Ireland's coastal town of Dun Laoghaire on Dublin Bay is set to host the next IRC European Championship in September 2024, the 2023 international IRC Congress held in Paris heard recently.

Irishman Michael Boyd, who chaired the Congress and is also Chairman of the IRC Board, told delegates the biennial event will "draw sailors from across Europe and beyond, offering challenging competition and the opportunity to experience the beauty of Irish waters". 

As Afloat reported earlier, the Bay's Royal Irish Yacht Club confirmed three major keelboat events for September 2024. 

2024 will be the second Irish hosting of the IRC Euros, the inaugural championship was raced as part of  Cork Week in 2016.

The 2023 International IRC Congress was hosted by the Yacht Club de France, joint owners of the international IRC rating rule with the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

The meeting was well attended, with representatives of several countries present along with the IRC teams from the UK and France, while others around the world participated by video conference.

IRC is a rating rule made by sailors for sailors, illustrated by the fact that most IRC Congress members are racing sailors and talking to boat owners, with direct experience on the water that helps shape the proposals and decisions they make in the meeting room.

Reports from the different nations spanning various continents and sailing cultures offered a comprehensive global perspective on IRC racing. This panoramic view helps to identify underlying trends and facilitates valuable exchanges of insights among members from different countries.

Technical developments of the IRC rating rule

The IRC Congress announced a series of rule changes for the 2024 racing season. These changes have been carefully considered and approved by Congress and their aim is to ensure the fairness and competitiveness of IRC racing while addressing specific concerns and developments in the sailing community. The IRC Technical Committee and IRC Congress are committed to keeping the IRC rule system responsive to the evolving needs and practices of today’s sailing community while protecting the existing fleet.

The biggest change for 2024 is the introduction of rating the number of headsails carried. Carrying multiple headsails can give a distinct advantage due to flexibility in a boat’s sail wardrobe for varying conditions, and the ability to increase headsail area by multiple headsails set flying, particularly for larger boats and in a reaching configuration.

From 2024, the number of headsails carried aboard will be rated in IRC. Photo: Paul Wyeth

For Endorsed IRC certificates any sails certified (measured) after 31st December 2023 will require a measurement sticker or stamp. Sail stamps serve as a visual confirmation that a sail has been properly measured and complies with the rating certificate, and aid equipment inspection at events when checking sails. The design of IRC flying headsails has been opened up with a reduction in the minimum half-width ratio from 62.5% to 60%.

The IRC Technical Committee is committed to further enhancing transparency within the world of competitive sailing and discussions at Congress included improving openness and providing valuable insights into boat ratings and their influencing factors while preventing the potential misuse of data. It is proposed to publish page 2 of the IRC certificate to provide sailors and the sailing community with a clear understanding of each boat's equipment and measurements, such as the number of sails that should be aboard.

IRC events 'thriving'

The conference heard that "events are central to the success of IRC and these events "continue to thrive", with many events seeing notably close results. As well as the major offshore races using IRC, continental championships continue to grow.

Dubai will play host to the 2023 IRC Middle East Championship this December, promising to bring together sailors from the region, offering them a platform to showcase their skills in unique Middle Eastern conditions.

Looking further ahead to the Admiral’s Cup in 2025, RORC has already received interest from over 20 countries, underscoring the event's and IRC’s international appeal.

The IRC Congress Minutes and papers are published here

The 2024 agreed rule changes and full rule text will be published on ircrating.org when finalised.

The Notice of Race is now available for the fifth edition of the Drheam Cup, which will take place from 11-21 July 2024.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the competition’s three courses will be identical to the previous edition’s, between Cherbourg-en Cotentin and La Trinité-sur-Mer.

Eleven classes are invited to the race: Ultime, Imoca, Ocean Fifty, Class40, Figaro Beneteau 3, Mini 6.50, Multi 2000, Large Monohulls Open class, IRC, classic yachts and for the first time the new Sun Fast 30 one design, whose design was initiated by the RORC and UNCL - Racing Division of Yacht Club de France.

What’s more, all results will count towards the RORC Championship and it will be the second race in the IRC Two-Handed European Championship.

RORC Vice-Commodore Eric de Turckheim, who confirmed he will be taking the start in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin on board his NYMD 54 Teasing Machine on 15 July, said: “We brought the 2022 edition of La Drheam-Cup/Grand Prix de France de Course au Large into the RORC calendar as it fulfilled our criteria: a great course, open to IRC, a race authority the meets the standards of the RORC and it does not run the same years as the Rolex Fastnet Race.

“Following that edition, we discussed with Debbie Fish, who will soon succeed me as head of the programme and race commission, to establish a number of conditions for La Drheam-Cup/Grand Prix de France de Course au Large to award points and enter the RORC Championship. This meant an audit of sailing instructions, safety, inspections of boats, etc. Jacques Civilise [president of Drheam-Promotion, organisers of the race] and his team met our demands, leading us to this decision to integrate the race into our championship.”

