford Lough YC and Colin Coffey from Belfast Lough as the movers and shakers. He says "I am keen to put something back into sailing so on the team for d2d are two
young lads in their early twenties – both Jody Thallon and Josh Coffey will learn a lot on this race".

Game Changer - a good show in Royal Ulster's inaugural race to Portaferry on Strangford Lough earlier this season

Shaun bought Game Changer less than a year ago; "When I was looking for a boat, this was the type of event I had in mind. So after this, we will race in the Round the Isle of Man event, West Highland Week, then the Irish Cruising Racing Association National Championships in early September". But before all that Shaun plans to have Game Changer back in Bangor for Royal Ulster's Ailsa Craig race at the end of June.

GameChanger is in good form having put up a good show in Royal Ulster's inaugural race to Portaferry on Strangford Lough when Douglas topped the IRC fleet.

"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future". Yogi Berra.

Long-range forecasts from numerous sites are being pored over avidly by crews competing in this year's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race commencing next Wednesday, June 9th at 1400. The general consensus seems to indicate that the 38-boat fleet (as previewed by WM Nixon here) will encounter 10 to 20-knot southerly veering southwesterly winds over the first 48 hours.

At this stage, there is potentially a temporary veering on Thursday along the south coast that could benefit the larger yachts, but only for a short period as the indication is for lighter winds on the Cork and Kerry coasts. If the winds blow as predicted there is a real chance that the entire race will be a two-sailer for a large portion of the fleet, with nothing abaft the beam currently in the forecast until early on Saturday morning.

"There is a real chance that the entire race will be a two-sailer for a large portion of the fleet"

It is hard to tell how this will impact the fleet - perhaps it will disadvantage the boats that are rigged for asymmetric sailing as there are currently unlikely to be favourable reaching angles. Perhaps the most telling factor might be the tide, particularly as the start time, two hours after high water, means that the big boats are unlikely to round the Tuskar before the second flood, perhaps giving an advantage to the lower-rated boats. It does mean that there will be rock-dodging activity along the Wexford coast in the twilight hours of Wednesday evening as the fleet seeks to avoid the stronger flood offshore.

So at this stage, there seems to be no great rating advantage due to the weather.

It's no surprise that as hosts of this Wednesday's  2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race, the National Yacht Club is also fielding the biggest number of boats from the participating 19 yacht clubs but what's perhaps less well known is the extent of involvement of the NYC's Under 30 section who occupy key roles on other boats in the fleet too and also in its biennial race management team.

Will Byrne (27): XP50 ‘Freya’ - Bow

As a previous IRC and Line Honours winner of the D2D with Rockabill in 2017, Will (pictured top) has a lot to prove after an unsuccessful 2019 campaign onboard XP44 WOW.

Will resumes bowman duties offshore on the Kinsale Yacht Club entry by taking a break from his usual role as boat captain and helm onboard Gringo in Dublin Bay.

Will's experience includes class wins in the Caribbean600, Fast40+ Class, IRC events across Europe as well as experience working with professional race teams around the world.

Gráinne Ryan

Gráinne Ryan (24): Race Committee

As a keen sailor who is a member of both the National Yacht Club and the Royal Dee Yacht Club Grainne is actively involved in the race management of ISORA. She also sat on the executive committee of the VDLR in the role of sustainability manager in 2019. In Dingle this year, Grainne is responsible for tracker management and compiling the results.

Saoirse Reynolds

Saoirse Reynolds (23) Benetau Figaro3 ‘Raw’

Following an injury forcing her to stop other sports back in 2015, Saoirse began keelboat racing and has since clocked up a few thousand miles offshore in ISORA, deliveries, sail training and races such as the Rolex Fastnet Race. Racing a broad variety of boats including the J97 “Windjammer” and 3600 “YOYO”, she is able to race any position in any conditions.

Saoirse regularly sails on Chris Power Smiths successful J122 “Aurelia” but will be getting her first taste of foiling on Conor Fogerty’s Beneteau Figaro 3 “Raw” for this year's edition of the race. Saoirse is a mentee of the Magenta Project, being mentored by short-handed sailor Deb Fish.

