What is the date and time of the 2020 Round Ireland Yacht Race?

August 22nd. Starting times: Monohulls 1300 hrs and Multihulls 13.10 hrs.

What is the Round Ireland Yacht Race distance?

Approximately 704 nautical miles or 1304 kilometres

Round Ireland Yacht 2024 Race Updates from Wicklow Sailing Club

Q: What is the Round Ireland Race speed record?

The Round Ireland race record of 38 h 37 min 7s is held by MOD-70 trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail and was set in June 2016.

Round Ireland Yacht 2024 Race Updates from Wicklow Sailing Club

On-water leader Kuka3 (Cookson 50, Franco Niggeler, Switzerland) should be in Wicklow at lunchtime today

SSL Renewables Round Ireland Race Should See Kuka3 Take Line Honours At Wicklow In Late Morning

22nd June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Day Five (Wednesday) 0800 hrs - Despite the continuing prospect of light north to northeast winds, this morning’s south-going ebb tide off the Wicklow coast should speed up the progress of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race from…

Robert Rendell’s Grand Soleil 44 Samatom has done remarkable things to come south from Rathlin now clearly ahead of Michael Boyd’s J/121 Darkwood

Tides and Times of North Channel are Dictating the Current State of the Round Ireland Race

21st June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Day four (Tuesday) 2100 With the tides of the North Channel running favourably southwards for the Round Ireland fleet from around 16:30hrs today, the state of play for the leaders in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race…

The Fastnet Race-proven French J/111 SL Energies (Laurent Charmy) has never been out of the top ten overall since the race got into its stride, but never – until now – had she been in and out of the top three frame

Round Ireland Race Is Becoming A Concentrated Test Of Light Airs Sailing Stamina

21st June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Day Four (Tuesday) 1500 hrs Down Wicklow way, they sell their SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race as the Race With Everything. They can say that again. After some ferocious sailing through Sunday off the Kerry coast, when the…

Paul O’Higgins’ Rockabill VI – currently making the turn at Tory Island while registering a respectable 6.9 knots – is narrowly leading overall on Corrected Time

Tidal Gates of Northern Coasts are Now Dominant as Kuka3 and Rockabill VI Hold Round Ireland on-Water and Handicap Leads

21st June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Day Four (Tuesday) 0830 hours: When the on-water leader, the Swiss Cookson 50 Kuka3 (Franco Niggeler), came past Rathlin Island at 03:00 hrs this morning, her crew knew that they had barely two hours of tide still…

The Swiss-flagged Cookson 50 Kuka3 with former Crosshavian Tom McWilliam on the strength

Approach of Welcome Westerly Tested Positioning Skills of Round Ireland Racers, With Overall Lead Now Battled Between Five Boats

20th June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Day Three (Monday) 2000 hrs - As the overnight northerly morphed unevenly into the new breeze from the west today with the fleet strung out between the latitudes of Kerry and the Aran Island, the tacticians in…

Round Ireland Yacht Race competitor Michael Boyd made a special tribute to the lost helicopter crew of Rescue 116 at the Blackrock Island 2017 crash site

Round Ireland Yacht Race Skipper Pays Video Tribute to Lost Rescue 116 Crew at Blackrock Island

20th June 2022 Round Ireland

Passing Blackrock Island on the County Mayo coast, a mark on the course of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race, leading skipper Michael Boyd has paid a moving tribute to the four air crew of Rescue 116 Irish Coast Guard…

The Green Dragon crew is a select group of 15 from Dublin, Donegal and Belfast skippered by Conor Ferguson

Volvo 70 Green Dragon's Entry in the Round Ireland Race Marks the Ten Year Anniversary of the Volvo Ocean Race in Ireland

20th June 2022 Round Ireland

Enda O'Coineen, the (non-sailing) Round Ireland co-skipper of Green Dragon, writes this year's Volvo 70 entry marks the tenth anniversary of the Volvo Ocean Race coming to Ireland. I am sorry to see the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race leader for line-honours…