The fifth Dhream Cup will also be the second leg of the second edition of the IRC Two Handed European Championship, organised in part by the RORC. “In 2024, the two events that will be included are Cowes-Dinard-Saint-Malo and La Drheam-Cup,” De Turckheim said.

The Notice of Race is available HERE.

It's been quite a year for Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews racing Sun Fast 3200 Cora. After winning IRC Two-Handed and IRC Three for the 2023 RORC Season's Points Championship, Cora has become the Royal Ocean Racing Club's 2023 IRC Double-Handed National Champions.

Cora won the Salcombe Gin Castle Rock Race at the beginning of the month and scored a double-win on Saturday, 09 September, in the final race. Cora took line honours and the win after IRC time correction for Race Two.

Last year's championship winner, Mike Yates' J/109 JAGO, racing with Will Holland, was second to Cora by narrow margins in both races. Rob Craigie's Sun Fast 3600 Bellino was third for the championship. In Race Two, Kathy Claydon's Arcona 370 Arcsine, racing with Phil Kirk, finished third after IRC time correction.

The next race organised by RORC will be the 15th edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race. The 3000-mile race across the Atlantic starts from Marina Lanzarote on 7th January.

Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster has won the 2023 RORC Channel Race overall under IRC. The top three boats in IRC Two filled the overall race podium with less than four minutes between them after IRC time correction. Ian Hoddle’s Sun Fast 3300 Game On, racing with Ollie Wyatt was second overall and won IRC Two-Handed. Third overall was Gareth Edmondson’s JPK 1030 Insert Coin. Congratulations to all the IRC Class winners including IRC Zero winner Henry Bateson’s Iceni 39 Andrasta, skippered by Bill Edgerton with the RORC Griffin Youth Team. In IRC One, Gilles Fournier & Corinne Migraine’s J/133 Pintia was the winner.

The penultimate race of the RORC Season’s Points Championship proved to be a windy affair with 20-25 knots of south westerly wind for most of 145nm race. Starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line the fleet beat west leaving North Head to Port to avoid the worst effects of the tide and wind at The Needles. The beat continued as far as Peveril Ledge off Swanage. A downwind sleigh ride back to the southside of the Isle of Wight and as far east as Shoreham Outfall, had boats hitting over 20 knots of boat speed. In the hours of darkness, a series of shorter legs, at a variety of wind angles, tested the boat handling and stamina of the teams. The finish was at Browndown in the Eastern Solent.

Ross Applebey’s Scarlet Oyster, with a highly experienced crew that has raced thousands of miles together, got away to a great start and revelled in the upwind conditions to get into a strong position after IRC time correction by Peveril Ledge. “We might have been a little under canvassed at the start but with the possibility of 30 knot gusts, our main aim was to get away to a clean start out of The Solent and not make life unnecessarily hard,” explained Ross Applebey. “We played the shifts pretty well to Peveril Ledge, and got there a little ahead of our routing,” continued Ross.

Scarlet Oyster’s competition in the race included a number of downwind flyers and sail damage to Scarlet Oyster also slowed the displacement Oyster 48 for the middle part of the race, which was all off the breeze.

“From Peveril Ledge to The Needles Fairway it was a deep starboard-tack reach and we had our A4 up with the boat achieving 17 knots of boat speed.” However, just as Scarlet Oyster approached The Needles Fairway Buoy a big gust hit the boat blowing the head off the kite. “In windy conditions we rig to drop the kite into the cockpit with a retrieval line, so two of the crew immediately got onto that. This kept much of the bottom of the kite out of the water and the rest of the crew was able to get it back on board fairly quickly. We then elected to hoist the Jib Top and a staysail, which was a little under powered but okay. At St. Catherine’s we had a bear-away and with no A4, we had to hoist our old A3. Meanwhile the downwind flyers, especially Game On and Insert Coin, were making big gains hitting over 20 knots of boat speed. Pintia had gone for their Code Zero and was really flying.”

As Scarlet Oyster approached Owers the wind went aft, which did not suite their sail set up. “We just couldn’t get deep enough with our A3 and the risk out-weighed the reward of keeping it flying. We poled out our Jib Top and set another jib to leeward, it was slower than a spinnaker but it reduced our losses and was far less stressful. However by Shoreham Overfalls we were probably last in IRC Two, but racing against surfing boats this was what we expected. We knew that with a heavy strong crew we could make up our time for the upwind legs; this was our forte. ” commented Applebey.

Approaching Shoreham Overalls, the Scarlet Oyster crew readied themselves and the boat for a big finish. “We went through our checklist and got the boat set up so that we would be straight into our stride for upwind trim. Very quickly we saw the gains; the crew were all hiked out and with full enthusiasm remaining until the finish. Our expectations increased as we realised that we would have a slight tidal advantage on the boats behind us.”