Nicole Hemeryck is sailing on the Grand Soleil 31, JustTina Photo: Afloat

Nicole Hemeryck (22) Grand Soleil 34 ‘JustTina’

Originally a dinghy sailor, Nicole has transitioned to large boats over the past few years, having accumulated hundreds of miles in racing and deliveries.

Following her first attempt at the D2D in 2019, Nicole is hoping to help the JustTina team to a successful D2D result this time around.

Mark O'Connor

Mark O’Connor (22) J122 ‘Aurelia’ - Bow

Mark will be working the Bow on Chris Power Smiths’ J122, Aurelia. This is Mark’s First D2D race, having sailed offshore for the previous 2 seasons including the Fastnet 450 race.

Mark's love of sailing began age 12 doing “Start sailing” in the National Yacht club, since then he has been sailing Toppers, Lasers, Fireflies and keelboats both home and abroad.

Oisin Cullen

Oisin Cullen (20) SunFast3600 ‘Hot Cookie’ - Bow/Trim

Oisin started sailing dinghies in Dun Laoghaire at 10 years old and at 14 had the opportunity to sail on the J109 Wakey Wakey which started Oisin’s long-standing competition in ISORA.

Oisin has accumulated thousands of miles offshore competing in some of the worlds premier races such as the Rolex Fastnet, D2D and Round Ireland Race along with a tall ships race from London to Sines, Portugal.

Oisin is also a keen inshore sailor having competed in regattas such as the Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Sovereigns week and Cowes Week. He also sails on J109 Jalapeño in DBSC.

Tom Shanahan, Gleb Romantchik and Kieran Hall

Tom Shanahan 22 - XP44 ‘WOW’ - Foredeck Team 

Tom will be racing aboard George Sisk’s XP44 WOW for the first time. Tom has been a member of the National since he could walk and grew up sailing in the junior section. He started racing offshore at a young age and has previously competed in two D2Ds aboard the J109 “Ruth”.

Tom enjoys racing around the cans in Dublin Bay as well as sailing with his university team during the academic year.

He is looking forward to a competitive fleet with close racing all around the Irish coast, as well as getting back to Dingle!

Gleb Romantchik - XP44 ‘WOW’ - Foredeck Team

Gleb will be racing aboard George Sisk’s XP44 WOW this year. Gleb grew up sailing in Schull, West Cark under the watchful eye of David Harte.

This will be Gleb's first D2D of what will hopefully be many.

Kieran Hall - XP44 ‘WOW’ - Foredeck Team

Kieran is racing aboard his usual boat, WOW. A Dublin Bay sailor at heart with plenty of offshore miles under his belt, but this will be his first Dingle.

He is looking forward to the starting gun!

Four Royal Cork boats are contesting Wednesday's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race including two noted offshore performers who have previously won big in Irish races. 

The RCYC foursome includes the Murphy family's Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo, last year's winner of the inaugural Fastnet 450 Race over a similar course from Dun Laoghaire to Cork Harbour. 

The Crosshaven flotilla also includes the former double Round Ireland Yacht Race winner Cavatina, a vintage 1978 Granada 38 skippered by Ian Hickey, that is a proven giant-killer.

Murphy sisters Molly and Mia are the drivers on the Grand Soleil Nieulargo in the 2021 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Photo: Bob Bateman

Also competing is Paul Tingle's X-34 Alpaca and David Coleman's Blue Oyster.

Paul and Deirdre Tingle's X34 Alpaca Photo: Bob Bateman

 Royal Cork Yacht Club boats in the 2021 D2D Race

• Alpaca X-Yachts X-34, IRL35221, Skipper: Paul and Deirdre Tingle, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 0.994
• Blue Oyster Oyster 37, IRL3852, Skipper: David Coleman, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 0.932
• Cavatina Granada 38, IRL3861, Skipper: Ian Hickey, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 0.928
• Nieulargo Grand Soleil 40, IRL 2129 Skipper: Denis & Annamarie Murphy, Class: IRC Racing, Rating: 1.023

As Afloat reported, the race is shaping up to be a highlight of the sailing season and has attracted a formidable line-up of Irish offshore sailing talent.