Marie Tabarly's French 60ft alloy ketch Pen Duick VI off the coast of Wicklow prior to the start of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race on Saturday

Au Revoir Marie Tabarly as Famous French Ketch Pen Duick VI Retires from Round Ireland Race

20th June 2022 Round Ireland

Marie Tabarly's French 60ft alloy ketch Pen Duick VI has retired less than 48 hours into the 2022 SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race. As Afloat reported, fifty years after France's legendary Eric Tabarly was winning "just about everything" with his…

The JPK 10.80 Rockabill VI (Paul O’Higgins, Royal Irish YC)

Nieulargo, Rockabill VI and Snapshot Move into Overall CT Lead in Round Ireland Race as Winds Start to Change off West Coast

20th June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race day three (Monday) 0830 - The northerly winds have been easing through the night as the bulk of the fleet in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race make varying rates of progress northwards off the coast of North…

Will Kuka3 Maintain her Round Ireland Pace and Place as the Winds Turn Light?

19th June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Day Two 2030 hrs - At 06:30 this morning, came sweeping past the Fastnet Rock, and hardened sheets for the long and rugged slug to windward up the coasts of West Cork and Kerry, fired up to maintain her…

Fujitsu British Soldier Has 'Gear Problems' & Retires from Round Ireland Yacht Race

19th June 2022 Round Ireland

Donall Ryan's Sunfast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier has retired from the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race this afternoon, according to Wicklow Sailing Club organisers. The yacht retired due to 'gear problems' just 30 hours into the race and while on…

'Mechanical Issue' Forces Sailing School Entry Sherkin Irish Offshore Sailing Out of Round Ireland Race

19th June 2022 Round Ireland

The Sailing School entry 'Sherkin Irish Offshore Sailing' has retired from the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race this evening with a 'mechanical issue'. Winds were strong northerlies around 25 knots at the time. The Sunfast 37 yacht skippered by David Hanks…

James Neville's INO XXX is out of the Round Ireland race due to hull delamination say race organisers

Race Favourite 'INO XXX' Retires From Round Ireland Race with 'Hull Delamination'

19th June 2022 Round Ireland

British race favourite James Neville – the Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club – and skipper of INO XXX is out of the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Yacht Race this evening after suffering 'hull delamination' off the County Kerry coast. The…

The two-handed Kinsale Sunfast 3300 Cinnamon Girl (Cian McCarthy & Sam Hunt) has zapped into the overall handicap lead and IRC 3 with it

Kinsale's Cinnamon Girl Takes Round Ireland Handicap Lead as Kuka 3 Retains Lead on Water as Fleet Face The Kerry Windward Test

19th June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Day Two (Sunday) 1300hrs - The majestic coast of West Kerry is a tumbling undulation of unexpected peaks and sudden steep cliffs, a seaboard for heroes. And when the wind is fresh to strong or worse from the…

The Swiss Cookson 50 Kuko 3, which is currently leading the Round Ireland fleet on the water, and was past the Fastnet Rock by 0620 hrs this (Sunday) morning

Tough Windward work in Prospect on West Coast for Round Ireland Fleet After Leaders Have Swift Progress to Fastnet Rock

19th June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Day 2 (Sunday) 0900 - Conditions have been ideal for swift and steady progress by the fleet in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race since they cleared Wicklow Head and passed Arklow. An area of light breezes off…

The 47 boat fleet depart Wicklow under spinnaker on the 2022 Round Ireland Yacht Race

Breeze — Or Lack of It — Will Prove a Challenge as 2022 Round Ireland Race Gets Under Way (Photo Gallery)

18th June 2022 Round Ireland

Round Ireland Race Race Start: The Swiss Cookson 50 Kuka 3, the Howth-based Grand Soleil 44 Samatom and the Italian Class 40 Influence had the best of today’s spinnaker start in the 21st SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race off Wicklow in…

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Round Ireland Yacht Race Information

The Round Ireland Yacht Race is Ireland's classic offshore yacht race starts from Wicklow Sailing Club (WSC) and is organised jointly with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC). This page details the very latest updates from the 2008 race onwards including the race schedule, yacht entries and the all-important race updates from around the 704-mile course. Keep up to date with the Round Ireland Yacht Race here on this one handy reference page.

