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Clifden Boat Club's long awaited staging of the West Coast of Ireland's big regatta, WIORA week, kicked off today in perfect Atlantic conditions. It's the third time the event has been sailed at the boat club and the first since 2007. Below are today's first sailing photos from the 30-boat event by Gareth Craig.

Day one of the four day series went off with a bang with sunny skies and a light south-westerly breeze slowing building to a moderate breeze. Principal Race Officer Alan Crosbie and his team had their work cut out to get the two scheduled races in for the day with the tricky conditions.

The fleet of just under thirty boats from Howth, Tralee, Clare, Limerick, Mayo, Sligo and Galway were all out on the water early for some pre-race preparation but also to bask in the sunshine.

Race One –

Class one saw early leader and last year's class winner Glen Cahill and his crew on the J109 Joie De Vie stamped his authority crossing the finishing line confidently after blasting away and leaving the rest of the fleet in his wake.

Class two saw David Griffin's Dehler 34 Egalite taking first from Brian Rafferty's Corby 2602 who travelled from Sligo Yacht Club to take part.

Class three it was local Jackie Ward on Hallmark showing the way from David Buckley's Sigma 33 from Tralee Bay Sailing Club.

Race Two –

During the afternoon the wind build to a constant 12 knots and champagne sailing conditions for the fleet.

In Class one it was the turn of the X332's to dominate the fleet with John Gordon's X-rated from Mayo Sailing Club taking line honours.

Class two Egalite just pipped Brian Rafferty's Corby gaining a second win for the day.

Class three it was the turn of David Buckley's Boojum to get one over on the local boat Hallmark finishing in the top slot

The forecast for day two is giving more of the same with blue skies with a westerly breeze.

Published in WIORA

The Round Britain & Ireland Race

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race will feature a wide variety of yachts racing under the IRC rating rule as well as one design and open classes, such as IMOCA, Class40 and Multihulls. The majority of the fleet will race fully crewed, but with the popularity of the Two-Handed class in recent years, the race is expected to have a record entry.

The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race starts on Sunday 7th August 2022 from Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK.

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is organised by The Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with The Royal Yacht Squadron.

It is run every four years. There have been nine editions of the Round Britain and Ireland Race which started in 1976 Sevenstar has sponsored the race four times - 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and has committed to a longterm partnership with the RORC

The 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is a fully crewed non-stop race covering 1,805 nautical miles and is open to IRC, IRC Two Handed, IMOCA 60s, Class40s, Volvo 65s and Multihulls that will race around Britain and Ireland, starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes on the Isle of Wight starting after Cowes Week on Sunday 7 August 2022

The last edition of the race in 2018 attracted 28 teams with crews from 18 nations. Giles Redpath's British Lombard 46 saw over victory and Phil Sharp's Class40 Imerys Clean Energy established a new world record for 40ft and under, completing the course in 8 days 4 hrs 14 mins 49 secs.

The 1,805nm course will take competitors around some of the busiest and most tactically challenging sailing waters in the world. It attracts a diverse range of yachts and crew, most of which are enticed by the challenge it offers as well as the diversity and beauty of the route around Britain and Ireland with spectacular scenery and wildlife.

Most sailors agree that this race is one of the toughest tests as it is nearly as long as an Atlantic crossing, but the changes of direction at headlands will mean constant breaks in the watch system for sail changes and sail trim

Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race Records:

  • Outright - OMA07 Musandam-Oman Sail, MOD 70, Sidney Gavignet, 2014: 3 days 03:32:36
  • Monohull - Azzam Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, VO 65, Ian Walker, 2014: 4 days 13:10:28
  • Monohull All-Female - Team SCA, VO 65, Samantha Davies, 2014: 4 days 21:00:39
  • Monohull 60ft or less - Artemis Team Endeavour, IMOCA 60, Brian Thompson/Artemis Ocean Racing, 2014: 5 days 14:00:54
  • Monohull 40ft or less – Imerys Clean Energy, Class40, Phil Sharp, 2018: 8 days 4:14:49