K2Q Day One 1730 - The two biggest yachts in the K2Q fleet - both from Howth - are in a tacking duel off the Wicklow and Wexford coasts this Friday afternoon.
The Dun Laoghaire to Cork Race, which is a revival of the first-ever Irish offshore race from Kingstown to Queenstown of 1860, assembled a fleet of 12 for this morning's start off Dun Laoghaire Harbour.
An upwind start saw the fleet keep close to the shore to escape the worst of the Dublin Bay flood tide.
The first K2Q race in its new format gets underway off Dun Laoghaire with 13 starters for two races in one Photo: Afloat
And with just over six hours on the clock into an estimated 38-hour race, it's Robert Rendell's Grand Soleil 44 Samatom from Howth that narrowly leads on the water and on handicap from club mates Dave Cullen and Nigel Biggs' First 50, Checkmate XX.
The two leaders met earlier this season on a long 120-mile Dublin coastal race with Checkmate XX coming out on top in her ISORA debut.
Dave Cullen and Nigel Biggs' First 50, Checkmate XX in against the Dalkey shore on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat
The two boats have been swapping the lead on each update of the tracker as they navigate down the east coast of Ireland.
Peter Dunlop and Vicky Cox of Pwllheli Sailing Club sailing the J109 Mojito are one of three Welsh yachts competing Photo: Afloat
Holding third is the former ISORA champion Mojito, a North Wales-based J109 skippered by Peter Dunlop and Vicky Cox of Pwllheli Sailing Club, one of three Welsh boats competing.
George Sisk's Wow, an Extreme 37, on starboard and Andrew Hall's J125 Jackknife in the early stages of the race on Dublin Bay Photo: Afloat
As Afloat reported earlier, organised by ISORA and SCORA in association with the National Yacht Club and Royal Cork Yacht Club, the race had received 26 entries but in the end only half that number made the line this morning, the timing between the Round Ireland Race and Cork Week Regatta getting the blame for the fall-off.
Denis & Annamarie Murphy's Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo is one of two Cork yachts competing in the K2Q Race Photo: Afloat
But regardless of the fleet size, there is no shortage of competition as the fleet stays close to the Wexford coast with over miles sailed of the 260-mile course that also features a race within a race and a shorter 160-mile option.
See trackers for both races below