2020 Round Ireland Race

The 2020 race, the 21st edition, was the first race to be rescheduled then cancelled.

Following Government restrictions over COVID-19, a decision on the whether or not the 2020 race can be held was made on April 9 2020 to reschedule the race to Saturday, August 22nd. On July 27th, the race was regrettably cancelled due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19.

Because of COVID-19, the race had to have a virtual launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club for its 21st edition.

In spite of the pandemic, however, a record entry was in prospect for 2020 with 50 boats entered with four weeks to go to the race start. The race was also going big on size and variety to make good on a pre-race prediction that the fleet could reach 60. An Irish offshore selection trial also looked set to be a component part of the 2020 race.

The rescheduling of the race to a news date emphasises the race's national significance, according to Afloat here

FAQs

How many miles duration is the Round Ireland Yacht Race?

704 nautical miles, 810 miles or 1304 kilometres

What is the distance around Ireland's coastline?

3171 kilometres is the estimate of Ireland's coastline by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland.

Who is the sponsor of the 2020 Round Ireland Yacht Race?

SSE Renewables are the sponsors of the 2020 Round Ireland Race.

Who organises the Round Ireland Yacht Race?

Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club in London and The Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dublin.

Where is the Round Ireland Race Start?

Off Wicklow Harbour on Saturday, August 22nd 2020

What is the Round Ireland Race Start time?

Monohulls 1300 hrs and Multihulls 13.10 hrs

What is the Round Ireland Race course?

Leave Ireland and all its islands (excluding Rockall) to starboard.

How long does it take to sail Round Ireland?

It depends on the boat. The elapsed record time for the race is under 40 hours but most boats take five or six days to complete the course.

Is there a Round Ireland Race Tracker?

The Race Tracker is https://afloat.ie/sail/events/round-ireland/item/25789-round-ireland-yacht-race-tracker-2016-here.

What is the history of the Round Ireland Race?

The idea of a race around Ireland began in 1975 with a double-handed race starting and finishing in Bangor organised by Ballyholme Yacht Club with stopovers in Crosshaven and Killybegs. That race only had four entries. In 1980 Michael Jones put forward the idea of a non-stop race and was held in that year from Wicklow Sailing Club. Sixteen pioneers entered that race with Brian Coad’s Raasay of Melfort returning home after six days at sea to win the inaugural race. Read the first Round Ireland Yacht Race 1980 Sailing Instructions here

What is the Round Ireland Race speed record?

The Round Ireland race record of 38 h 37 min 7 s is held by MOD-70 trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail and was set in June 2016.

What is the Round Ireland Race Monohull Speed record?

George David’s Rambler 88 (USA) holds the fastest monohull race time of two days two hours 24 minutes and 9 seconds set in the 2016 race.

What was the first round Ireland voyage?

William Power's 45ft Olivia undertook a round Ireland cruise in September 1860

What is the Smallest Boat To Sail Round Ireland?

Richard Hayes completed his solo epic round Ireland voyage in September 2018 in a 14-foot Laser dinghy. The voyage had seen him log a total of 1,324 sea miles (2,452 kilometres) in 54 sailing days. in 1961, the Belfast Lough Waverly Durward crewed by Kevin and Colm MacLaverty and Mick Clarke went around Ireland in three-and-a-half weeks becoming the smallest keelboat ever to go round. While neither of these achievements occurred as part of the race they are part of Round Ireland sailing history