David Coleman's Oyster 37 Blue Oyster Photo: Bob Bateman

38 boats are lined up for Wednesday's start at 2 pm, a date that Afloat's WM Nixon is calling a Clarion Call for Ireland's 2021 Sailing Season.

Also racing from Royal Cork are pro sailors Mark Mansfield on the Dublin Sunfast 3600 Hot Cookie from the National Yacht Club and Maurice O'Connell on Pete Smyth's Sunfast 3600, Searcher from Howth.

A Howth Yacht Club favourite for Wednesday's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race has pulled out of the biennial race.

The entry has been withdrawn due to a number of factors, the most significant being that a key crew member has been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19.

National Yacht Club organisers at Race HQ in Dun Laoghaire Harbour have confirmed that John Murphy and Richard Colwell's much-fancied J109 Outrajeous will not be racing the 280-miler. 

Co-skipper Colwell, who is the Commodore of the Irish Cruiser Racing Association, told Afloat his crew is disappointed to be out of the race "A number of minor factors were working against us in the run-up but they could have been overcome. Then on top of this, a key crew member couldn’t come having been confirmed as a close contact of a confirmed case of Covid 19.  Despite our best efforts to find replacements, we have been unable to secure alternatives at the level required in that particular role"

As Afloat reported, the race is shaping up to be a highlight of the sailing season and has attracted a formidable line-up of Irish offshore sailing talent.

"We're disappointed not to be taking part, and we wish the race every success.  No doubt we will be in the start line in two years time", Colwell added.

Murphy and Colwell's Outrajeous, who are noted inshore performers, moved up the D2D form book last month and boosted their reputation as good all-rounders with a win in the breezy ISORA training race in mid-May.

The withdrawal puts the race entry at 38 boats for Wednesday's start at 2 pm, a date that Afloat's WM Nixon is calling a Clarion Call for Ireland's 2021 Sailing Season.

Way back whenever, as each wave of COVID seemed to sweep over its predecessor with a power worthy of Aileens herself, the incurable optimists among Ireland's sailors continued to hope that by some miracle we'd have reached a stage on June 9th 2021 where the sanctioned re-birth of proper sailing could be signalled by one of our steadfast pillar events, the NYC's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race.

And so it has come to pass. But as the Iron Duke would have put it, it has been a damned close-run thing. For with devilish cunning, the powers-that-be have designated Monday, June 7th as the earliest date when such happenings become permissible. And this is devilish cunning because landbound folk will have had two days of their Bank Holiday Weekend still restricted, whereas the offshore sailing brigade will have two clear days to get themselves and their boats into the right frame of mind for racing the 280 miles to Dingle.

Destination Dingle. Europe's most westerly marina may be in a setting very different from highly-urbanised Dun Laoghaire, but the biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race has formed strong links between the two townships since 1993

Even at that, continuing cross-channel restrictions mean that Welsh entries are out. But numbers have been kept up to 39 boats with input from the north. Thus while many pundits would have been content in the circumstances with a limited fleet, instead we're looking at a cracking lineup with an astonishing range of clubs represented – everywhere from Cockle Island Boat Club in the north on Belfast Lough, right round to Tralee Bay Sailing Club and Foynes YC in the west, the list as of yesterday (Friday) evening being:

