Online entry for the 704-nautical miles SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race will open at midday (UTC 1200) on Monday 24th January 2022 organisers at Wicklow Sailing Club have confirmed.
After cancelling the 2020 race due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 21st edition of this classic offshore event is being planned with relevant precautions in place to ensure a safe experience.
"We were anticipating a fleet of close to 80 boats when we had to cancel our 2020 plans," said Kryan O'Grady, Commodore of Wicklow Sailing Club. "Now that we are learning how to live with Covid-19, there is pent-up demand on top of a surge of interest in offshore racing so a strong turn-out is on the cards."
The course follows the traditional route first contested in 1980 that states "leave Ireland and its islands to starboard" while starting and finishing at the scenic port of Wicklow on the East coast of Ireland.
The Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association (ISORA) is working with Wicklow and fully supporting and promoting the race. ISORA have included the race in their 2022 schedule and will be preparing boats to qualify for the circumnavigation. ISORA will also be providing the tracker service to the race.
Kryan O'Grady, Commodore of Wicklow Sailing Club
Berthing facilities at the pier and quays close to Wicklow Sailing Club's base will be available while the Royal Irish Yacht Club in nearby Dun Laoghaire will once again act as a second club base for registration and inspection.
The race itself offers both competition and personal achievement for boat owners and crews alike. Growing popularity with sail training centres has already seen many pre-entry enquiries.
Race-winning navigator from 2018 and 2004 Ian Moore has likened the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race as the "Mount Kilimanjaro of Sailing" - a bucket-list opportunity and one of the few full circumnavigation voyages of significant but achievable duration in the world.
"This is a unique race and special in many ways," said Michael Boyd, a regular competitor and past-Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. "It's like a series of races within a race and always a twist or two.
"Aside from the racing, the course itself sails past spectacular coastlines as well as stages into the Atlantic before turning for inshore waters heading to the finishing line."
Starting at 1300 hrs on Saturday 18th June 2022, the event is also well-timed to allow completion of the race in good time to deliver to Crosshaven on the South coast for the biennial Cork Week and special celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the Royal Cork YC, the world's oldest yacht club.
Round Ireland Race day at Wicklow Harbour
Entry will be open to IRC-rated yachts of at least 9.15m/30 feet overall and MOCRA-rated multihulls of 9.0m/29.53 feet with prizes awarded in a variety of categories including overall winner under IRC along with line honours trophies for first monohull and first multihull. Two-handed entries, Sailing school and Services entries will also be amongst the prizes.
Full details will be included in the official Notice of Race document that will be published in mid-December 2021.