Scarlet Oyster won The Channel Race after IRC time correction, beating Game On and Insert Coin by less than four minutes after over 18 hours of racing. “The IRC rule does a good job,” commented Ross Applebey. “The course setters gave a good balance of upwind and downwind angles, it just shows if you have a great team that is focused and committed, an older displacement boat can compete with modern well-sailed planing yachts under IRC.”

Gilles Fournier and Corinne Migraine’s J/133 Pintia Photo: Paul Wyeth

Seven boats that retired during The Channel Race have been accounted for with no reports of any injuries to racing crew. Sun Fast 3300 Atomic was dismasted in 20 knots of wind, east of Bembridge IOW. Ronan Banim’s Galahad of Cowes and Mark Rayward’s Stormcloud should both be commended; both retired from the race to stand by to assist Atomic.

The final race of the 2023 RORC Season’s Points Championship will be the Salcombe Gin Castle Rock Race starting on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line, Friday 01 September from 1800 BST. The Salcombe Gin Castle Rock Race is also Race One of the IRC Double-Handed National Championship. 

RORC Channel Race results here

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Channel Race is set to take place on Saturday, August 12th, as part of the RORC Season's Points Championship.

Although the number of participating boats will be significantly lower than the world record entry for the Rolex Fastnet Race, competition will be intense as sailors compete for points in the world's largest offshore racing series.

After analysing weather forecasts, the RORC Race Team will set a course starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line, heading west for approximately 120 nautical miles. Spectators can watch the start from Cowes Parade and along the shore of the Western Solent.

Ross Hobson's Open 50 Pegasus of Northumberland (GBR)

IRC Zero

Among the line honours contenders in IRC Zero are Ross Hobson's Open 50 Pegasus of Northumberland (GBR) (that is still seeking a Round Ireland record) and Arto Livorno's Infiniti 52 Tulikettu (FIN). Although both boats have similar IRC ratings and canting keels, Tulikettu is a new concept incorporating DSS side foils, and is significantly lighter than Pegasus, which has more sail area and has been raced by Hobson for many years. Other boats in the class include Mark Emerson's A13 Phosphorous II (GBR) and Henry Bateson's Iceni 39 Andrasta, skippered by Bill Edgerton with the RORC Griffin Youth Team.

IRC One

In IRC One, Gilles Fournier & Corinne Migraine's J/133 Pintia (FRA) is back in action after winning IRC One for the 2023 Fastnet Race. Tom Scott's X-50 Itma (GBR) is the top-rated boat in the class, skippered by Australian Ben Rahilly, while RORC Treasurer Derek Shakespeare will race J/122 Bulldog (GBR) in the class.

Rob Craigie’s Sun Fast 3600 Bellino Photo: Paul Wyeth

IRC Two

Rob Craigie's Sun Fast 3600 Bellino (GBR) is leading IRC Two for the season and is second in IRC Two-Handed. Racing Two-Handed with Deb Fish, Bellino will also be defending their class win in the 2022 RORC Channel Race. Other boats in the class include Jim & Ellie Driver's Sun Fast 3300 Chilli Pepper (GBR), Trevor Middleton's Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep, skippered by Jake Carter, and Ross Applebey's Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster (GBR).

Nick Lee's Projection 920 Wee Bear (GBR), racing Two-Handed with Kare Woodward Photo: Rick Tomlinson

IRC Three

In IRC Three, Tim Goodhew & Kelvin Matthews racing Sun Fast 3200 Cora (GBR) will rest for August, but Mike Yates' J/109 Jago, racing Two-Handed, will be looking to close the gap in the RORC Channel Race. Other boats in the class include David McHugh's Just So (GBR) raced Two-Handed by William McHugh and Christian Jeffery, and Chris Burleigh's Jybe Talkin' (GBR). Gavin Howe's Classic Channel 72 Wavetrain (GBR) is the oldest and only wooden boat in the race, while Nick Lee's Projection 920 Wee Bear (GBR), racing Two-Handed with Kare Woodward, is the smallest boat in the race with the lowest IRC rating.

Over a hundred sailors will be competing in the RORC Channel Race, with over 40% of the sailors under 40 years old and a quarter being women in the 18-25 age bracket. Channel Race Trophies and Medallions will be presented on Saturday, September 2nd, at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club's Channel Race is the 14th race of the RORC Season's Points Championship, the largest racing series in the world of offshore racing.

Dublin sailor Johnny Mordaunt is boat captain on the Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 for the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Cowes Dinard St Malo Race, which has attracted 204 boats with over 1,000 crew on board from 16 different nations.

This is the largest fleet for any offshore yacht race since the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race. One hundred and ninety-one boats will be competing under the IRC Rating Rule for the overall win and the King Edward VII Cup, which dates back to 1906.

