We've added more photos from today's opening races of the ICRA Championships to the Afloat Gallery. Click here to see more from photographer Bob Bateman.

Yacht designer Mark Mills of Wicklow, the Irish Sailor of the Year, will be represented by at least five sailing designs on three different teams at the next Commodores Cup to be held off Cowes in August. It will be of interest for ICRA members to know that  with some teams still being finalized, the tally so far includes the custom IRC 39 Mariners Cove in the Ireland team, Hong Kong returning with the Summit 40 Blondie and the custom 40 Mandrake II (ex Ngoni), and the South Africans joining the event with the Landmark 43 Windpower and the Summit 40 Tokoloshe.

Buoyed up by Friday's bumper entry the forward thinking Irish Cruiser Racer Association is forging ahead with preparations for the next national sailing championships by announcing venues up to four years in advance. Next year the event is heading south to Royal Cork, the second time it will be staged there. In 2012 it will be staged by Howth Yacht Club. In 2013 it will be held at Tralee Bay SC in Fenit and in 2014 it comes back to Dun Laoghaire, to the Royal Irish Yacht Club.