Dun Laoghaire Dingle 2021 Race Fleet

• A Plus Archambault 31 IRL 977 Skipper: Mick Flynn NYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.978
• Alpaca X-Yachts X-34 IRL35221 Skipper: Paul and Deirdre Tingle Royal Cork Yacht Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.994
• Andante Yamaha 36  IRL 375 Skipper: Keith Miller Kilmore Quay B C Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.947
• Aquelina J-112E irl1507 Skipper: James Tyrrell Arklow Sailing Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.06
• Artful Dodger J109 IRL1713 Skipper: Finbarr O'Regan Kinsale YC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.006
• Aurelia J122 IRL 35950 Skipper: Patanne & Chris Power Smith RSGYC RORC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.075
• Blackjack Pocock 38 IRL 1988 Skipper: Peter Coad Waterford Harbour Sailing Club Class: IRC Double Handed Rating: 0.917
• Blaoga Dufour 45e IRL 1704 Skipper: Emmet Sheridan Howth YC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.074
• Blue Oyster Oyster 37 IRL3852 Skipper: David Coleman RCYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.932
• Cambrinus Bavaria 46 GBR5702T Skipper: Robert Marchant WHSC Class: IRC Cruiser Rating: 1.021
• Cavatina Granada 38 IRL3861 Skipper: Ian Hickey Royal Cork Yacht Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.928
• Cinnamon Girl SUNFAST 3300 IRL 1627 Skipper: Cian McCarthy Kinsale YC Class: Double handed Racing Rating: 1.026
• ConQuestador Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 IRL4900 Skipper: Barry Cunningham Royal Irish Yacht Club Class: IRC Cruiser Rating: 1.079
• Desert Star Irish Offshore Sailing Jeanneau Sunfast 37 IRL 1397 Skipper: Ronan O Siochru RORC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.953
• Elantic Elan IRL 4001 Skipper: Clarke Allen Arklow Sailing Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.017
• Excession X Yacht IMX 38 IRL1880 Skipper: John Harrington RUYC, BYC, SDC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.014
• Freya Xp50 IRL 5077 Skipper: Conor Doyle Kinsale YC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.185
• Gambit Sigma 38 GBR3800C Skipper: Joe Kiernan Foynes Yacht Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.968
• Game Changer Beneteau 40.7 GBR704R Skipper: Shaun Douglas BYC / CIBC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.042
• Hot Cookie Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 GBR7536R Skipper: John O'Gorman NYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.036
• Humdinger Jeanneau 1357 Skipper: John Conlon Arklow Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.98
• Indian J109 IRL1543 Skipper: Simon Knowles Howth YC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.006
• Juggerknot II J/99 IRL 3990 Skipper: Andrew Algeo RIYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.011
• JustTina Grand Soleil IRL 1586 Skipper: Johnny Treanor NYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.019
• Meridian Salona 45 IRL 4076 Skipper: Thomas Roche Kinsale Yacht Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.094
• More Mischief First 310 IRL966 Skipper: Grzegorz Kalinecki ISA Class: IRC Double Handed Rating: 0.911
• Mynx Swan 46 IRL 8882 Skipper: Kenneth Cunnane Tralee Bay Sailing Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.064
• Nieulargo Grand Soleil 40 B&C IRL 2129 Skipper: Denis & Annamarie Murphy Royal Cork Yacht Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.023
• Outrajeous J109 IRL19109 Skipper: John Murphy Howth Yacht Club & WHSC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.005
• Prima Forte Beneteau IRL4240 Skipper: Sean Lemass NYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.078
• Raw Figaro 3 IRL1610 Skipper: Conor Fogerty HYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.115
• Rockabill VI JPK 10.80 IRL 10800 Skipper: Paul O'Higgins RIYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.05
• Samatom XC45 GBR1345R Skipper: ROBERT RENDELL Howth Yacht Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.074
• Searcher SUNFAST 3600 GBR 2729 R Skipper: Pete Smyth National Yacht Club Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.041
• Springer Sigma33 OOD IRL 4464 Skipper: Ian Bowring RStGYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 0.915
• Suaimhneas Etap 32S IRL1871 Skipper: Angus Lee Kilmore Quay Class: IRC Double Handed Rating: 0.926
• Tsunami First 40.7 IRL4007 Skipper: Vincent Farrell NYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.051
• WOW X-Yachts Xp44 IRLl4419 Skipper: George Sisk RIYC Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.124
• YOYO Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 3618 Skipper: Brendan Coghlan Royal St George Class: IRC Racing Rating: 1.036

The little natural harbour of Groomsport on the south shore of Belfast Lough is sheltered by Cockle Island which gives its name to Cockle Island Boat Club, home base of the First 40.7 Game Changer (Shaun Douglas), an entry in next week's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race 

In all, 19 clubs are involved as listed with entries, and when we add in crewmembers who'll have been recruited from other centres through networks such as the Irish Cruiser Racing Association and the Ancient Brotherhood of the Waterfront, there must be few clubs in Ireland which won't have a representative in the fleet heading out from Dun Laoghaire next Wednesday at 2.0pm.