From about 2pm on Friday 7 July, the fleet will gather in the Central Solent outside Cowes with multiple starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line. Spectators can watch the start from Cowes Parade and along the shore of the Western Solent.

Henry Vergnoux’s Arabel lift the King Edward VII Cup | Credit: Steve Cole/RORC

The multihull race record was set in 2015 by Tony Lawson’s MOD70 Concise 10, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield, Concise 10 set an incredible pace, finishing the 151-nautical-mile race in nine hours, 12 minutes and 35 seconds. The monohull race record was also set in 2015; Mike Slade’s Farr 100 Leopard scorched across the finish line in an elapsed time of 11 hours, 57 minutes and 53 seconds.

Returning to defend their overall win last year is Henry Vergnoux’s Classic Illingworth-designed 33ft sloop Arabel, which lifted the King Edward VII Cup in 2022. Arabel is proof that under IRC, any team that puts in a top performance and gets the rub of the green can win big trophies under IRC.

The Cowes Dinard St Malo is the final race for the inaugural IRC Two-Handed European Championship; the first leg is still in progress in the 350-mile La Trinité Cowes Race. An update of the double-handed teams vying for the championship will be released after the results are in for Leg One (La Trinité Cowes Race). The second leg to St Malo will feature 63 double-handed teams to decide the European Champion.

Mike Slade’s Farr 100 Leopard setting the Monohull Race Record for the Cowes Dinard St Malo Race in 2015 | Credit: Lloyd Images

The Cowes Dinard St Malo Race will start at 1500 BST on Friday 7 July. The first to go of the four starts will be the 75ft (23m) Irens/Cabaret-designed trimaran Use It Again. Skippered by Romain Pilliard, the record-breaking trimaran has been renovated with recycled fixtures and fittings.

Favourites for monohull line honours and the Sandison Memorial Salver are racing in IRC Super Zero. Peter Morton’s Maxi 72 Notorious and Christian Zugel’s Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 are both based in Cowes and both sailors are RORC members. The latter recently took line honours in the Round the Island Race and for this race also features onboard Simon Johnson, fresh off his duties on Black Star at the 44Cup in Maarstrand.

Eric de Turckheim’s NMD54 Teasing Machine | Credit: Tim Wright/RORC

IRC Zero

Eighteen boats are entered for IRC Zero with RORC vice commodore Eric de Turckheim’s NMD54 Teasing Machine looking to take the class win for the race for the third year in succession. Looking to stop his winning streak are two of the most high-tech IRC boats in the race: Niklas Zennstrom’s CF 520 Rán and RORC Commodore James Neville with his Carkeek 45 Ino Noir. Teasing Machine leads the class for the season, and the remainder of the current class podium will also be in action: Family De Graaf’s Ker 46 Baraka GP, and Mark Emerson’s A13 Phosphorus II.

Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader | Credit: Paul Wyeth/RORC

IRC One

Forty boats are set for the race in IRC One, including the return of Géry Trentesaux with his new charge Sydney 43 Imagine, to be entered as Long Courrier later this month for Gery’s 17th Rolex Fastnet Race. Two teams with proven success in the Cowes Dinard St Malo Race are Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader, class winner in 2021, and Jaques Pelletier’s Milon 41 L’Ange de Milon, class winner in 2019. The two top boats in IRC Two for the RORC Season’s Point Championship will be a force to be reckoned with: Michael O’Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood and RORC treasurer Derek Shakespeare’s J/122 Bulldog will be in the race.

François and Corentin Lognoné’s MC 34 Nutmeg Solidaire en Peloton | Credit: Paul Wyeth/RORC

IRC Two

Sixty-four boats are entered in IRC Two, including many of the IRC Two-Handed entries battling for the European Championship. Of the fully-crewed entries in IRC Two, François and Corentin Lognoné MC 34 Nutmeg Solidaire en Peloton was last year’s class winner and won the race overall in 2015. Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster, overall winner in 2019, will be racing, looking to score more points for the RORC Season’s Points Championship. Two fully-crewed Sun Fast 3600s that are in the top 10 for the season will be racing: Trevor Middleton’s Black Sheep; and the Army Sailing Association’s Fujitsu British Soldier, skippered by Wil Naylor.

Rob Cotterill’s J/109 Mojo Risin’ | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

IRC Three

The top three boats for the class this season are all in action for the 53-boat IRC Three Class: Sun Fast 3200 Cora, raced double-handed by Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews; Mike Yates, skipper of J/109 Jago, two-handed with Wil Holland; and Rob Cotterill’s fully-crewed J/109 Mojo Risin’, skippered by Conrad Woodring. Cora has a massive 118-point lead for the season but is counting one additional race than Jago. Mojo Risin’ is third for the season by just 14 points from Chris Burleigh’s J/109 Jybe Talkin’ which will be racing to St Malo.

