The Dún Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club's Kish Challenge sponsored by Leinster Boats returns to Dublin Bay on Sunday, September 27th, with racing and cruising divisions again featuring in the annual end-of-season fixture.
The 2026 Challenge has a warning signal scheduled for 10.55am, while boats taking part in the cruising division will have a separate starting window rather than a specific start time.
The cruising division was introduced last year at the suggestion of the sponsor and is intended for boats wishing to sail around the Kish in company rather than race.
Weather Has Shaped Recent Kish Races
The Kish has traditionally provided a late-season test for Dublin Bay sailors, although in recent years simply getting the race sailed has provided its own challenge.
In 2023, Pete Smyth's National Yacht Club Sun Fast 3600 Searcher won the Kish Race after the original September fixture was postponed for a week because of strong winds. The rescheduled race attracted 36 starters, with Smyth's crew leading the fleet on handicap.
There was another weather interruption in 2024 when the scheduled September race was postponed. Justin Burke's JPK 10.30 ReQuest took the 2024 title when racing eventually went ahead on October 6th, although heavy conditions meant the course was shortened to the Shanganagh buoy in Killiney Bay.
Seven Seconds Decided 2025 Challenge
Last year's event brought a significant development with the introduction of a cruising division alongside the established racing element.
Again, the weather had its say. The original September 28th fixture was abandoned because of a complete lack of wind before the fleet returned to Dublin Bay a week later.
Strong conditions on the rescheduled date meant the fleet raced to the Bray Mark rather than the Kish itself. Aurelia took the 2025 Kish Challenge victory by just seven seconds from Valentina on corrected time, with Rockabill VI third.
September 27th Start for 2026
For 2026, the racing and cruising formats are retained, with the cruising fleet again providing an option for sailors who want to make the passage around the Kish in company without racing.
Sailing Instructions will be available on the DMYC website a week before the Challenge. The Notice of Race and entry forms are already available, with entries closing at 6pm on Saturday, September 26th.
And given the event's recent encounters with the weather, organisers have again provided a contingency date. Should conditions prevent the Challenge taking place on September 27th, a further attempt will be made on Sunday, October 4th.
See Afloat's Kish Race archive for more previews, reports and results from the annual DMYC event.