In official terms, as you'd expect it's the heavy-hitting clubs that send forth the most numerous representation, with the hosting National YC putting out five boats, as does Howth in what seems to be a post-COVID resurgence of offshore enthusiasm in the Fingal club, a throwback to the distant days when HYC once provided two out of the three boats for the Irish Admiral's Cup team, and regularly topped the ISORA Championships.

Howth gets moving: Robert Rendell's new Samatom – entered for the race to Dingle - is a Grand Soleil 44

Next in line numerically are Royal Cork and Royal Irish with four boats apiece, the former's flotilla including last year's superstar, the Murphy family's Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo, while the RIYC foursome includes the defending champion, Paul O'Higgins' JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI. She kept her hand in by retaining the ISORA championship in its truncated from last year, and if she can keep the Dingle title next week, it will be an unprecedented three in a row – the "threepeat" - for this particular challenge.

The pent-up enthusiasm for getting some real offshore racing is indicated by there being only four entries for the two-handed division, despite two-handed racing having been very much on trend before our spiky friend arrived from the Orient. Skippers aspiring to be fully-crewed have had no trouble filling the places, but meanwhile, the lonesome four include the lowest-rated and smallest boat in the fleet, Grzegorz Kalinecki's First 310 More Mischief from Dun Laoghaire, which chimes in at 0.911. Next up is Peter Coad's comfortable Pocock 38 Blackjack from Waterford Harbour SC at Dunmore East, rating on 0.917, then there's Angus Lee's Etap 32S Suaimhneas from Kilmore Quay, rating 0.926, while effectively in a different league is Cian McCarthy's Sun Fast 3300 Cinnamon Girl from Kinsale, stratospherically rated at 1.026.

The smallest boat in the fleet, and the lowest-rated too, Grzegorz Kalinecki's First 310 is Dun Laoghaire-based. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O'Brien

Two noted sometime double-handers who are pooling resources with a full crew are Andrew Algeo (RIYC) and Kenneth Rumball of RL Sailing aboard the former's J/99 Juggerknot II, as logistics and quarantine made it impossible to think of getting the latter's Figaro 3 on station - in fact, we won't see a Figaro 3 making a two-handed bash at the Dingle challenge, as Conor Fogerty of Howth will be racing his Raw fully-crewed.

After the brisk breezes of recent days, the signs are that a strengthening high pressure system will be hovering over and around Ireland for much of the race – as of yesterday (Friday) evening, the Met Eireann set of forecasts indicate it building from 1026 to 1039 for the duration. Inevitably this means a slow race – prudent crews might think of extra vittles to keep them up to performance – but encouragement can be drawn from other forecasts showing a better breeze – albeit sou'westerly – while the latter part of next week has the Jetstream clear to the northwest of Ireland running southwest to northeast, so the outlook is very good for summery conditions.

The crew of Andrew Algeo's J/99 Juggerknot 2 will include Kenneth Rumball of RL Sailing. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O'Brien

It's reckoned light airs are something of a challenge for the defending champion Rockabill VI, yet that said, JPK 10.80s have plenty of light air victories in their CVs, as has Rockabill herself. But they may have to try that bit harder to keep ahead of the notably swift J/109 Outrajeous (Johnny Murphy & Richard Colwell) which did her reputation as a good all-rounder no harm at all with a win in the breezy ISORA training race in mid-May, when another fancied runner, Chris & Patanne Power Smith's J/122 Aurelia (RStGYC), was also flexing her racing muscles.

(Above) The J/109 Outrajeous (Richard Colwell & Johnny Murphy) is a noted light weather performer but also performed well in breeze in the first training run of the 2021 ISORA season (below)

Meanwhile up north Shaun Douglas's First 40.7 Game Changer had recorded a light airs win in the pop-up Belfast Lough to Strangford Lough race, and while First 40.7s have been around for some time now, they set a decent spread of sail, and can give a good account of themselves in light airs.