A total of nine J/109s are racing, producing a great competition within IRC Three, but they are not the only in-class skirmish. Of the 11 JPK 1010s, the leader for the season is Mark Brown’s Jetpack with a full crew from Gosport. Eleven Sun Fast 3200s are in action — seven are racing two-handed, including Cora, which is the favourite to be the first to St Malo of the double-handers.

Jonathan Rolls’ Swan 38 Xara | Credit: Paul Wyeth/RORC

IRC Four

Last year’s overall winner Arabel will be racing in IRC Four. Classic Swan 38 Xara, skippered by Jonathan Rolls was second last year and is back for the 2023 edition. The top two teams in IRC Four for the season will also be in action. Chris and Vanessa Choules’ With Alacrity leads the class for the RORC Season’s Points Championship. With Alacrity is one of four Sigma 38s racing to St Malo. In second place for the season, and one of the smallest boats in the race is Samuel Duménil’s JPK 960 Casamyas from Le Havre. Szymon Kuczynski’s Figaro One Hultaj is the smallest boat racing to St Malo at just 30ft (9.15m). However for Szymon, Hultaj is a large boat; he sailed his 20’6” (6.3m) sloop Atlantic Puffin solo around the world in 2018 to set a new world record. For the Cowes Dinard St Malo Race, Hultaj will be three-up with an all-Polish crew.

Szymon Kuczynski’s Figaro One Hultaj | Credit: Tim Wright/RORC

The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Cowes Dinard St Malo Race is the 12th race of the RORC Season’s Points Championship, the largest racing series in the world of offshore racing. The race is organised by the RORC in association with UNCL - Pôle Course du YCF, Yacht Club de Dinard, Société Nautique de la Baie de St Malo, Junior Offshore Group and the Royal Yacht Squadron.

The UK IRC National Championships has been the battleground for close victories in the past, with Rán winning last year by 0.005 of a point. However, the 2023 Overall IRC National Champion was decided by an even smaller margin. Adam Gosling’s JPK 1080 Yes! scored second place in Race 8 by four seconds after IRC time correction. This gave Yes! the overall IRC National Championships by 0.004 of a point.

Onboard Gosling’s JPK 1080 for the victory was Solent-based top Dublin crew James 'Heinzy' Hynes of Howth Yacht Club, who has a long and successful track record with the Yes! campaigns.

“It doesn’t get closer than that; races were won by seconds, and when you are up against other good boats, that level of competition makes you sail better,” commented Adam Gosling. “Arcus sailed really well in our class and really challenged us, as did John Smart’s J/109 Jukebox. Today, Elaine Again pulled a real blinder; well done to Ed Mockridge and his team. The RORC and the volunteers have given us three days of sunshine, wind and other people to sail against. Thank you, it has been a great regatta; see you again!” 

Yes! win the IRC National Championships and IRC Three by a whisker after three days of spectacular racing in the Solent Photo: Paul Wyeth

Giovanni Belgrano’s 39ft classic sloop Whooper was the overall runner-up, winning the Jackdaw Trophy as well as IRC Four. Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator made a welcome return to Solent racing, winning IRC One. James Howell’s Cape 31 Gelert was the winner of IRC Two and the Roger Grainger Trophy for the best-performing RORC boat.

Spectacular conditions prevailed for the final day of the IRC National Championship. The RORC Race Team delayed the start of racing to allow a solid south-westerly to establish, and it was well worth the wait, as 16-18 knots arrived in the combat zone. The race winners on the final day were: TP52 Gladiator, MAT 12 Sailplane 3, Cape 31 Gelert, JPK 1010 Elaine Again and the classic sloops Cetaweyo and Whooper.

Results are below

Next year, the RORC IRC National Championships will be going on tour! Held at the International Paint Poole Regatta over the Spring Bank Holiday, 25 - 27 May 2024.

Spectacular conditions with an average wind of 16 knots and 20 in the gusts blessed the first day of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s IRC National Championships.

A classic Solent day in a south-westerly with glorious sunshine. The competitors rose to the challenge with races decided by just a few seconds after IRC time correction. Three races were completed for all four classes on day one; two windward-leeward races of about one hour and a longer round-the-cans race to finish of a spectacular day’s racing with the RORC.

The class race winners were: TP52 Gladiator, GP42 Dark ‘N’ Stormy in IRC One. Cape 31 Gelert and Cape 31 Flying Jenny in IRC Two. JPK 1080 Yes! and A35 Arcus in IRC Three, and classic sloop Whooper in IRC Four.

Results: 

Ian Atkins’ GP42 Dark ‘N’ Stormy on form in IRC One

Ian Atkins’ GP42 Dark ‘N’ Stormy scored a 1-1-2 today to lead the class, but on countback alone from Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator. Dark ‘N’ Stormy won the two windward leeward races, the first by just 28 seconds after IRC time correction, but on the final, longer round the cans course, Gladiator was the victor. Third after the first day’s racing is James Neville’s Carkeek 45 Ino Noir, but also only on countback from Ker 46 ROST Van Uden skippered by Gerd-Jan Poortman.

Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator is back racing in the Solent and after the IRC Nationals the team intend to do both the Round the Island Race and Cowes Week. “We had a great day in fantastic conditions,” commented Tony Langley owner/driver of TP52 Gladiator. “We saw over 20 knots of boat speed, which is what you live for in these boats. It is great to be back out on home waters. The courses were good but we did have to keep an eye on the depth, which kept us on our toes.”

 Ian Atkins’ GP42 Dark ‘N’ Stormy Photo: Paul Wyeth

Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator Photo: Paul Wyeth 

 IRC One start on the first day of racing Photo: Paul Wyeth

Six Cape 31s Racing in IRC Two

Six Cape 31s are racing under IRC at the Championships and the surfing conditions suited the downwind flyers on day one. Cape 31s occupying the first four places after three races. James Howell’s Gelert leads by a single point from Sandra Askew’s Flying Jenny. Simon Perry’s Jiraffe is in third, and Khumbu 2 skippered by Luke Cross is fourth.

“The appeal of the Cape 31 Class is that you can do one design racing but you can come and race under IRC and be competitive,” explained James Howell, owner/driver of Cape 31 Gelert. “A fantastic day in great conditions and in fairness, all of the Cape 31s sailed really well. When you have over 15 knots of wind and you are planing in one of these, it’s good fun surfing along at 18 knots! We have MAT 12 Sailplane and IMX 40 Xinska in our class and there are possibilities that you might get tangled up with those boats racing in a different mode, but the reverse is true as well; on the upwind leg they can grind us down and over take us. Although the boats are very different, it is still relatively close under IRC, so the rule is doing a good job.”

 James Howell’s Cape 31 Gelert leads by a single point after the first day of racing Photo: Paul Wyeth

 Sandra Askew’s Cape 31 Flying Jenny Photo: Paul Wyeth

 IRC Two start on day one in the Solent Photo: Paul Wyeth

JPK 1080 Yes! Leads IRC Three

Adam Gosling’s JPK 1080 Yes! leads the class with a 1-2-1 on the opening day of the Championships, but it was far from straight forward with the first race won by just 27 seconds after IRC time correction. Ed Mockridge’s JPK 1010 Elaine Again is second having scored all podium results so far. Howell & Newell’s A35 Arcus won Race 2, but is third by a single point after three races.

“Really competitive racing and plenty of lessons learnt today, as every day we go out,” commented Adam Gosling, owner/driver of JPK 1080 Yes! “In the second race, we got stuck the wrong side of three Cape 31s downwind. The problem is that they sailed completely different angles to us and that took us way beyond the layline. We probably should have just slowed down a bit and let them go, so we could do our own thing. The important aspect of the Yes! team is that we enjoy racing and socialising together and the longer that goes on, the more we know each other, and how the whole thing works. Well done to the RORC Race team today; good courses which were run very efficiently and with stunning conditions; what more could you ask for?” 

Adam Gosling's JPK 1080 Yes! leads the IRC Two after one day of racing Photo: Paul Wyeth

Ed Mockridge’s JPK 1010 Elaine Again scored all podium results on the first day at the IRC Nationals Photo: Paul Wyeth

One point separates Howell & Newell’s A35 Arcus and second-placed Elaine Again Photo: Paul Wyeth

Whooper wins all IRC Four Races 

Giovanni Belgrano’s 39ft classic sloop Whooper had an outstanding day, winning all three races. John Allen’s X-302 Antix is second having scored all podium finishes. Chris Baldwin’s Sun Fast 3200 Hair of the Dog scored a second in the last race to finish the day on the podium, just a point ahead of Simon Clifton’s A31 Aztec.

“It’s all down to the crew,” commented Giovanni Belgrano, owner/driver of Whooper. “Also, the conditions today were just perfect for us.” Whooper’s performance on day one puts them as favourite to win the top prize at the RORC IRC National Championships. The overall win is decided by a published formula and Whooper is in pole position across all four classes.

Giovanni Belgrano’s one-off 1939 classic Whooper win all three races on day one of the RORC's IRC National Championships Photo: Paul Wyeth

Far right: All podium finishes for John Allen's X 302 Antix on a classic Solent race day Photo: Paul Wyeth

After the first day of racing competitors enjoyed cold drinks on the Terrace at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse, followed by a three-course crew supper in the company of a special guest. RORC Commodore James Neville introduced the legendary sailing coach Jim Saltonstall to the audience, who gave an inspiring talk about his life and times as a sailing coach, including Team GBR, where Jim supervised the race training programmes of five Olympic gold, four silver, and two bronze medallists. After the rousing talk, Jim was happy to sign copies of his biography: My Life in a Blue Suit.

