Howth Yacht Club J109 'Outrajeous' Pulls Out of Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race

6th June 2021

Afloat.ie Team

John Murphy and Richard Colwell's much-fancied J109 Outrajeous is out of next week's Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race Credit: Afloat

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The entry has been withdrawn due to a number of factors, the most significant being that a key crew member has been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19.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

Published in Dun Laoghaire Dingle, J109, Howth YC

Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Live Tracker 2023

Track the progress of the 2023 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Yacht Race fleet on the live tracker above and the leaderboard below

Dun Laoghaire Dingle Race Live Leaderboard 2023

The 16th edition of the 280-mile race organised by the National Yacht Club starts at 2 pm on Wednesday, June 7th, on Dublin Bay.

Read the full 2023 race preview by WM Nixon here
Read all the D2D Race News in one handy link here
Listen to Lorna Siggins's interview with Race Chairman Adam Winkelmann on Afloat's Wavelengths here

WM Nixon will be posting regular race updates and analysis throughout the 2023 race here

Published in Dun Laoghaire Dingle

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Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Yacht Race Information

The biennial Dun Laoghaire to Dingle race is a 320-miles race down to the east coast of Ireland, across the south coast and into Dingle harbour in County Kerry.

The race is organised by the National Yacht Club.

It never fails to offer a full range of weather, wind and tide to the intrepid entrants, ranging from a 32ft cruiser to a 79ft all-out racer.

Three divisions are available to enter: cruiser (boats equipped with furlers), racing (the bulk of the fleet) and also two-handed.

D2D Course change overruled

In 2019, the organisers considered changing the course to allow boats to select routes close to shore by removing the requirement to go outside Islands and Lighthouses en route, but following input from regular participants, the National Yacht Club decided to stick with the tried and tested course route in order to be fair to large and smaller boats and to keep race records intact.

D2D Course record time

Mick Cotter’s 78ft Whisper established the 1 day and 48 minutes course record for the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race in 2009 and that time stood until 2019 when Cotter returned to beat his own record but only just, the Dun Laoghaire helmsman crossing the line in Kerry to shave just 20 seconds off his 2009 time.