Skippers and crews on the smallest lowest-rated boats like to think that very light airs and flat calms favour them, as the whole fleet is sitting stopped and the time is piling up to their advantage. But such mirror-like conditions occur only very rarely, and often it's the case that the big boats get clean away while the fleet still has breeze, and they continue to stay in breeze and get ever further ahead while the smaller boat stay stuck, their pain aggravated by suffering disproportionately from adverse tides.

Xp44 WOW (George Sisk, RIYC) - one of the fleet's top ratings at 1.124

In this Dingle jaunt, the biggest boat is Conor Doyle’s Xp50 Freya from Kinsale, the highest-rated at 1.185, while the smaller Xp44 WOW (George Sisk, RIYC) may be lower rated at 1.124, still quite a lot of numbers to be carrying. It is perfectly possible to visualise a scenario where these two boats – along with other biggies like Robert Rendell's new Grand Soleil 44 Samatom – will get themselves clear ahead in a separate group and keep piling on the lead in increasingly different conditions from the rest of the fleet.

Conor Doyle's Xp50 Freya from Kinsale will be the largest boat racing to Dingle. Photo: Robert Bateman  

Yet we then remember that this is exactly what happened with Anthony O'Leary and the red Ker 39 Antix in 2015's race, such that he was out of sight in every sense of the word south of Galley Head. But then the wind left him for long enough to enable the front runners in the rest of the fleet to close up, and while Antix retained line honours, it wasn't by enough of a margin to retain a handicap lead which had previously seemed unassailable.

Nevertheless, in order to encourage the smaller craft, Race Chairman Adam Winkelmann has announced two new trophies, and one of them is for competition among all boats rating under 1.000, of which there are nine in all, including Ian Hickey's eternally-successful Cavatina from Cork.

Ian Hickey's successful Granada 38 Cavatina from Cork will be a favourite for the new trophy for boats rating 1.00 or less

Then too, while the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race was founded in 1993 as being something of a biennial fun alternative to the rather grown-up and serious Round Ireland Race, there's no doubt that over the years it has – for some at least – become a very serious contest, a trend which is more evident in this year of all years, so the second new trophy is for the winner of a Corinthian Division.

There is also additional focus on top helms under the age of 25, with Cian Jones of Cork doing driving duties on the RIYC's Patrick Burke's First 40 Prima Forte to put her head-to-head with fellow RCYC ace female sailors, the Murphy sisters Molly and Mia on Nieulargo.

Patrick Burke's First 40 Prima Forte

At a more senior level, the Open Division will include other serious sailors, and as ever it is sailmakers who'll be expected to make much of the pace, a fancied entrant being Pete Smyth's new Sun Fast 3600 Searcher from the National YC, his crew including the Prof from North Sails, together with Nicky Smyth, Tim Greenwood, Ross Deasy, Mikey Brown and Dave Cotter – a formidable lineup.

This will provide all the makings of a real ding-dong, as Searcher's sister-ship Hot Cookie (John O'Gorman, NYC) has the impressive talents of Mark Mansfield on board to add to the strength and provide an intriguing duel-within-a-race.

Pete Smyth's Sun Fast 3600 Searcher (National YC) is fresh out of the box, and fancied to be in the frame in the race to Dingle

Searcher's sister-ship Hot Cookie (John O'Gorman, NYC) has Olympian Mark Mansfield on board

Yet as ever, Paul O'Higgins' Rockabill will have a crew made up of the cream of Dun Laoghaire's seasoned talent, hugely experienced people who now know the boat intimately, so the slightest sneeze by the opposition will see the titleholder taking full advantage.

It has to be said that after the frustrations and crises of the past 18 months, we still need to pinch ourselves from time to time to be completely sure that we really are writing this morning about a real race – and a classic at that – actually taking place in just four days time.