The inaugural IRC Two-Handed European championship will have 60 teams on the start line off the south Breton port of La Trinité sur Mer on Sunday, July 2. The championship consists of 500 offshore miles across two challenging races, taking competitors first to Cowes, where there’s a two-day layover, then back across the English Channel to St Malo. A strong line-up of modern boats come from seven different countries, the majority are from France but also Australia, Belgium, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States.

It is organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with l'UNCL Pôle Course du YCF, La Société Nautique de la Trinité sur mer, and Société Nautique de la baie de St Malo.

Among the 25 JPKs are nine 1030s, a pair of 1080s, a dozen of the older 1010s, plus a pair of the smaller 960s.

The Sun Fast contingent includes eleven 3300s, ten of the older 3200s, plus a trio of 3600s. Among these are two of the most experienced and successful UK two-handed teams – Nick Martin on Diablo and Rob Craigie / Deb Fish on Bellino, who were second and third respectively in last year’s RORC Season’s Points Championship.

Entry List for La Trinite-Cowes

Victor Bordes-Laridan has entered JPK 1030 Leon in the event, fresh from winning the IRC fully-crewed IRC European Championship in Cannes at the beginning of June Photo: Paul Wyeth

The entry list also includes a Grand Soleil 35, three J/99s and a J/97, the lowest rated boat in the fleet, a fraction lower than the JPK 960s. Overall the fleet includes an impressive amount of talent. The JPK 1030 Leon, for instance, is a well-known boat usually campaigned by Jean Pierre Kelbert, who took second place in the fiercely competitive double-handed division of the Arwen race earlier this year. Victor Bordes-Laridan has entered the boat in the event, fresh from winning the IRC fully-crewed IRC European Championship in Cannes at the beginning of June.

However, overall two-handed victory in the Armen race went to another JPK1030 that’s also competing in the Double-Handed IRC Europeans, Thomas Bonnier’s Juzzy. It will be fascinating to see how the duel between these two plays out. A third JPK 1030, Dutch entry Astrid de Vin’s Il Corvo, is also a strong contender. De Vin took overall victory, for example, in last year’s North Sea Race, sailing a JPK 1180 of the same name.

This year, racing with Erwan Tabarly, his semi-scow Manuard-Nivelt 35 Lann Ael 3 won the 58-strong double-handed division at Spi Ouest Photo: Vincent Olivaud

Didier Gaudoux has an equally enviable recent track record, having been overall winner under IRC for the 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race in his previous boat, a JND39. This year, racing with Erwan Tabarly, his semi-scow Manuard-Nivelt 35 Lann Ael 3 won the 58-strong double-handed division at Spi Ouest. Lorient based Jean Francois Cheriaux has also enjoyed a successful early season in his JPK 1010 Ad Hoc, winning the tactically challenging 250-plus mile Gascogne 45/5 race in a 73-strong fleet at the end of April. 

In addition to Bellino and Diablo, there are also plenty of experienced and successful names among the British entries. These include two stand-out Sun Fast 3200s – Kate Cope’s well-travelled Purple Mist, plus Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews on Cora. The latter took overall victory in the 2022 UK Double-Handed Series, while Cope notched up thousands of miles over the winter competing in the RORC Transat and Caribbean 600 races.

Sun Fast 3300 Chilli Pepper Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Among the British Sun Fast 3300s are Jim Driver’s Chilli Pepper, which finished third in the double-handed class of last year’s RORC Season’s Points and fifth overall, racing mostly with daughter Ellie. She will be joining him again for the La Trinité - Cowes leg, and will stay on for Cowes - St Malo, when Jim will be replaced by Alaric Bates, who did the same race with Ellie last year. After a period campaigning a Class40, Ian Hoddle has made a return to the shorthanded IRC scene and is entered with his new Sun Fast 3300 GameOn!

Both races are classics in the RORC calendar that test a wide range of skills, yet both can be completed with only one week out of the office. At 350 miles La Trinité - Cowes is by far the longest of the two, though both have significant navigational challenges that require complex tactical decisions.

Last year, after a short fetch from the start to the bottom of the Quiberon peninsula the fleet short-tacked west against a strong tide, dodging the many rocks, with big gains available to the boats who managed this aspect well and avoided going unnecessarily far offshore. Power-reaching along the south Brittany coast overnight, weaving through the famed Iles de Glénans in the early hours, gave a chance for some of the newer designs to stretch their legs and gain a useful advantage before negotiating the tidal gates of the Raz de Sein and Chanel du Four. There's potential here for a wide mix of conditions, with wind against tide giving awkward steep seas accompanied by awe-inspiring breaking waves over shoals and in the strongest tidal races. On the other hand, the myriad of islands off the Chanel du Four offers plenty of opportunity to seek relief from a foul tide.