Race Chairman Adam Winkelmann is himself a veteran of five Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Races

But such is the case, and all power to Adam Winkelmann (who has raced to Dingle five times) and his team for keeping the faith. However, he tells us that it hasn't been a case of hanging in there all alone. On the contrary, as the National Emergence-from-Pandemic Plans became clarified, the amount of encouragement he and his committee quietly received from all sides was extremely heartening in keeping this very important show on the road, and good luck to all involved in it, in whatever capacity.

It’s only a week since the listings opened for the National YC’s 2021 Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race scheduled for June 9th, and already 15 definite entries have arrived in with such speed that the organising committee - under chairman Adam Winkelmann – have said they may have to be prepared to look at an upper limit of 50 boats.

The initial lineup includes defending champion Rockabill VI, Paul O’Higgins’ JPK 10.80 which was also first on her debut on 2017, so the O’Higgins team have set the stakes high in aiming for the “Threepeat” in this classic 280-mile challenge which always provides competitors with a remarkable variety of sailing.

As this list shows, many of the great and the good in Irish offshore racing have led the way in putting themselves into the mix, including the star boat of 2020's two significant race, the Murphy family’s Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo from Cork, victor in both the Kinsale-Fastnet-Kinsale Race, and the Fastnet 450 from Dublin Bay round the Fastnet and back to Cork Harbour.

And even at this early stage, there’s an international element, as Solent-based Royal Irish YC member Niall Dowling – overall winner of the 2018 Round Ireland with the Ker 43 Baraka GP – has entered with the Ker 40+ Arabella.

See race entries here

Niall Dowling’s Ker 43 Baraka GP at the start of her doubly-successful 2018 Round Ireland Race from Wicklow. Niall Dowling returns, this time for the D2D 2021, with the newer Ker 40+ Arabella. Photo: Afloat.ie/David O’Brien

Previous race entrants will be offered an early entry option into June's 2021 Volvo Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Race before entry is opened to others boats to allow up to a maximum of 50 for the 280-miler. 

The next edition of the biennial offshore race will start on Wednesday 9th, June 2021, ​a date that has already prompted Afloat's WM Nixon in his first look at the 2021 season, to predict 'it could become symbolic of the emergence from pandemic'. 

The timing of the National YC's biennial offshore race – a week after Howth Yacht Club's Lambay Race on June 4th – is designed so boats participating can use the race to get south in time for O'Leary's Sovereigns Week in Kinsale (June 23 – 26) and then be back well in time in Dun Laoghaire for the Volvo Dun Laoghaire IRC Regatta (July 8 -11).

The National YC's biennial Volvo Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race, currently scheduled for June 9th 2021, could become symbolic of the emergence from pandemic. The start of 2019's race shows overall winner Paul O'Higgin's JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (left) showing briefly ahead of Mick Cotter's 94ft line honours winner and new course record-setter Windfall

The 2021 race is also on the RORC and ISORA race calendars and offers boats in those series to accumulate qualifying offshore racing experience for crews participating in the RORC Fastnet Race in August to its new finish in Cherbourg.

"The 2021 race is on the RORC and ISORA race calendars"

A Notice of Race from the Principal Race Officer Con Murphy is expected shortly and online race entry is expected to open at the end of January in line with the timing of previous editions.

2021 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Chairman Adam Winkelmann - 'We welcome Volvo Cars again as the title sponsor for the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race and would like to thank them for their continuous support'

The 2021 280-mile race will start, as usual, from the National Yacht Club and the race – now part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club calendar – will be limited to a 50 boat fleet following the success of the 2019 edition that attracted a record 43, including the biggest ever entrant, Windfall that set a new course record.

Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Chairman Adam Winkelmann has named the date for the next edition of the biennial offshore race as Wednesday 9th, June 2021.

The 2021 280-mile race will start, as usual, from the National Yacht Club and Winkelmann says the race – now part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club calendar – will be limited to a 50 boat fleet following the success of this month's edition that attracted a record 43, including the biggest ever entrant, Windfall that set a new course record.

Previous entrants will be offered an early entry option in the race before entry is opened to others to allow up to a maximum of 50.

Adam Winkelmann - has set the date for the 2021 race Photo: Dominick Walsh

More on the Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race here.