Competitors will then enjoy a couple of days in Cowes before a Friday afternoon start for the 150-mile Cowes Dinard St Malo race. This heads west out of the Solent, before crossing the English Channel to the west of the Channel Islands, their associated rocks and the Plateau des Minquiers.

This is always a highlight of the season for both double-handed and fully crewed teams. Some years it's a tough upwind slog and tactical challenge in south-westerly breezes, but equally good summer weather can give light airs that test patience and an entirely different skill set. Last year this handed an advantage to some of the oldest designs in the fleet, and similar conditions might help lower-rated entries in the Double-Handed European Championship, including Yann Gindre’s J/97 l’Opale, the two JPK 960s and even some of the JPK 1010s.

The race is timed so that competitors arrive at the medieval port for the Bastille Day festivities that mark the start of the long French summer holidays. The prize-giving will be on Sunday July 9 at the Société Nautique de la baie de St Malo, just outside the gates to the old city.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club IRC National Championships is all set this weekend for three days of multiple short-course racing in the Solent.

Four individual UK IRC Class champions and the Overall UK IRC Champion will be awarded at the Prize Giving held at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse on Sunday, 25th June.

The RORC IRC National Championships was first held in 1999, and in over two decades of competition, the overall win has been achieved by a huge variety of boats.

“To become the overall UK IRC Champion a team must first win its class, and predicting class winners is hard enough. Racing is always very competitive, especially after IRC time correction,” commented RORC Racing Manager Steve Cole. “Overall champions have been the latest hi-tech race boats, timeless classics, and just about everything in between. There is always great anticipation for the IRC Nationals because winners will earn the title of National Champions. More often than not the overall winner, which is decided by a published formula, is not decided until the final race, adding to the excitement. All competitors, their friends and families will be made very welcome at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse during the regatta – may the best teams win!”

Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator returns to RORC Racing as the scratch IRC boat for the Championships Photo: Paul Wyeth

IRC One
Four high performance boats of totally different designs will be racing in the big boat IRC Class. Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator won IRC One in 2019 and was runner-up in 2020. Gladiator returns to RORC Racing as the scratch IRC boat for the Championships. A debutant boat for the Championship and to inshore racing will be RORC Commodore James Neville with his newly launched Carkeek 45 Ino Noir. Ian Atkins’ GP42 Dark ‘N’ Stormy was runner-up last year and will provide formidable competition. A young Dutch team led by Gerd-Jan Poortman will be racing Ker 46 ROST Van Uden, which will be looking to improve on third in last year’s championship. ROST Van Uden, like Ino Noir, will also be sharpening their skills for the Rolex Fastnet Race next month.

James Howells’ Cowes-based Cape 31 Gelert Photo: Paul Wyeth

IRC Two
Ten teams, including six Cape 31s will be racing under IRC in the biggest class of the Championship. Two on form downwind flyers are James Howells’ Cowes-based Gelert, winner of three races at the RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup, and American owner/driver Sandra Askew’s Flying Jenny. Rob Bottomley’s Mat 12 Sailplane 3, skippered by Nick Jones should be the fastest in the class upwind. Entries in IRC Two include Johnathan Blanshard’s Ker 36 Skermisher, Sture Wikman’s MC31 Vitres and Rupert Morgan’s X-40 Xinska.

Adam Gosling, the successful class winner returns with his JPK 1080 Yes! Photo: Paul Wyeth

IRC Three
Adam Gosling’s JPK 1080 Yes! is the scratch boat for the class. Statistically, Gosling is the most successful skipper in the history of the event, having won class five times in various boats, all called Yes! (2009, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2021). Yes! has the unusual distinction of a tie for the overall win in 2016 and last year came within 0.005 of a point of winning overall, so this year’s regatta can be deemed unfinished business for the Cowes-based team. Top competition within the class includes Howell & Newell’s A35 Arcus, 2020 overall IRC National Champion, and John Smart’s J/109 Jukebox, class runner-up last year.

Giovanni Belgrano’s one-off 1939 classic Whooper will be hoping to emulate their overall win in 2017 with his Laurent Giles Sloop Photo: Rick Tomlinson

IRC Four
Giovanni Belgrano’s one-off 1939 classic Whooper will be hoping to emulate their overall win in 2017. Whooper is not the only classic at this year’s IRC National Championship, David Murrin’s 1955 sloop Cetaweyo is also from the design board of Laurent Giles. Simon Clifton’s A31 Aztec from the West Mersea YC will be in the mix, as will two Corby 29s; David Mallett’s Touchpaper and the RN Sailing Association’s Cutlass, skippered by Henry Wilson. Chris Baldwin’s Sun Fast 3200 Hair of the Dog is back racing after tenaciously completing the light airs Morgan Cup Race to Dartmouth last weekend. John Allen’s X-302 Antix is a multiple IRC regional champion and has the lowest IRC Rating of the regatta.